Best villas in the Algarve
1. Villa Eska, Olhos d’Agua
In the characterful, low-key resort of Olhos d’Agua, this bright and breezy five-bedroom property decorated in a nautical, blue and white palette has gorgeous sea views and is just a short walk from a sandy beach. Extended families will find plenty to love, including two heated pools (the second is shallower, designed for children), a sunny games room with a pool table and Playstation 3, a built-in barbecue, a large kitchen, and a dining room and lounge with space for everyone to socialise.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 10
Price ££
2. Quinta Monte, Quinta do Lago
Right on the edge of Quinta do Lago’s renowned San Lorenzo course, this deluxe villa with four en-suite bedrooms is perfect for golfers looking for a beautiful base. Set in the heart of the resort — which has five championship courses and a golf academy — the lavish property comes with a maid service and welcome champagne, and when guests aren’t teeing off they can enjoy the large pool, manicured Tuscan-style gardens and a roof terrace with wraparound sea and mountain views.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price ££
3. Villa Falesia, Albufeira
Lying at what might be described as a safe distance from the party pads in Albufeira, Villa Falesia enjoys proximity to the same sandy beaches without the same chaotic pace and the sense of tranquillity is enhanced by the neighbouring Dom Pedro Pinhal golf course. The villa itself has four modern bedrooms and a lawn next to its yawning swimming pool. Prefer to take a dip in the sea? The good news is it’s only a five-minute stroll from the front door.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price ££
4. Casa Luum, Loule
This stylish villa is the ultimate countryside retreat and is found in a secluded, rural setting among groves of olive, almond and cork trees. Its architect-designed minimalist lines are softened with locally handmade furnishings, the pool is in a courtyard and multiple terraces and patios mean there’s no shortage of sunbathing space. Sleeping six, it’s suited to groups of friends or families with older children looking for tranquillity. Car hire is a must, with the shops and restaurants of Santa Barbara de Nexe a five-minute drive, and the coast 20 minutes away.
Pool Y
Family-friendly N – better for teens
Sleeps 6
Price ££
5. Villa Indigo, Vale do Lobo
If being close to the beach isn’t your priority in the Algarve, this luxury villa in Vale do Lobo will hold plenty of appeal. While the interiors are gleaming white, there’s plenty of colour on offer in the wooded garden outside. An ideal spot for families, this villa comes with its own butler and maid service, and while the kitchen is fairly limited, sister property, the Vila Monte Farm House has an excellent on-site restaurant.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price £££
6. Villa Ponderosa, Vilamoura
Encircled by one of the many golf courses that orbit Vilamoura, Villa Ponderosa isn’t the biggest villa in the Algarve, but nonetheless features many of the elements you’ll find in much larger and more expensive options nearby. The decor eschews the clinical white that’s common in the area, giving it a more homely feel, though there’s a very good chance you don’t have quite such an appealing swimming pool in your own abode.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 6
Price £
7. Martinhal Sagres Grand Deluxe Garden House
Ideal for newcomers to the villa holiday scene, the Garden House is set within a larger hotel complex and offers access to a huge communal pool. There’s privacy in the secluded garden, however, as there is on the rooftop terrace with its satisfying view south into the Gulf of Cadiz. If you want to stretch your legs and lungs in the sea, the beach is around a seven-minute walk away.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 4
Price £
8. Villa Eva, Quinta Do Lago
One of the grander luxury villas in the Algarve, Eva has been built with a colonial style that gives it the look of a governor’s residence. The thick vegetation framing the large swimming pool provides plenty of privacy, while the four bedrooms all have plenty of space. Situated on the edge of the Pinheiros Altos golf course, it is popular with golf groups coming to place this course and the half dozen others within half an hour’s drive.
Pool Y
Family-friendly N
Sleeps 8
Price ££
9. Villa Rafael 1, Sao Rafael
One-bedroom properties with private pools can be hard to come by, but this slick pad in the quiet resort of Sao Rafael is the perfect couples’ pad. The bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows slide back to reveal a sun deck with padded loungers and a heated private plunge pool. There’s a small but well-equipped kitchen area, and a large roof terrace with expansive sea views. Arrifes beach and a clutch of restaurants are just a short stroll away, and Albufeira is 10 minutes in a taxi for more lively nightlife.
Pool Y
Family-friendly N
Sleeps 2
Price £
10. Villa Centeanes, Carvoeiro
Shimmering Centeanes may be one of the newer villas in the Algarve, but its views over the treeline and out to the Atlantic are timeless. While there’s plenty of space outdoors around the pool, under the awnings or by the pool to enjoy this panorama, know that some but not all of the five bedrooms have it too. On arrival, it’s probably worth rushing through to bag one that does, before the rest of your family get inside.
