5 Star Thalasso Spa Break in Albufeira - This holiday is no longer available -

• Three nights' accommodation with breakfast at the 5* Grande Real Santa Eulalia
• Dinner each night
• Back, neck and shoulder massage
• Manicure
• One session in the hotel's Real Spa Thalasso, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, Thalasso swimming pool, Sauna, Hammam and gym.
• Preferential rates on additional treatments when pre-booked (please call us for details)

NB: Price is based on a twin or double room. The single supplement is £20 per night.

To help you enjoy your stay we would like to share some of our client's favourite places to dine -

Bistro - a small hidden gem in The Old Town. You will have to book in advance for this little place but it is worth it. The menu choice is small but the food is divine.

Villa Joya - a resort boasting some of the most exceptional views of the bay. The restaurant offers a wonderful ambience and a highly recommended set lunch menu. Your experience is full of small surprises and again we would advise to book in advance

Castelo do Mar Bar - a beautiful restaurant with exceptional views of the coastline and Marina. If you just fancy a drink or a beautiful lunch, this venue is perfect. it's a real experience that you will be glad to have included during your stay.

Restaurant O Manjar - Voted to be one of the best restaurants in Albuferia. You can't reserve a table here but if you pop down and they don't have a table available you can pop to the bar across the square and enjoy a drink and the waiter will come to get you once your table is ready. The food and service are traditional and highly thought of by locals and tourists. If you are looking for traditional, local food then this is a great choice.

Shalom II - Apparently this restaurant offers the best ribs you can buy. If you are looking for pizzas, pastas, steak, ribs and comfort food this restaurant is highly thought of.

Grand Real Santa Eulalia***** (Half Board) (Included) 

The Grande Real Santa Eulalia Resort and Spa is set in an excellent location overlooking Santa Eulalia beach and the Atlantic Ocean. It has easy access to the beach, and is just east of the popular resort town of Albufeira.

The hotel, built in 2004, offers stylish, modern décor and some of the best facilities in the region.First-class dining and a thermal thalasso circuit give the resort a satisfying blend of comfort and elegance.

Facilities include three outdoor swimming pools (may be heated during peak times), four restaurants, seven bars, two tennis courts, a cardio fitness room, thermal thalasso circuit, steam room and sauna.

Rooms have twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, satellite TV, hairdryer and balcony or terrace.
 

A 5 star Thalasso spa break on Portugal's stunning Algarve.

Staying at the 5 star Grand Real Santa Eulalia, on the beach close to Albufeira, we include three nights' accommodation with breakfast and dinner, two treatments consisting of a back, neck and shoulder massage and manicure, plus one session in the hotel's Real Spa Thalasso, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, Thalasso swimming pool, Sauna, Hammam and gym.

After a relaxing morning of treatments there is plenty to explore in and around the popular resort of Albufeira. Visit the Old Town to see some examples of Albufeira’s colourful past, including Moorish and Roman architecture and the remains of the castle or hit one of the many beaches and try your hand at water sports. Praia de Gale is particularly good for jet-skiing!

Alternative dates available on request; call us on 0207 099 4816.

A brand new destination for 2014. Watch this space for feedback, coming soon.

A spa break is a great opportunity to switch off, wind down and re-charge the batteries. We include three nights' accommodation which is a good length of time to forget those daily stresses and with two treatments at a top Thalasso spa plus a Thalasso session and full use of the hotel's leisure facilities you should return home thoroughly revitalised.

We choose our spa hotels for their high standards and renowned treatment centres but also for their great locations. After a relaxing morning of treatments there is plenty to explore in and around the popular resort of Albufeira. Visit the Old Town to see some examples of Albufeira’s colourful past, including Moorish and Roman architecture and the remains of the castle or hit one of the many beaches and try your hand at water sports. Praia de Gale is particularly good for jet-skiing!

DAY 1
Check in anytime after 3pm.
Settle into the hotel, take a swim or enjoy a treatment (treatment times to be pre-booked prior to departure)
Buffet dinner in the hotel restaurant

DAY 2
0800 - 1000 - Buffet breakfast in the hotel
Enjoy the hotel spa facilities including one of your pre-booked treatments
After lunch, why not walk or take a short cab ride into Albufeira to explore the city's cobbled streets and pretty squares

Buffet dinner in the hotel restaurant. We recommend a post-dinner stroll along the promenade or, for the party animals, visit one of Albuferia's many bars.

DAY 3
0800 - 1000 - Buffet breakfast in the hotel
Enjoy the hotel spa facilities including one of your pre-booked treatments
After lunch, why not take a trip to the Monchique Hills
Buffet dinner in the hotel restaurant. Spend a relaxing evening in the hotel bar or venture into Albufeira for a more wild night out!

DAY 4
0800 - 1000 - Buffet breakfast in the hotel.
1100 Check out and leave your cases at reception until departure. Continue to enjoy the hotel and spa facilities before returning to the airport.
 

We include two treatments consisting of a back, neck and shoulder massage and manicure, plus one session in the hotel's Real Spa Thalasso, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, Thalasso swimming pool, Sauna, Hammam and gym.

 
Additional treatments are available at preferential rates when pre-booked. Please see Optional Extras.

With over 200km of coastline, it’s not surprising that the fish and seafood are a staple part of the diet for people in the Algarve. With daily fishing trips bringing in huge amounts of fresh sardines, tuna, bream, cod, monkfish and many other types of fish; plentiful supplies of clams, oysters, prawns, not to mention octopus and squid, it’s easy to understand why.

