If you have been following my ramblings for a while now you will know that I have written a large number of articles about wintering on the Costa del Sol. I suppose the reason I have done that is simply to make people of aware that there is an option available in Europe beyond the conventional North American places Canadians go in winter, Florida, Arizona or Mexico. Of course, the Costa del Sol in Spain is not the only place in Europe where Canadians go to escape winter. It is not even the original or most visited place.
Historically, Canadians, who choose to spend their winter months in Europe, have traditionally gone to the Algarve region in southern Portugal. In fact, in 2016 after we decided to abandon Florida and to head to Europe, Portugal is where we were planning to go. We knew several friends who had wintered there, and all reports made it seem like it was exactly what we were looking for. We ended up going to the Costa del Sol in Spain instead.
This four-part series is going to have a look at both areas to help you decide which area might best suit your needs and situation. In Part One and Two, I will look at the logistical or environmental conditions of both … e.g. weather and geography. Parts Three and Four will largely be given over to two couples (guest authors) who are readers of my blog and who have had long stays in both areas. It is my hope that their unbiased and informed observations will provide a clearer overview of what each area is all about. I suspect that it will be their revelations that will be of the most interest to you.
At some point in this effort, I am going to chat about the Eastern Algarve separate separately because it is the only part of the Algarve that I have visited. And, as you will soon read, it is an area that has not yet received the full attention of Canadian Snowbirds.
Location of the Algarve and the Costa del Sol
Let’s begin by sorting out where both areas are located. FYI I have highlighted both the Algarve and Costa del Sol in red on the following map of southern Portugal and Spain. They are not that far apart. The length of both coasts is drawn with a red line. You will notice that the Algarve is half solid and half broken line. That is to reflect the fact that the eastern Algarve is little used by Canadian Snowbirds.
Am I Really Just Advocating for You to Winter On the Costa?
The Love-goddess always claims that I am an advocate for wintering on the Costa del Sol. I do not think that’s factually correct. I consider myself to be more of an advocate for informing Canadian Snowbirds that there are other places to winter in retirement, other than all the American destinations. So no, I have no hidden agenda.
To be perfectly honest, I am fearful that the Algarve in Portugal is going to be absolutely inundated with a flock of new Snowbirds. Yes, that is a cheesy metaphor, but I think you would be hard-pressed to find many Canadian retirees who have not heard about the Algarve and its popularity as a winter destination spot. It will probably be front of mind for many if not most “elbows up” retired Canadians in search of a new place to go.
I do want make people aware that the Costa del Sol, or the Costa, as it is most commonly referred to, is another very desirable European option. But my primary goal is to provide you with enough information to compare the Costa to the Algarve. Everyone has personal preferences, and I would like you to be able to make an informed decision about which European destination best suits your personal needs. What your friends like may or may not work for you. And I think the best way to help you make a choice is to paint a broad picture of both destinations and then have some folks who have stayed in both share their thoughts with you.
That said, I am not going to make my guest authors do all the work. I am going to kick things off by writing about the big picture things like the weather and the topography that I am already aware of or can quickly track down online.
First, Why We Ultimately Chose the Costa Over the Algarve
We didn’t end up choosing the Costa over the Algarve for a particularly good or informed reason, but we are happy with our decision. Here is how it all unfolded. As I said, after we decided to abandon Florida, we planned to go to the Algarve. A while after that decision was made, I began to give some thought as to whether that was the only or best choice available to us.
Having spent some time in both Spain and Portugal previously, I felt that it would be easy for us to learn some Spanish, but probably not Portuguese. I have a decent aptitude when it comes to picking up languages at a rudimentary level, and for me, Portuguese is a much more difficult language to absorb than Spanish.
With this in mind, I looked at the map and noticed that the coastline associated with the Algarve on the Atlantic Ocean continues eastward to form part of the coast of Spain as far south as Gibraltar. The town of Cadiz was the biggest town on the Spanish section of the coast, and it seemed to have some appeal. We decided to skip the Algarve and try it out. I have indicated the location of Cadiz on the map above.
A few shots of Cadiz
The fall before our then yet un-booked winter getaway months, we happened to be riding on a train from Madrid down to Seville and ended up speaking with a woman who lived in Seville about our plan to winter in Spain. When we told her we were going to take up residence in Cadiz, she warned us off the city. She recounted to us that she and her husband kept their sailboat there, but that it would not be a good choice for us. The reason being that it was a gritty port town and there was not much call for folks working in the local businesses to speak English because it was not a tourist destination, even for Europeans.
She told us we should go to Marbella. So that is where we went. As I said, not a particularly good reason for changing our minds, but we are happy with how it all worked out. We have been to Cadiz since and it is a lovely town in a very nice location, but she was right… gritty, and not much English. It would’ve been a struggle to live there in our first year of residing in Spain.
The Big Picture Comparison
Although I’ve only spent a small amount of time in the Algarve, I have done a lot of online checking over the years to compare it with the Costa del Sol. I have long been curious about the two areas and how they compare to one another.
Rather than spending a lot of time, looking for the information that I have previously uncovered, I’m going to use ChatGPT to do my searching and to provide a consolidation of the data that can be found on the web. I do this because I often find there are slight variations in the data stated from site to site. ChatGPT is very good at making sense of these small differences and then putting together an accurate overview.