Pool Y
Family-friendly N
Sleeps 8
Price ££
11. Villa Lien, Vilamoura
This one storey villa located in a quiet cul-de-sac is ideal for families with very young children. The twin bedroom is a short, step-free toddle from the double, the bathroom has a tub and there’s a washing machine and a microwave to make parents’ lives easier. You’ll spend most of your time in the large, enclosed grounds, with a sprawling lawn, a built-in barbecue and a gated pool with gentle step-access, perfect for small splashers. It’s a short drive to the beach and amenities of Vilamoura.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 4
Price £
12. Villa Lindsay, Vilamoura
Sitting next to the Pinhal golf course and with its own putting greens, Villa Lindsay may be ideal for golf groups but has much broader appeal. The decor is modern and tasteful, while the fully equipped kitchen isn’t merely an afterthought. The luscious gardens provide a verdant halo for the 11m swimming pool, and Vilamoura’s vibrant marina — and its associated bars and restaurants — are just 15 minutes walk away.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price £
13. Villa Salimao 1, Sagres
This bright, minimalist three-bed is just 500m from the sheltered, sandy Praia do Martinhal beach, and 600m from the laid-back surf town of Sagres, where you can watch fishermen landing their catch before ordering it for dinner at one of the many restaurants. With private outdoor space and a communal pool shared between ten villas, this fantastic value option suits active families or groups of friends who want to enjoy the area’s many activities, from surfing and dolphin watching to cycling and hiking through the nearby nature reserve.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 6-7
Price £
14. Villa Natural, Vilamoura
Compared to other European destinations, the villas of the Algarve tend not to be humungous. Able to sleep 14, Villa Natural is one of the largest options, but it’s not just about volume here — the pungent fruit-tree gardens call to mind an orchard, while the swimming pool area features cabanas and hammocks. There’s also a nearby play park for kids, as well as games in the house and, perhaps inevitably, a pitch-and-putt, too.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 14
Price £
15. Villa Casa da Praia, Gale
Built in the traditional Algarve style but with stylish, modern interiors, this villa is in the heart of the small, easy-going resort of Gale, within a short walk of both the beach and shops and restaurants, making it perfect for those who’d like to minimise driving, or even skip car hire altogether. There are four double bedrooms, an indoor and outdoor kitchen with a beautiful alfresco dining table, a large pool and table tennis at the bottom of the garden.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price ££
16. Villa Bond, Vale do Lobo
Would James Bond stay at a comfortable family villa in the Algarve? It would perhaps be a little narcissistic even for 007 to stay in a property adorned with photos of himself, but who can say? His downtime is pretty poorly documented after all. Nonetheless, this newly built three-storey villa with its palm-filled garden and swimming pool in Vale do Lobo are as handsome as the great man himself. Note: don’t confuse it with the similarly titled Villa 007, further along the coast.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 12
Price ££
17. Villa Devaneio, Vale do Lobo
Within a private estate in the upmarket resort of Vale de Lobo, Villa Devaneio has striking, contemporary looks and the facilities to match, with a large swimming pool flanked by a pool room with a fully fitted kitchen and dining area, and its own tennis court. The three lavish suites have bathrooms with free-standing tubs and walk-in showers. Extensive glazing means there are ocean views at every turn, with particularly fine vistas from the vast, open plan living area.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 6
Price ££
18. Casa Brazil, Quinta do Lago
The imposing Casa Brazil is the sort of thing you might find in a leafy suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Despite its hulking size, it sleeps just ten guests, meaning everyone has plenty of room, indoors and out, for themselves. The outdoor dining area is one of the best anywhere in the Algarve, perfect for semi-sheltered cooking. If the weather is against you, then there’s a cinema room in the lower floor of the villa, too.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 10
Price ££
19. Quinta da Vicente, Alva
This modern, three-bedroom villa provides the best of both worlds when it comes to location, in a quiet setting but convenient for exploring the best of the Algarve’s gorgeous western extent. It’s close to the pretty fishing village of Alvor, near a nature reserve and wild beach, and between historic Portimao and the lively city of Lagos. The large pool is set in a sheltered garden with outdoor dining and a barbecue, and indoors there are two separate living areas, making it perfect for extended families.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 6
Price ££
20. Salema Alegria Beach House, Salema
This four-bedroom villa in the western reaches of the Algarve is an anomaly for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s actually on a beach while so many of the region’s coastal areas have been reserved for hotels. Secondly, the village of Salema is one of the least developed destinations in the region — while it’s increasingly visited, here you can still get a sense of life as it was before the arrival of mass tourism.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 8
Price £££
21. Quinta da Alegria, Silves
If you’re not content with simply lounging around, this six-bed villa has plenty of activities within its sprawling grounds. As well as its own full-sized tennis courts, it has a pool large enough to do lengths; table tennis; a gym and a foosball table. There’s also a huge outdoor dining space, featuring a barbecue big enough to cook for all guests, as well as a standalone pizza oven.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 12
Price ££
22. Galé Hibiscus Beach House, Galé
The proximity of the Salgados Nature Reserve to this airy beachfront villa means that birders and amateur photographers will be in for a treat. Admittedly, there probably aren’t too many twitchers holidaying in the Algarve, but that’s not a problem: this striking five-bedroom home has plenty of universal charm with a pool that lies just a few footsteps away from the golden sand of Galé Beach. Anyone looking to explore further afield can use the villa’s free bikes, too.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 10
Price £££
23. Villa Escala, Boliqueme
One of the largest and most palatial villas in Portugal, Escala has enormous banqueting tables inside and out. Few properties in the Algarve have larger grounds — nor do many have a second pool specifically for children. The views from both the lawn and the upper-floor terraces are sensational and it is perhaps no surprise to learn that its colossal size and number of beds make it popular for weddings.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 14
Price ££
24. Casa Da Praia, Olhos d’Agua
The name doesn’t lie; this uber-luxury property in Olhos d’Agua is right by the beach, and has its own private access straight on to the sand. It’s an eight-bedroom behemoth and the décor is extravagant too, with chandeliers and a grand piano in the open-plan living area. The facilities are extensive, including a wine cellar, a state-of-the-art gym, a home cinema and a games room with a pool table. Outside it’s no less impressive, with a swimming pool with its own swim-up wet bar and a jacuzzi.
Pool Y
Family-friendly Y
Sleeps 16
Price £££
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Source: Times Travel