Just seen ur post. Stayed in Alvor october half term several years ago, some places in resort still open but weather was awful, 2 decentish days in the week rest of time rain mist and cold. Went on balcony rain pouring off and waves crashing in sea. Dont go then

Thank you for your reply - best avoided then !

I took my Grand-son to Alvor mid October last year. We had just one dry day, then it pee'd down for the rest of the week. It was also cold, and annoyingly, England was enjoying lovely weather. I felt so sorry for my little Grand-son as it was his first time abroad, and we spent most of the week confined to our hotel room. Never again!!

slowhand, do not be put off by the odd bad weather, we have been coming out that week for the last 20 years or so and have had wonderful weather
clear blue skies and high temperatures.

We've been to Alvor in October the past two years, we tend to fly out aroundabout 13 October. Both years were glorious although it was colder in the evenings/early mornings.

Everything was still open, they were putting up the christmas decs along the front the first time we went lol!.

I think it's down to "pot-luck".
All I can add is that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do (especially with kids) when the weather is bad, and believe me, when I was there last October, the weather WAS bad!!
I was there from 9th-16th last year with my 9 year old Grand-son, and apart from one good day when we first arrived, it rained heavily for the rest of our stay, and was colder than in England. (Much to my Husband's amusement).
The October bank holiday is even later in the month, so more chance of the weather being dodgy.
I wish I could post a photo I took at our hotel. My Grand-son, not to be put off by the weather, was swimming in the hotel pool, in pouring rain and gale force winds watched by bemused staff and other holiday-makers. They thought he was a nutter!!!

Pandy, I really don't know what to make of your post because it doesn't really equate with my experience of the October weather last year. I was staying only 20 miles up the coast from Alvor near Albufeira the same week as you and apart from the night of Saturday 9th October and Sunday 10th October when it absolutely poured with rain all day, the rest of the week was sunny where we were and remained so right up to when we flew home on 16th October. The following week was even sunnier according to friends who stayed out there an extra week. Anyway, it was certainly good enough to persuade us to book another holiday in the Algarve for the first two weeks of October this year. In fact, we have only just got back after having had two weeks of sunny cloudless skies, daytime temperatures of between 25-30 degrees C and not one drop of rain the whole fortnight so even better than last year.

Robbo.
I live in Cornwall, notorious for rain. Today I left my house to go to my nearest town, Lostwithiel, just 3 miles away. When I left my house it was absolutely pouring with rain, but just 2 miles away, on my way to the shops, it was sunny and dry, and the roads were still dry. It remained sunny and dry for over an hour whilst I visited the butchers, greengrocers, and the local supermarket. I got home, and it was still pouring with rain, and hadn't stopped since I left the house.
When we were staying in Alvor last year, we took the bus to Praia-da-luz, where my Sister-in-law lives, and the weather there was gorgeous, and the skies were blue, and had been for most of the week. I'm not sure of the distance between Alvor, and Luz, but it's not 20 miles away. I'm sure this gives a good example of how different weather scenario's can change from only short distances apart.
I'm sure, had we hired a car, and travelled around we could have followed the sunshine, but it was a very cheap get away with my Grand-son, and I didn't have the funds to hire a car, so endured the rain and wind in Alvor for most of our week in October............ And it WAS awful!