ALGARVE NIGHTLIFE

Going out, clubbing, dancing and drinking in the Algarve

There are a whole range of clubs and discos in the Algarve, catering for everything from 60s nights to banging techno, with all shades in between.

The Portuguese love their dancing, and in the last couple of years the club dance scene has really taken off. The standard of DJs and music is generally very high and eclectic, and you'll hear many familiar and less familiar tunes, mixed the smiling and sunny Portuguese way. If you're used to UK opening hours, you'll be pleased to learn that night clubs are just that: no club worth its salt opens its doors until 23:30 and no self-respecting clubber would be seen going through those doors until 02:30 at the very earliest. So something advertised as being on Saturday actually means sometime early Sunday morning. You can generally stay until 06:00 or 07:00, and after that there's even a few places doing after-parties that start at around 06:00 and go on until lunchtime!

Drinks are usually marked on a card and you pay on the way out. There are always lots of taxi cabs around so there is absolutely no need for drinking and driving. Bathrooms are routinely inspected - water gets everywhere and they often seem to end up as shallow swimming pools.

Security is efficient and the bouncers hospitality agents are not always as diplomatic or sympathetic as they could be. Drug laws are strict and rigorously enforced, both inside and outside clubs and if you're caught breaking these laws you're in deep trouble.

Dress code is relaxed; some places don't like jeans and/or trainers, and if it's busy, some won't let you in unless they reckon you're intending to drink the bar dry.

Of the big clubs, the best of the bunch are Kadoc near Vilamoura and Locomia near Albufeira. Also worth a visit is H₂0 near Quarteira. There are a host of smaller clubs that come and go; Keep your eyes open for posters and flyers. Albufeira in particular is generally keeps pretty busy. There should be a more comprehensive list of current venues on here soon.

There are also major events with big-name DJs and other more impromptu happenings throughout summer. The organisers seem to reckon that most clubbers have minimal memory capacity, and even big events are usually publicised only in the last few days.

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