When you say unbearable I'm not sure if you mean busy or hot? I'm sure it will be hot.

I've been the first two weeks of the school holidays on two occasions and we will be doing the same again this year. We enjoyed it both times.

I suppose it does depend a bit on the resort, we are going to Lagos. To be honest with a 12 and 14 year old to keep occupied I like a bit of a buzz in the evenings other wise they are bored to tears. Obvioulsly I don't enjoy seeing drunken holiday makers about and lewd behaviour but I like a bit of atmosphere and dislike empty restaurants.

Folk are so different, I am worrying that it is going to be too quiet and that I should have booked Alberferia Old Town.

It really depends on the resort, obviously August is their busiest month so everywhere will be busy, and August is also when the Portugese factories have there annual shut down so all the portugese head for the resorts on their holidays as well. If your going the last two weeks it should start to queieten down slightly. I always go in August it is busy and the restuarants can get packed, and it is sometimes a problem if you want a taxi but your on hols so why worry nothing to rush for.

August is when the Portuguese take their long summer break, Albufeira is very very busy, parking is impossible and just walking around can be difficult. If it rains the roads are a nightmare and the shopping centres are packed. The bars and restaurants will be busy, but as most of the Portuguese seem to eat and drink in their accomodation, they are still bearable.

Hi

Dont't know which resort your staying at, but we stayed in Lagos in August last last year and didn't find it overbearing. Yes it was hot - a little too hot for me and this this is the only reason i wouldn't visit again in August. The town itself was busy, but i thought this added to the atmosphere - lots of street entertainment of an evening, restaurants were busy but always got a table. Was very surprised by the beach for August, thought it would be packed but this wasn't the case plenty of room although this was the main beach Meia Praia which is quite big, didn't visit the smaller beaches on this visit.

......Never seen Meia Praia crowded in almost twenty years;if it's busy near town,people just move further along towards Alvor - and they've got 5 km. to spread out on !! Dona Ana, on the other hand, does tend to get crowded in high season.

Hi Sagres

So glad we returned to Lagos in January, visited Dona Ana beach and it was almost deserted, really beautiful. I've so got the Lagos bug and can't wait to go again. No doubt i'll be picking your brains soon as i can't wait for our next trip.

First time we saw Dona Ana was at 6:00 a.m.(about 19 years ago ! ) The tide had been in overnight and there wasn't a single footprint on the beach;it looked just like a film set and it was at that moment we fell in love with Lagos.We must have been back there at least sixty or seventy times since and we still get a thrill when we enter the town.It's nice to know that Lagos grabs other people the same way !

Hi Sagres

You have a way of making everything Lagos sound so lovely.

I am now hoping that by some miracle in July I can get out of bed at 5.30 am on holiday, which I must admitt has never been known in many years of holidaying to see Dona Ana at dawn. Which in turn will of course require another minor miracle this being the absention from the vino tinto the night before.

Doe

Absention from the vino tinto Doe never!!!!!!!!! just sit on the balcony with another bottle of vino tinto and sip it slowly till the sun rises and then you can stagger down to the beach. But it will be a day in bed sleeping off the hangover lol. Cheers Jayjan

then you can stagger down to the beach

........... It'll be some stagger - Dona Ana is about 2km. from the Marina where Doe's staying !!!

Ha ha ha Sagres he'd probably be sober then by the time he hit the beach. Jayjan

I'm sorry,but I just can't understand the apparent obsession with alcohol on this forum. Next thing you know,there'll be people using the names of drinks as their usernames !!!