The essence of the Algarve is the pleasure that all its visitors and residents have in enjoying this excellent location! One of the ex-libris of the Algarve region is Albufeira, one of the most sought-after and visited places by those looking for quality of life, relaxation, yet at the centre of the Algarve’s vibrant life. Balaia, where our property is located, is one of these aggregation centres of the best the region has to offer. A short walk from some of the Algarve’s finest beaches, such as Praia Maria Luísa (a beach almost exclusive to the project), Praia da Falésia and Praia de Santa Eulália, is one of the deciding factors for investing in this location. The proximity of Club Med, a supermarket, a petrol station, a pharmacy, restaurants and, above all, a swimming pool just a few steps away, are the key arguments for choosing this flat. Originally a 2-bedroom flat, it has been transformed into a 2+1 bedroom with the addition of a third bedroom with window, and the addition of a second bathroom has improved the final layout. A spacious terrace for meals and relaxing afternoons overlooking the pool is the icing on the cake. The urbanisation has an excellent family atmosphere, two swimming pools at your disposal, management and surveillance, as well as space available for your car. The fee of €101 includes Wi-Fi and television. Contact us for more information The toponym Albufeira comes from the Arabic name ’Al-buhera’ which means ’castle of the sea’, a reason that may be linked to the proximity of the ocean and/or the lagoon that formed in the lower part of the town. The Arabs built solid defensive fortifications, making it almost impregnable, which to a certain extent was not unfounded, because Albufeira was one of the squares that the Arabs kept the longest in their possession. The development of agriculture has been remarkable and new techniques and crops have been introduced. The Arabs already used ploughs and fertilisers, as well as noras to raise water in the wells. They introduced new irrigation systems in the fields, especially the weirs and levadas, thus transforming uncultivated areas into vegetable gardens and orchards. When King Afonso III occupied the throne, part of the Algarve had already fallen into the hands of the Christians. Templars and Hospitallers, military orders that assisted in the Reconquista, often raided the lands that were still under Arab rule, but always stopped in front of the strong walls of Albufeira. It was only after the capture of Faro that the situation in Albufeira became untenable. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, the square fell into the hands of King Afonso III, who immediately donated it to the Order of Aviz. The Moors were persecuted in such a way that only those who fled and took refuge in a cave, called Cova do Xorino, located under the rocks bordering the city on the south side, escaped the fury of the victors. In the reign of King Manuel I, the town had already regained its former importance, as this monarch granted it a charter on August 20, 1504. Albufeira was the most punished by natural cataclysms of the Algarve. But it was the earthquake that caused the most damage. The sea invaded the village with waves that reached 10m high, destroying almost all the buildings, with only 27 houses left standing and these were very ruined. The Mother Church, an ancient Arab mosque adapted to Christian worship, where the population had taken refuge, asking for mercy, collapsed causing 227 victims. After this earthquake, the whole of the Algarve continued to suffer violent shocks until August 20 of the following year, which did not prevent the reconstruction works from starting immediately by order of Bishop D. Francisco Gomes de Avelar. In 1833, during the civil war between absolutists and liberals, Albufeira was besieged and attacked by the soldiers of Remexido: an absolutist popular chief who deeply damaged the town and executed a large number of its inhabitants. From the mid-nineteenth century onwards there was a development of the economy thanks to fishing activity. In the first decades of the twentieth century there was a sharp increase in the export of fish and nuts. The village then had five factories that employed 700 to 800 people, mostly fishermen’s wives. From the 1930s to the 1960s there were times of decline, fishing traps were ruined, factories closed, boats disappeared and many houses were abandoned. The population was halved and fishing became a subsistence activity again. At the beginning of the 60s, the birth of the tourist phenomenon was witnessed, Albufeira was sought after by national tourists, but it was mainly with the English that it prospered. In the 1980s, there was a huge urban boom, and the city grew to the east, where most of the administrative services, including the City Hall, were transferred. #ref:919 HP
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