AlmancilEight villas in The Sanctuary, a gated development just outside Almancil in the eastern Algarve, are on the market for €750,000.

The three-bedroom 158sqm (1,700sq ft) properties are in the village of Vale d'Eguas on the edge of what is known as the Algarve golden triangle: the properties are on the outskirts of the golf resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, and so cost less.

But they are still close to beaches and the many golf courses in the area, as well as to a popular smart restaurant called La Quinta, says Splash International agent Gabrielle O'Malley.

The villas at The Sanctuary were designed by the English/Irish developers in a traditional Algarvian style and come with large terraces running off ground floor livingrooms and first-floor bedrooms. The kitchens have granite work surfaces, and kitchens and bathrooms both have Portuguese stone wall tiles.

Other features include marble-tiled floors, decorative fireplaces, air conditioning and underfloor heating. The development has a communal pool.

Financing of up to 85 per cent of the purchase price can be arranged through a Portuguese bank.