Inland Algarve 'offering many bargains'

Those looking for cheaper properties in Portugal can find many bargains in the inland areas of the Algarve region, it has been stated.

Mary Mangan of estate agency Winkworth Portugal told the Times that the area north of the A22 road offers a number of good deals.

She stated: "In the western Algarve, you can buy a newly refurbished one-bedroom village house in Raposeira, near Lagos, three minutes' drive from the beach, for £136,000."

Another area tipped as one where homes can be bought cheaply is Alentejo, which lies between the Algarve and Lisbon.

This area has plenty of tourism demand and is set to benefit from the opening of a new airport at Beja in July, the paper noted. Portuguese property is increasingly offering buyers the choice of modern designs, developer Ted Baillie recently stated.

He told the Independent that glass is commonly being used now to create a sense of "space and light".