Although the weather will not be as hot in the wintertime, it will still be between 17-20 degrees during the day time in this region of southern Portugal. If you find temperatures of 30 degrees uncomfortable then this time of year might actually be a more enjoyable time for you to visit. It will not be hot enough to work on your tan every day but it will still likely be one of the warmest places in Europe. There might be a few rains during your holiday and the temperatures will drop in the evenings, but there are many advantages to visiting the Algarve in the winter.

First of all, you will be able to get the cheaper off season rates at many of the hotels and resorts which will save you a lot of money. There will also be fewer crowds so that you will not have to search for hours to find a vacant sun lounger or wait for a table at a restaurant. Although some of the local businesses will have shorter hours or might close during the winter months, there will still be plenty of selection. This is also a great time to visit the Algarve with kids, because the lack of crowds will make it less hectic and much easier to travel.

Another advantage is that while everyone else is enduring the freezing cold back home, you will be enjoying the pleasant temperatures and sunny days of the Algarve.

If you are planning a getaway to the Algarve this winter, here are some ideas of what you can do while you are there:

Go Golfing

The weather in the Algarve is warm enough to golf all year round and you might find it more pleasant to tee off in these cooler temperatures rather than the peak season heat. There are many excellent golf resorts in the area such as Monte da Quinta Club, Four Seasons Fairways and more which offer beautifully manicured professional courses.

Go Hiking

The weather will be just fine for hiking around the beautiful Portuguese countryside. Explore the winding country lanes and discover waterfalls in the forest, olive groves and picturesque seaside fishing villages. There are many coastal cliff walks all along the stunning Algarve coast, but these can sometimes be dangerous so always follow the marked path.

One of the best places to hike in the Algarve is the Ria Formosa Natural Park. This protected wetland is one of the most significant natural habitats for birds in Europe and many different species stop here on their migratory routes. There are several guided walking trails throughout the park that you can explore.

Listen to Some Live Music in Algarve, Quarteira, Portugal by run4unity

Take a look at the event listings in the area that you are staying and try to catch some live music while you are in the Algarve. Many pubs and restaurants might have performances of Fado, which is a traditional Portuguese style of hauntingly beautiful folk music about life near the sea.

Enjoy the Food

Of course, no trip to the Algarve would be complete without sampling the delicious food that this part of the world has to offer. Seafood is especially delicious in the Algarve as it is so fresh in this coastal region. Another tasty dish is Piri-Piri chicken which is tender barbecued chicken with a fiery North-African influenced spicy coating. No matter what the weather is like outside, you can always spend hours lingering over good food and wine with friends in a welcoming local restaurant.

A holiday in the Algarve in the off season can still be packed with fun, so why not check out some of these fun activities during your winter getaway?

If you are visiting Four Seasons Fairways or another Algarve resort this winter, here are some off-season activities you might enjoy.

The post Things to Do in the Algarve in the Winter | Portugal appeared first on Best of European Union.

Parliament Sunset, London, UK by Greg Knapp

1. Going out

The best thing for most of us the opportunity to do whatever you like, without the thought of ‘oh, it’s raining, we won’t go out today’. When it’s warm and sunny, it does literally feel like all options are open, and the world is your oyster. You can visit an attraction, take long walks, sit in garden pubs for as long as want, and there’s still the rest of the day to enjoy in the sun.

2. Long evenings

This leads us on to the next obvious advantage which is lovely long evenings. You don’t have to have all doors closed up by 4.30pm like in winter – in the summer, you can have doors and windows open until 10pm and it’s still warm and not completely dark yet. Milling around in the garden after work and eating outdoors are all part of the fun.

3. Bright mornings

Bright mornings are lovely, although it often means you don’t get as much sleep as the sun rises at 4am. But there’s still something nice about waking up early to know it’s a hot sunny day waiting to be enjoyed. You have a much happier sense of being, and a renewed optimism.

Yaverland Beach. Sandown Isle Of Wight, UK by Ronald Saunders

4. Summer fruit

Red berries are all wonderful fruit to be enjoyed during the summer months, such as strawberries, raspberries and cherries. And it’s not just the fruit, but the chance to go to fruit farms to pick your own! Everyone has fond memories of fruit picking when they were children.

