Albufeira hen weekend itinerary

April 30, 2018

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you if you kindly choose to book via my links.

A couple of weekends ago, I travelled to Portugal for a friend’s hen do. I absolutely love Portugal but I’ve only ever visited Albufeira in the Algarve with my family before so I was really intrigued to see whether it would make a good hen do destination.

I had a great weekend so here’s my Albufeira hen weekend itinerary.

How to get there

One good thing about Portugal is that it’s really quick and easy to get there from the UK. Our flight from Manchester took three hours and I think it’s even quicker from East Midlands or Birmingham airports.

There are flights to Faro available for pretty cheap from all major UK airports. The short flight time means that you don’t waste any precious drinking time!

If you’re planning to explore Portugal more extensively, consider joining Portugal small group tours, a fantastic way to discover the country’s hidden gems with the convenience of guided travel.

These tours offer personalised experiences and the chance to connect with fellow travellers, enhancing your overall journey. Plus, you’ll have the flexibility to enjoy the diverse landscapes and vibrant culture that Portugal has to offer.

We also booked a transfer from the airport for our Albufeira hen weekend as there were quite a few of us. If there are less of you, you can jump in a taxi or get an Uber, the resort is only about 30 minutes from the airport.

Where to stay

This is one of the things I love most about Portugal – it is SO reasonable! We stayed in the Oura Bay Hotel Apartments and it was only around €45 each for three nights.

There were five of us sharing an apartment. They were basic apartments but absolutely perfect for an Albufeira hen do as we barely spent any time in the room.

Save: Orange Terrace Hostel
This hostel looks so cool and it’s location is perfect for exploring Albufeira. It’s got quirky interiors and an outside space which reminds me of Ibiza.

If I was on a budget I’d book a bed in a spare room here.

Splurge: Epic Sana Algarve Hotel
This hotel is in between Albufeira and the more expensive resort of Vilamoura and is set in a landscaped pine forest with direct access to the beach.

I would definitely book this for a more expensive hen weekend. There is also a spa here – heavenly!

Other places to stay in Albufeira

Where to eat

Food and drinks are also cheap in the Algarve. You can get main meals at dinner for less than €10 and if you drink pints, local beers like Superbock or Sagres are around €2 with cocktails are usually between €5 and €8.

I only spent about €200 for the whole weekend. This is perfect for hen parties, as weddings can be so expensive for guests, you don’t want to also spend a fortune on the hen do.

We ate at Urban Pizza on the first night – delicious seafood pasta and super cheap wine – and we got to see the sunset from here. We also ate at Indian Night Tandoori Restaurant in Albufeira Old Town which was definitely one of the best curries I’ve ever had.

As well as this, we visited various bars in town for breakfasts, where toasties were a budget-friendly option for an Albufeira hen party.

Where to party

Don’t get me wrong, the main strip of bars and clubs in Albufeira is pretty lively but it’s not up there with Magalluf in terms of wildness or Ibiza in terms of clubbing, although there are plenty of hen and stag groups, especially in the high summer season.

There’s also the Old Town where you can go for dinner and drinks if you’d like a bit more of a relaxed night. It’s a bit more traditional Portuguese than the rest of the resort.

Things to do in Albufeira

From boat trips to exploring caves, beach clubs and surfing, there’s so much to do in the Algarve that if drinking isn’t your thing, your hen will still have plenty of fun.

There are lots of beaches to discover and little towns to explore as well and there’s the option of a villa holiday if you’ve got a big group so you can just relax and have BBQs. There are so many options for Algarve hen weekends.

I took myself on a solo adventure one afternoon to explore the beach at Albufeira and it was really stunning – I even dipped my toes in the water, although it was freezing!

I had a great weekend in Albufeira and I can’t wait to get back to Portugal. What are your favourite hen do destinations? Let me know in the comments!

Tours from Albufeira

Here are some tours that you can do near to Albufeira. This section contains affiliate links. These don’t cost you anything but I will earn a little bit of commission if you do decide to book one.