Albufeira (pronounced [alβuˈfɐjɾɐ] ⓘ, locally [aɫbʷˈfeɾɐ, aɫbˈfeɾɐ]) is a city and municipality of Faro District in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.

A tourist destination due to its coastal conditions, Albufeira's population expands to around 300,000 in the summer and at Christmas and New Year owing to the number of hotels that includes marina facilities, golf courses, restaurants and bars.

The primitive settlement was occupied by the Romans, who named it Baltum, introducing a centralized administrative structure and developing intense agricultural activities along with commerce.

Templar and Hospitaller Knights, military and religious orders that supported the Reconquista, assaulted many of the lands occupied by the Arabs, but were never successful in taking Albufeira.

[7] The Moors were persecuted terribly by the victorious army, which chased the remaining forces into a cavern, known today as Cova do Xorino, situated near the southern limits of the old city.

Even following these events, the Algarve continued to experience aftershocks, until 20 August of the following year, which hindered the reconstruction under the Bishop D. Francisco Gomes de Avelar.

This is why the locals annually celebrate 'Festival de Peixes', which has been tradition and serves to honor the fisheries in Albufeira that helped with the growth of the city.

The architecture of the region is an eclectic mix of typical Portuguese Algarvean pale white and tiled residential homes, along narrow streets, intermixed with modern tourist developments.

Similarly, the Caldeirada (or fish stew) and the simple grilled sardines, are also popular examples of the traditional dishes, typical of Portugal's coastal areas.

Also, many British teams spend the summer in Albufeira for pre-season training sessions, participating in friendly games, including Sunderland, Ipswich Town, Aston Villa,[21] Fulham,[22] Sheffield Wednesday,[23] Oxford United and Brentford.