5. Freshly cut grass

One of the most popular smells for the human race is freshly cut glass. Something about it is just so inviting. Smell is one of the strongest triggers for our brain of past events, and cut grass is strongly associated with summer.

6. Ice cream

What better way to cool off in the sun than by eating ice cream and devouring ice lollies? The sound of the ice cream van is one of the many pleasures of being out and about, knowing that a sweet and refreshing treat is just around the corner!

7. Fashion

Just being able to wear nice skirts and dresses makes a lovely change to the day-in, day-out fashion that we end up getting too used to. After all, a woman’s wardrobe is full of dresses that they rarely get to wear, so it’s good to finally be able to make use of them.

8. Barbeques

We Brits are in love with barbeques. It’s something about burning meat that we can’t seem to get enough of. The smell of grilled meats and vegetables outside does bring back the nostalgia of past summers and gives us the opportunity to catch up with old friends and family.

9. Cold beer

Or any cold drink – particularly fizzy ones, like lemonade and cola. There’s something wonderful about cracking open a fresh can or bottle of beer with the hot summer sun beating down. Nothing beats it!

10. Beaches

When it’s hot and sunny, everyone heads down to the beach. This can be a bit miserable when everyone packs down there at once as it can get extremely crowded. The secret is to find those gems which are more of an effort to get to, and involve lots of walking. Then you can enjoy a beach that isn’t heaving and you can properly absorb the scenery and paddle in the cool blue sea.

Rainbow’s End is a retailer of summer fashion such as Yaya clothing

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The Dunluce Castle / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Alex Ranaldi

When sunny days make its appearance in Northern Ireland, you can expect temperatures to rise to around 25 degrees Celsius, while the winter temperatures are normally mild and just above freezing, reported to be around 4 degrees Celsius.

While anytime is a good time to visit Ireland, the best time is still during the summer months, when the days are longer and more attractions are open. September and October are normally the best time to visit Ireland as the sun does not go down until 9pm. Prices are said to be less and it does not rain as much. October offers more arts festivals.

The Main Attractions In Northern Ireland

Any visitor to Ireland must come to see the best of what Ireland has to offer in the Northern parts. Let us take a closer look at some of the well known attractions that are worth while seeing.

The Dunluce Castle

If you fancy something medieval, then Dunluce Castle is the place to see. One of the most extensive ruins in Northern Ireland, located in County Antrim, and said to be a 100 feet above the ocean on panicle of basalt rock. Some of its remains date back as far as 1200 AD, although much of it was built afterwards.

The Giant’s Causeway

One of the best tourist attractions in Ireland is the Giant’s Causeway which is owned by the National Trust. This magnificent piece of work was formed some 60 million years ago due to volcanic eruptions. Visitors can expect to see about 40,000 columns of basalt rock at the site today.

Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, UK / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by rebekah.grmela

Kildare and Wicklow

During the Irish Bank holidays, Kildare and Wicklow are good places to view. Tourists and visitors will discover the rich heritage of the East Coast of Ireland over here. There are so much to do and see like the Kippure Estate that includes guided scenic walks through the Wicklow mountains and fun nature activities.

Other attractions visitors will get to enjoy features the Japanese Gardens, full day tours in a 4 x 4 of Wicklow which also includes sightseeing and hill walking. Then there is the exciting Blessington Lakes that feature Picnic Cruises where you can hire boats at ?10 per adult, ?5 per child or special family packages at ?25 for 2 adults and 2 children.

The Cliffs of Moher as Irish Bank Holiday Destination

This marvelous place has been voted to be in the final 28 of the new 7 wonders of Nature. With almost one million visitors every year, the Cliffs of Moher is Ireland’s most visited natural attraction with over 30,000 bird species including razorbills, guillemots, puffins, kittiwakes, fulmars and other birds.

It is indeed a pleasure to revel in the beautiful scenery of Ireland during Irish bank holidays in 2012.

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One national park and many other regional parks are located in the Dolomites. In August 2009, the Dolomites were declared a natural heritage site by UNESCO.

The Dolomites are located at the north of Italy and forms the border with Slovenia, Austria and Switzerland. To the east they are surrounded by Julian Alps and to the west by Swiss Alps.

The main centres of Dolomites are Cortina d’Ampezzo, Brunico, San Martino and Canazei.

View Dolomites mountain in Italy – one of the most popular ski regions in the Alps in a larger map

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