To buy or not to buy has always been our dilemma. This problem has teased over the many years we have been visiting the region. Had we bought 20 years ago, a nice nest egg would lie in wait. Property values have multiplied many-fold over that time. Hindsight has, as they say, twenty twenty vision.

The same hindsight says 'wait, look at the broader picture!' With a property comes responsibility, expenditure and an investment in time. How do you measure an investment leisure time against financial gain? In truth, we only ever wanted a property in Algarve for winter sun, not to spend our summers there fixing the garden, dealing with tradesmen and trying to relax. The world is a big place and over the last 20 years we have had the pleasure of visiting many different countries, north and south of the equator. This would not have happened, at least not to the same extent, had we been tied to a property.

Winter sun has never been difficult to organise and, with the increasing power of the internet, easier than ever, especially with the boom in low cost flights.

Our choice for winter sun has always been Algarve. It could just as easily be Spain but we prefer the space that Algarve offers, the freedom to move around quickly in a low traffic environment. Especially with the new motorways system, the whole length of Algarve opens up for easy exploration.

There is another very good reason. The main coastline faces south. The sun warms the beaches from morn till night. Even when chilly breezes are blowing from the north, sunbathing remains a pleasure with protection from the backing cliffs.

It is easy enough these days to locate accommodation on the internet. Room rates for some of the larger hotels and apartment blocks can be very reasonable. It is important for many to stay open over winter to avoid laying off and losing trained staff. If you are planning a longer stay, 4 - 6 weeks for example, you may even be able to negotiate a better deal.

One of our favourite places is Janelas do Mar 3*, just on the inland side of Albufeira. It offers self catering apartments which take some beating for a good level of comfort at very affordable prices. The apartments offer plenty of space, adequate cooking facilities with a full cooker, fridge, constant hot water and maid service five days a week. It is all very clean and there are plenty of cooking utensils.  Oil filled radiators are provided for heating which we have found perfectly adequate during the winter months. There are supermarkets nearby and restaurants as a change from self-catering. Two of our favourites are ‘Lima’ and ‘O Andre’, typical Portuguese restaurants within easy reach but away from the main tourist routes. Albufeira might not be everybody's first choice, it would certainly not be ours in the height of summer, but in winter it is much, much quieter but with enough life to make it interesting. Apart from that, the location offers easy access to coast or countryside.

A 6 week stay costs out at current daily rates like this:

Apartment rent at 23 Euro/day =  £680. Two people sharing brings the price down to £340 each (less if more share the apartment). Flight UK/Algarve by Monarch, actual cost spring 2006; £140 each including taxes. This brings the total cost to £480 each for a 6 week long stay. Car hire is not expensive in the winter months and you can usually strike a bargain at under £10/day. A couple of weeks car hire, or more, adds only £70 each to the bill and if you choose the first week and last week of your stay, it provides the airport transfers too. Otherwise Janelas do Mar can arrange taxi transfers.

Our other favourite place is Belavista da Luz 4* . This really is affordable luxury and a break from self catering.  Belavista is a small family (45 rooms) run hotel offering a high level of comfort and care. So much so, many clients return time and time again. Situated out west at Praia da Luz (now Vila da Luz), near to the prettiest town in Algarve, Lagos, Belavista offers a service second to none. The superb sandy beach is around a 15 minute walk away and a bus service passes the door. It is a great location for exploring the western side of Algarve, including the scenic west coast. The cost here is, as you would expect, much higher. Winter rates here would hit the credit card to the tune of around £350/week for a double room for two. In other words £175 each. Not so bad when you consider the breakfast is something to die for. There is plenty of fruit, cereal and cold starters before tackling the full English breakfast with proper country sausage and lean bacon.

Our usual strategy is a few weeks at Janelss do Mar with a shorter one or two weeks of luxury at Belavista da Luz.

Both hotels have very helpful English speaking staff . Check out their web sites for more information and a visual experience.

Golfers will hardly need reminding that Algarve has a steadily increasing number of golf courses and Algarve is an extremely popular place to play in winter, thanks to the generally mild climate.

Winter and spring provide ideal walking conditions too for the walkers. There are some very fine coastal and countryside walks to enjoy in many parts of the region. The excellent Landscapes of Algarve (Brian & Eileen Anderson) published by Sunflower Books is the original and best guide available to walkers. Some car tours are described too to get the best out of the region.

Take binoculars if you want to do any birdwatching as it is a great place for over-wintering birds, especially the coastal estuaries, and there are plenty of places to get your binoculars into action.

Shopping: there are large shopping centres with cinema complexes at Guia just west of Albufeira (Algarve Shopping) and Jumbo on the west side of Faro. Also, there are plenty of large supermarkets and more varied shops at Portimão and Faro. Watch out for special market days too (usually monthly, check days at the Tourist Office) -- the big ones to look out for are at Estoi and Algoz  which are more like country fairs with animals etc

Sightseeing: winter is a great time to visit some of the historical and interesting places in and around the region. Silves, the old Moorish capital with its ancient cathedral and sandstone castle, is a great place to explore. Lagos in the west and Tavira and Castro Marim in the east are all worthy of a visit. Travelling north into Alentejo, the next region, the lovely, old walled town of Mertola on the river Guadiana is within easy reach for a day trip. Further north in Alentejo are a number of historic towns like Beja and Évora which may require an overnight stay to get the most out of them.

Spain is now easily reached and there are no border controls. Providing your hire car insurance includes Spain, there are plenty of places to visit there.

Lisbon is perhaps the ultimate short break from Algarve. There is a fast train with a journey time of around 2 hours 30 minutes which goes to the Expo site on the outskirts. The Metro then takes you into the city. A great place to visit with loads to do from street cafés to historical sites.

Festivals: most festivals take place in the summer months but there are some in the winter months, like the sausage festival at Querença in January, and all the carnival celebrations leading up to the start of Lent.

Enjoy you stay!

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