Published by Zeb BhamThe Azores offer travellers and expats an attractive alternative to the Algarve, it has been claimed.Commenting recently, Miguel Cymbron, the country's director of tourism for the Azores, said the region is ideal for those looking for more than a traditional beach holiday."We offer nature. The contact between the land and the sea is very close so you can do whale watching, dolphin watching, diving, walking and hiking," he said.However, Mr Cymbron added that the exchange rate between the euro and the pound has made it difficult to attract British tourists in recent months.Such factors may also play a deciding role for those considering buying into the Portuguese property market, and talking to a foreign exchange broker may be an important step in the buying process.Comments from Mr Cymbron followed research from Trivago which placed Portugal very highly in its European beach reputation rankings, with Funchal beach scoring particularly highly in user reviews.For more information on purchasing commission free travel money, visit our Travel FX site