As winter temperatures start to bite, International Living magazine has listed seven ideal destinations where US readers can escape the cold.
The Algarve emerges as one of these ‘winter paradises’ that offers a warm climate all year round and is good value for money for those escaping the ice and snow of northern climes.
The publication describes the Algarve’s attributes: gold courses, gastronomy with an emphasis on fresh seafood and chicken piri-piri, beautiful beaches and the natural landscape.
The Algarve’s locals are described as generally au fait with English, a relief to many American visitors.
International Living magazine is a monthly that advises readers of the best places in the world to live, to retire in, to travel around and to invest in.
According to Dora Coelho, the director of the Tourism Association of the Algarve, "this recognition confirms the growing interest and weight that the Algarve is achieving in the North American market, as an appealing alternative to their habitual European destinations."
In November, the Association received a group of 14 travel agents from the US and Canada, who were given the full Algarve experience including extensive wine tasting opportunities.
There has been a surge in American visitors to the Algarve - the January to September figures this year show a 25% increase in the number of guests coming from the USA, compared to the same period of 2017.
