The Algarve has more holiday apartments and villas for rent than the rest of Portugal put together. You can find both apartment and villa rentals to suit all budgets and they are available throughout the year.

Holiday rental prices are highly seasonal, peaking in July and August. As you would expect, increased demand at Easter and during school half-term holidays also push up prices. Clearly, the best villa and apartment rental deals are to be found during the winter when schools are not on holiday.

The weather can be glorious during the winter, and although not guaranteed, the risk can be worth taking when villas for rent in the Algarve are often less than a third of what you would pay during the summer.

In terms of popularity, the Central Algarve is currently the main holiday rental destination and has the greatest selection of apartments and villas in the Algarve. Its main focus are the luxury villas for rent on the golf beach and spa resorts like Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago. But there are also many villas for rent in the hills just a few kilometres inland, which offer fabulous sea views and good value for money.

With the exception of places like Monte Gordo, which has many apartments for rent, the Eastern Algarve is largely undiscovered, but new resorts are being built and villa rentals are expected to increase. The Western Algarve is also seeing an increase in the number of villas for rent as demand increases thanks to the completion of the motorway.