The only time we've ever seen a beggar in a restaurant was when we were having lunch in the Square, outside, and a gypsy women sent her little girl in to walk among the tables. She didn't speak or hassle anyone, and moved on swiftly after a brief shake of the head. That's our experience in the Old Town, but I don't know whether it's different in the Strip.

None of the people who've stayed in our apartment have ever mentioned it as a problem, so I would say don't worry - go and enjoy your girls' holiday in Albufeira!

They still frequence the strip area sitting on the pavements but I have never known them to go into restaurants. Its best to ignore them and walk by, dont let it put you off holidaying in Albufeira. The deaf and dumb people go into the restaurants to sell their novelties but I think they are licensed as a charity to do so.

never saw any beggars in 2006 or 2008.

Last year we only ever saw one woman beggar with her little one sitting on the pavement just past Silk restaurant on the Strip.

In the Old Town, we saw one very old lady beggar sitting on a step by ther newsagents just off the square.

We saw none in Santa Eulalia/Praia Da Oura.

Jayjan you are right, the deaf and dumb people are licensed to sell their novelties.

Hello, we have just come back from Lagos and found this to be common here as well as last year in Albufeira, I have to say one of the best trick these beggers get up to is the old bent back trick, they walk round bent double useing a short stickand a over sized shoe so they walk on the side of it and the other hand out to get money. In one case we were walking round the back streets and saw one of the bent back boys with his wife and two young kids who was also a begger counting there money, not bad for someone with a bad back.
Another one was a old lady who got the train every day from Portimao to Lagos and even had her own chair just past the market, then there is the bandage round the leg trick, I even remember going to Quateira market one year and seeing a mother holding a young girl with the back of her teeshirt pulled down at the arm to make her look like a hunchback, these all ways to make money and no dout there are lots of other ones that these lazy no good people use to make money, the best thing is never give them a cent,I have to work hard all year to go on holiday and these people would take it all if they could.
So don't let them put you of your holiday just walk by and have a good time.
Dave

Well said Dave! I have always wanted to be able to ask them "Why do you think you shouldn't have to work and I should give you my hard earned money?"

We passed the old lady sitting opposite the newsagent's earlier and noticed she has her cigarettes, lighter and ashtray next to her on the step. A couple of nights ago we passed the family who usually beg seperately near the top of the strip loading shopping bags into the back of a people carrier behind Modelo!!

Brilliant aren't they?