I am also going to have ChatGPT whip together some introductory statements about what both regions are like. That saves me from perhaps imposing my own biases on each. And I can confirm that the information presented here is in line with what I have found over the years in my own investigations.
A Brief Introduction to the Algarve
According to ChatGPT:
“The Algarve is a stunning region in southern Portugal known for its golden beaches, dramatic cliffs, and charming coastal towns. It stretches along the Atlantic Ocean and enjoys a warm, sunny climate for most of the year. The Algarve is famous for its clear blue waters, delicious seafood, and friendly atmosphere. Visitors can explore historic villages, relax on beautiful beaches, or take boat trips to see sea caves and hidden coves. With its mix of natural beauty, culture, and laid-back lifestyle, the Algarve is one of Portugal’s most popular and picturesque destinations.”
Sounds reasonable to me.
Let’s also have ChatGPT discuss the statement I made… that the western Algarve is the preferred destination over the eastern Algarve in winter for Canadians.
The Western Algarve vs the Eastern Algarve
My request to ChatGPT – “Many Canadians travel to the Algarve during the winter months to escape winter. Can you identify whether most of these people gravitate to the western Algarve or to the eastern Algarve?
“Canadians in the Algarve (Winter Trends)
Most Canadians who winter in the Algarve stay in the western and central Algarve — especially around Lagos, Alvor, Portimão, Carvoeiro, and Albufeira.
The eastern Algarve (Tavira and beyond) attracts some, but tends to draw more long-term European visitors than Canadians.
There are three main reasons for this:
1. Accessibility – Central/western towns are closer to Faro Airport, which has the best flight and shuttle connections.
2. Tourist infrastructure – The west and central coasts (Albufeira, Lagos, Portimão, Vilamoura) have more English-speaking services, apartment rentals, and long-stay programs tailored for northern Europeans.
3. Scenery – The western Algarve offers the dramatic cliffs, ocean views, and mild microclimate that many visitors seek.”
Fair enough, let’s have a quick look at the Costa del Sol.
A Brief Introduction to the Costa del Sol
Again, according to ChatGPT:
“The Costa del Sol, which means “Coast of the Sun,” is a beautiful region in southern Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. It is famous for its sunny weather, golden beaches, and vibrant seaside towns. The area stretches through the province of Málaga and includes popular destinations like Marbella, Torremolinos, and Nerja. The Costa del Sol is not only a place for relaxation but also full of history, culture, and delicious Spanish food. Tourists from all over the world visit to enjoy its warm climate, explore old towns, and experience the lively atmosphere that makes it one of Spain’s most loved coastal regions.”
Yep, all of that is true.
The only thing I think that I would add to that is that the Costa is a long strip of land nestled between the Mediterranean and a number of low but rugged Mountain ranges. This environmental marriage results in the Costa having its own desirable micro-climate.
Probably the easiest way for you to get a sense of what the area is all about is to wade through our many posts about our experience wintering on the Costa in the “Travel-Wintering in Spain” section of our website. Here is a link to all the articles. Hopefully it very least, the pictures included will paint a picture of what the area is all about. My guest authors will paint you a bit of a picture of what the Algarve is about through the use of their own photos.
Canadians in the Costa del Sol (Winter Trends)
I did a similar search in ChatGPT for information about Canadians wintering on the Costa del Sol. Quite honestly, there is relatively little information in that regard. Which means that to this point, it has not been a major winter destination for Canadians. Some of the information it did find though put a serious smile on my face. Here is an example.
“A Canadian retirees’ publication (A Canadian University Retirees’ Association) describes a Canadian couple wintering in “one of the towns of the Costa del Sol,” noting a very moderate climate, and that long-stay apartments with sea views could cost about CAD 1,800 to 2,200/month (for two bedrooms).”
The Canadian couple referenced in this piece is the Love-goddess and me!!
There were other specific mentions about my website as well. I’m not prepared to use references to my own work as credible evidence that a lot of Canadians are wintering on the Costa del Sol. The following summary statement made by ChatGPT is probably the best indicator of all.
“Yes, many Canadians do winter on the Costa del Sol, though not necessarily as overwhelmingly as they do in the Algarve (based on more limited data).”
I think it is reasonable to state that some Canadians have been choosing the Costa Del Sol in Spain for their winter getaways, but certainly not in the same numbers as have chosen the Algarve region in Portugal. Perhaps that will change overtime as more Canadians become aware of the Costa del Sol. If more and more Canadians decide on Europe as the landing spot for their winter getaways, we are going to have to spread out a bit. 🙂
What’s Up Next
There you go, some broad brushstrokes of where these two areas are located and how they factor into the Canadian Snowbird scene. For those of you who are reading this somewhere else in the world the term “Snowbird” is used to describe a person, often a retiree from Canada, who migrates to a warmer climate during the winter months to escape the cold.
Up next is a close look at some of the pertinent facts about the climate and geography of the Algave and the Costa del Sol. The importance of weather is probably generally understood, but perhaps not the importance of geography to retirees – more specifically the topography of the land. For many retirees’ mobility and walkability issues factor into the best place for them to stay. They may require a relatively flatter location in which to pass the winter. Others may want some more rugged, hiking and walking opportunities. Chacun a son goût!
