Midway along the south coast, the heart of Albufeira is still a working fishing village. Set among low-lying hills facing a succession of beautiful golden beaches. The main square of the old town is surrounded by cobbled streets with fisherman's houses and an antiquated stone tunnel leads to the beach where you will see very colourful fishing boats. There are a total of seven beaches ranging from the busy sandy stretches in front of the old town to the more intimate little bays to the east and west. Albufeira and Praia da Oura are the most central beaches and are wide, curved and sandy with good facilities including an abundance of water sports. In the old part of town there are several churches to visit or you can watch fishermen unloading their catch at Praia dos Barcos. Back in the centre, criss-crossed with a maze of cobbled streets, there are many cafes, bars and varied restaurants, excellent shopping (ceramics are a good buy) plus a wide choice of nightlife.