The traditional Portuguese restaurants normally offer a large selection of fish dishes, one of which is almost certain to be grilled sardines, served with boiled potatoes and vegetables or salad. Also commonly on the menu are a range of omelettes, salads and some meat dishes, like thin pork slices served with a creamy mushroom sauce or chicken piri-piri.The prices are very reasonable, the food is good and the portions are generous. House wine, which is normally a local Portuguese wine, is also very good value and very drinkable! On average a 2-course meal for 2, including house wine, can cost less than €25. (Soup of the day €1.50, main course €7.00 and a bottle of house wine €8). Obviously prices can vary enormously depending on location.

As well as restaurants serving traditional Portuguese food, the Algarve has a huge choice of restaurants serving food from across the world, Chinese, Indian, Italian and English being particularly popular. You will also find Tapas, Mexican, Thai, International Cuisine and Vegetarian (occasionally). All of the popular tourist resorts have a good variety of restaurants, but the more traditional towns and villages will often just have a local Portuguese restaurant, or café-bar serving food.

Restaurants have got a lot better in offering vegetarian dishes on the menu (although don't expect to see more than one or two in most places) and vegans unfortunately are still poorly catered for.

 Additional Spa Treatments

Additional treatments are available with an exclusive 15% discount for Club Fitness Holidays customers (Must be pre-booked. Call us for detail of available treatments).

On Arrival: You will be able to check into your room from 3pm. If you are arriving early reception will be happy to store your luggage while you enjoy the hotel facilities.

Treatments: Treatment times need to be pre-booked prior to departure. The earlier you can do this with us the better, to guarantee your preferred times.

Thalasso Spa: You will have full access to the spa and its facilities for the duration of your stay. The spa is open daily from 9am until 9pm.

Banks and Money: The easiest way to buy obtain euros is by using a credit card at the cashpoints which are located at five minutes walking distance from the hotel. You can buy small amounts, as often as you like, at any time, without queuing. You will need to know your P.I.N. Bank opening hours are normally 9.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. Banks will change cash, travellers cheques and will sell you currency on your credit card providing the lines are open. You will always need to show your passport at a bank.

Tipping is generally not that common in Portugal. There is no need to tip taxis, but it is usual to leave a 5 - 10% tip at a restaurant if you are particularly pleased with your dinner/lunch.

We feel our tour hosts work hard to give you an exceptional holiday and sometimes you may find that they add some special touches which are beyond the call of duty. If you agree with us, you might wish to show your appreciation by way of a tip. You can do this by putting money in an envelope on your own or by getting together with other guests. This evidently is entirely at your discretion.

Making friends with the Locals and people not on the holiday: The dance classes and dance evening events in the hotel at night are exclusive to Dance Holidays clients. Generally, we discourage people who are not on the holiday from joining our activities and we ask for your discretion is this respect. By all means, outside of the itinerary, do mix with other holidaymakers staying in the hotel.

 

The Albufeira Strip is bustling with crowded bars, restaurants, shops, tattoo parlours and other fun venues; the Montechoro Strip is somewhat calmer, featuring a few different stores and more open space for a calmer night out!

Wild & Co., a cross between an Irish pub and an American saloon, is popular amongst holiday makers, boasting a lively indoor environment and a knack for themed parties and events.

Matt’s Bar, Mickey Boons, Patcha Cocktail Bar, Zoo, Sultan Bar, and Café del Mar are also other very popular bars on the Albufeira strip, as well as the Kiss Club, one of the most well-known nightclubs in Albufeira.

If noisy bars are not your thing, there are plenty of good quality restaurants both on the strip and in the old town.

Flights: This holiday is quoted flight exclusive. However, we are happy to quote a price including a flight from the UK. We can also quote for add-ons to the UK and airport hotels where necessary. Please call us for details.

Transfers: Airport transfers are not included. The Hotel Grand Real Santa Eulalia is situated around 45 minutes from Faro airport. There is a regular bus service and a taxi costs around €50.

NB: It is important that your holiday is confirmed to you by us before you buy your flights.
 

It is about a 45-minute ride from the airport to Albufeira by car, and a little longer by bus.

Taxis arrival outside the terminal building near the arrivals concourse. Check for official cabs, as there are many unofficial cars that will offer you a ride as well. The rates for cabs vary and you should confirm the fare with the driver prior to accepting a ride.

Buses run from Faro's city centre bus terminal to Albufeira, seven times a day on weekdays but only twice a day on Sundays and Holidays. The journey takes about 1 and a half hours and costs around €7.

Budgeting for your holiday: Here are some guidelines on prices, to help you do your own calculations. Please refer to the optional extra section of the fact sheet for the prices of the optional extras.

Three course meal including drinks:  £35
Beer:  £3
Coffee: £2

Insurance, Visa and Passport Requirements: Refer to the information supplement for full details. In brief, Insurance is a condition of booking. Visas may be required for non EU citizens. British nationals need a full passport to travel to Portugal.

Travel Documents: You receive these when you have paid for your holiday in full and we have received your airline tickets. In some cases the airlines do not release the tickets until five days before the departure date. We also confirm the address and phone number of the hotel and the emergency contact numbers.

Average daytime temperatures in Albufeira are as follows:

Degrees Celsius

Jan 15

Feb 16

March 17

April 20

May 22

June 25

July 28

Aug 28

Sept 26

Oct 22

Nov 19

Dec 16