The Algarve

Central Algarve Coast

Towns such as Lagos, Portimão and Albufeira combine quaint Old Towns with Moorish architecture and winding streets with excellent beaches, restaurants and nightlife. There's a great mix of shopping and culture here if you can tear yourself away from the beaches! For something a bit special, visit Dona Ana Beach just outside Lagos for crystal clear waters and stunning rock formations.

Western Algarve Coast

This area is the most unspoilt of the Algarve coastal regions and is popular with windsurfers, kiteboarders and surfers because of the great year-round conditions, as well as excellent beaches. The roads here are small and twisting but you could base yourself at Sagres or Carrapateira and explore a different beach every day on your holiday.

Eastern Algarve Coast

From the prestigious resorts around Almancil to the nature reserve of the Ria Formosa, the eastern Algarve is quieter and wilder. Faro, where flights to the Algarve land has lots to offer with grand houses, lively cafes and a beautiful Old Town, and the smaller towns of Olhão and Tavira are utterly charming. Unique wetlands and nature parks cover the coast here, making this a popular spot for birdwatching, but does make the beaches harder to access. Catch a boat (or in some cases a train!) to the islands at the edge of the wetlands and you'll discover the beaches are worth the effort.

Inland Algarve

The mountain regions hide plenty of attractions, and with day trips on offer from major resorts you don't need a car to explore. Quaint villages with Roman and Moorish influences make a lovely place to spend the day, and the local produce is a fabulous, if totally intoxicating, strawberry-tree liqueur!