Some of us don’t give a monkey’s about celebrity gossip. We probably wouldn’t recognise a celebrity if one of them bit us. Others are absolutely obsessed with the rich, famous and notorious; the lifestyle, the travel destinations, the looks, the clothes, the tragedies and embarrassments and triumphs.
If you’re celeb-oriented, taking your holidays at their favourite destinations might mean you spot a few of these elusive beasts for yourself. Here’s who might loom into view while you’re eating out, sunbathing, living it up in a club, engaging in retail therapy or wandering your way from A to B along posh streets lined with private villas. Prepare to see legends – and read to the end to see what your own Algarve second home might cost you.
Shades on, phones at the ready – Will you see these celebs on the Algarve?
The Algarve’s stunning coast, beautiful inland landscapes, fabulous food and epic wines make it a prime celeb destination. Duncan Bannatyne from the Dragons Den has a villa at Vale do Lobo, as does old-school TV travel presenter Judith Chalmers, someone the boomers amongst you will remember.
Rebel, mischief-maker, Radio DJ and TV presenter Chris Evans has a place on the Algarve. Phillip Schofield’s Portugal home is in the gorgeous Quinta area. Holly Willoughby has a holiday home here. Bradley Walsh loves it, as do Ant and Dec. When a place is this beautiful, this dramatic and this full of fabulous things to do, it is no surprise so many celebs land here.
Another rolling-in-it Dragon, Peter Jones, has a villa at Quinta do Lago. Heroes of the beautiful game flock here as well. Think Teddy Sheringham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne and Collen Rooney for a start. Plus Alan Shearer, Jamie Carragher and Harry Kane. Add Cristiano Ronaldo, José Mourinho and Luis Figo for a grand final, adding up to a wealth of big-name footballers enjoying this gorgeous place. It must feel amazing making a fortune doing something you love, that you’re world-class at.
Cliff Richard once had a vineyard near Albufeira. Singer Bonnie Tyler spends half the year on the Algarve. Politician George Galloway has a villa at Burgau and Peter Andre and family enjoy good times time here. Apparently Billie Faiers and Greg Shepherd have both holidayed on the Algarve. Madonna enjoys the vibe and Ronan Keating loves the cuisine scene, often seen enjoying life in the region’s best restaurants. With superb Portuguese wines to match, the Algarve is wonderful when fine food is top of your holiday menu.
Singer Pixie Lott has fond childhood memories of Carvoeiro. Singer-songwriter Niall Horan is a big fan, a frequent visitor to the Algarve. Celeb Chef Marcus Wareing eats here and probably cooks up a storm here as well. The place is heaving with fabulous ingredients, not least the seafood. And Tory politician and former PM David Cameron, he of the Greensill financial services lobbying scandal, has been known to take breaks on the west Coast. No doubt he can afford a villa the size of Wales, or at least the size of a few blue whales.
The beautiful game isn’t the only sport whose finest players make their way here. There’s also golf, a hugely popular game in Portugal. The Algarve is stuffed with fantastic coastal links and inland golf courses, attracting rare animals like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Shane Lowry and Colin Montgomerie, all spotted here by keen-eyed golf fans.
Visit Lisbon for even more glittery famous people
Last but not least, if you’re taking a trip to Lisbon from your Algarve base, keep your eyes open for a host of particularly glittery stars who’ve bought places to live in Portugal’s vibrant capital: ooh, ah Eric Cantona, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender and his actor wife Alicia Vikander, designer Christian Louboutin, Italian actor Monica Bellucci, Hollywood’s Scarlett Johansson, plus Aussie actor Nicole Kidman and her husband, the New Zealand singer Keith Urban.
Does a lot of celebs mean sky-high property prices on the Algarve?
Does such a high level of celebs means the property prices on the Algarve are crazy? Not at all. In fact Algarve properties suit a range of budgets, from surprisingly affordable to multiple millions’ worth of sheer celeb-level luxury. So where do you spend your money?
The middle bit of the Algarve region, from Lagos to Faro, is crammed with mostly low-rise holiday apartments, hotels and resorts. It’s also expensive, even more so in the desirable upmarket resorts and golf communities around Vilamoura and Vale do Lobo. But just like the UK, go a few miles off-piste, off the usual beaten track, and there are some bargains to be found. Head inland away from the spectacular beaches and cliffs to find ancient villages, quaint small towns and tiny hamlets with homes for sale.
Second homes in and around the port town of Lagos are popular with celebs, perched right at the end of the region’s most intense tourist hotspots on the fringe of the wilder, quieter western Algarve. Another cool thing about this area is that it’s only an hour’s drive from Faro airport, which means you don’t have to travel for hours to get to your holiday home.
Eastern Algarve is greener and more fertile, with a climate that isn’t quite so hot and dry. The weather and the fact that it’s more of a workaday place means homes here cost a lot less than the bustling coast. You’ll find some stunning ancient buildings to fall in love with. It’s also close enough to the airport for easy access – and Spain is right on your doorstep.
Because the Algarve isn’t exactly enormous, with a southern coast just 95 miles or so long and a thirty mile-long west coast, location of your second home isn’t as important as it could be. You’re never very far from anywhere, making exploring it easy and pleasurable.
Explore Algarve second homes for yourself
One good way to discover more about the region is to take a load of Algarve tours to discover what’s what and where for yourself. You really need to be on the ground, there in person, to know what it’s like. The rest is the same as buying over here. Once you’ve got the finance sorted it’s a matter of exploring, viewing, and waiting to fall in love with a house or apartment that speaks to you.
Happy celebrity hunting and – if you decide to join them – happy holiday home hunting, too!
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