With the cost of living on the rise, a lot of people are thinking about cutting back. This doesn’t have to be done at home, it can be done on holiday too. If you are thinking about booking a holiday to the Algarve, or you have already done so, it might be time to start thinking about how you can reduce the cost without having to go without entirely.
There are a number of ways to save money during your time in the Algarve, and some are as simple as making the most of public transport. Below, we have detailed some of the easiest ways to save money on your holiday in the Algarve.
Ways to Save Money on Your Algarve Holiday
- One of the easiest ways to save money on your Algarve holiday is to avoid going during the school holidays. Unless you are travelling with children, consider going to the Algarve during term time. Flights and accommodation are considerably cheaper at this time, and you won’t have to worry about the Algarve being quite as busy.
- You can save a lot of money on your Algarve holiday by booking early. Flights, accommodation and car hire all tend to be a lot cheaper if you book them far in advance. As soon as you know when you want to go, think about booking. You could end up paying a lot more if you leave things too late.
- Our first tip is to use your credit card to book a flight and hotel. Credit cards offer some of the best travel insurance in the world, so you can rest easy knowing that if anything goes wrong, you are covered. Should a booking be cancelled or should you be left without alternative arrangements, a credit card will cover you. This can save you money by ensuring that you aren’t left out of pocket, should something go wrong.
- A lot of people make the mistake of assuming that sales and deals aren’t really a thing when it comes to holidays, but this is not the case. Airlines, hotels and property owners all tend to offer discounts at certain times of the year. If you are ready to book when a sale is happening, you could reduce the cost of your holiday in a big way.
- Though a lot of things can be paid for using a debit or credit card in the Algarve, it’s always a good idea to have some cash with you. When you buy your Euros, avoid doing so at the airport, as this is usually a lot more expensive. It’s best to organise your currency ahead of time. It’s also a good idea to have cash incase you lose your card or wallet.
- Another thing you can do is use an airline miles card. Airlines offer cards that let you slowly earn miles on every purchase, and then you can redeem them for free flights. This is a fantastic way to save money on your flights. If you have enough, your flights to the Algarve could even be free.
- Instead of hiring a car, you could save money by utilising public transport. There are a lot of public transport options in the Algarve, and buses regularly run between destinations. Though this is certainly a less flexible way to get around, it does work out to be a lot cheaper. Even if you factor in the occasional taxi, hiring a car can be more expensive abroad.
- You can also save money by staying in an apartment or villa, or another type of private rental, instead of a hotel. This can save you money because hotels are often more expensive than other types of accommodation, and many of them also charge additional fees for things like parking or breakfast. These fees aren’t something to worry about when you rent somewhere privately. If you want to cut the cost of your accommodation even more, consider camping or organising house sitting.
- There’s a lot to see and do in the Algarve, and a lot of this is located in tourist hotspots. If you go a little bit off the beaten track and head to where the locals go, you are likely to find food and drink is a lot more affordable. Like anywhere, places in the Algarve charge more in areas that are popular with holidaymakers.
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to save money on your trip to the Algarve. Going to Portugal doesn’t need to break the bank. With a little bit of planning and being mindful about money, you can enjoy a Portuguese break without it costing an arm and a leg.
Is the Algarve an Expensive Place to Visit?
As is the case with anywhere you go on holiday, the Algarve can be expensive, but it can also be an affordable destination. There are a lot of options for everything in the Algarve including accommodation, flights, food, attractions and activities. By shopping around, you can certainly save money, and choosing a more affordable option is always a possibility. Of course, if you want to splash the cash, the Algarve has a tonne of luxuries for you to enjoy also.
It’s impossible to say whether or not the Algarve is an expensive place to visit, not without factoring in your own personal spending habits and what you deem to be expensive. What we can say is, the Algarve prices are in line with a lot of other places in Europe. It’s by no means one of the cheaper holiday destinations to visit, but it really doesn’t have to cost more than you can afford.