The weather during winter is very changeable.

Christmas time last year was warm and sunny, NYE was cold and rainy, the previous year we had lots of rain right through to May, so it's problematic in not knowing what to expect.

Albufeira is like a ghost town between November and March, Old Town does have some places open, but apart from NYE most bars and restaurants are closed - as are quite a few hotels.

Quarteira is even quieter and gets very few tourists over the winter months.

Thanks

Hi, I can't comment on the weather because I've never been to the Algarve earlier than late February or later than late October but I have friends who bought an apartment in Lagos with a view to having somewhere to go in the worst days of the winter to escape our Scottish climate. One of the reasons they chose Lagos is because there is a large year round resident Portugese population - it isn't just a tourist town. This means that, yes, a lot of the bars aimed at visiting tourists will close down for the winter but those bars and restaurants catering for the local population are still open and there are things going on. Plus if you are wanting more than a 'flop and drop' sort of holiday it is a good base for getting up into the mountains, going to visit Cape St Vincent etc.

So if you aren't looking for a nightlife based around catering for UK tourists it might be worth looking at somewhere in or close to Lagos.

SM

Thanks, I'll take a look in that area.

We've been to the Algarve quite a few times in January and had quite good weather, but of course it's not guaranteed. You might be interested in the Wunderground website http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/LPFR/2012/1/11/MonthlyCalendar.html?req_city=Faro&req_state=&req_statename=Portugal&reqdb.zip=00000&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=08554%20. You can choose any date and go back over the years.

There are usually quite a few restaurants open in the Old Town of Albufeira and the surrounding area in the Winter, but many restaurant owners do choose to take a break after the New Year week.

You'd be able to do some nice walks in January, and I'd recommend hiring a car and exploring some of the Algarve. Albufeira is a good base as it's fairly central in the Algarve.

Hope this helps!

Thanks
We've decided to just take the plunge and book tomorrow. Whatever the weather, it's not going to be any worse than at home

I think you can be confident that it will be better than at home! Have a great time!!

Apologies as I should have replied ages ago!
We booked for the Monica Isabel Beach Club and went 11-18 Jan.

The weather was better than expected - chilly in the morning and evening but warm enough for T-shirts in the day (16-18c). It only rained once, and not for long.

There were plenty of places open in the old town which was a pleasant surprise.

We loved it that much that we've booked for Clube Maria Luisa at Olhos de Agua in November