Given its 300 days of sunshine a year and 200-kilometre-long coastline, home to many of the country’s safest and finest beaches, it’s hardly surprising that the Algarve is Portugal’s most popular holiday destination.
The golden, cliff-backed beaches of the Algarve rank among the loveliest in Europe, with great surfing, kayaking and other aquatic activities.
Bask in sunshine from tee to green on one of the Algarve’s 30 or so gorgeous golf courses. Or book a private lesson to get putting like a pro.
Shop for souvenirs and artisanal products in the market at Loulé. Just inland from Faro, this supremely scenic town is the handicraft capital of the Algarve.
Join a local fisherman for a morning clam picking on the lagoons and waterways of Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, followed by a lunch of clams, oysters and delicious local wine.
Explore the Moorish castle at Silves – it was the Moors who named the region al-Gharb (the west) as it was once the western end of the Moorish empire.
Most visitors arrive in Faro and head straight to their resort, but the old town is worth exploring, with its narrow lanes, historic churches and picturesque harbour. East of Faro, the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa stretches towards Spain, a stunning landscape of sandbanks, reefs and islands home to diverse wildlife and traditional fishing communities. From Olhão, a hub for local art, and charming Tavira, boat trips reveal the park’s unspoiled beauty.
Between Faro and Lagos, the Algarve’s central coast boasts luxurious resorts, yacht-filled marinas, world-class golf courses and Michelin-starred dining. West of Vilamoura, dramatic cliffs and hidden coves give way to Praia da Falesia’s vast golden sands. Inland, Silves’ Moorish castle recalls the region’s rich history, its name, al-Gharb, a legacy of the Moors.
Further west, the coast grows wilder, ending at Sagres, where Prince Henry the Navigator trained explorers in the 15th century. Stand on the cliffs at Cape St Vincent and it still feels like the edge of the world.
This 5-star resort and member of The Leading Hotels of the World showcases the best of Portuguese style, culture and hospitality. Its lofty clifftop perch provides an enviable setting, treating guests to fabulous views across the azure waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
This charming 5-star hotel occupies an enviable position in the heart of Vilamoura and is only moments from five of the Algarve’s most prestigious golf courses, beautiful Falésia beach, and a popular marina. Light, airy and modern, the resort boasts many standout features, including a private seawater lake and a natural, sand-bottom pool.
Surrounded by lush pine forests from which it takes its name, Pine Cliffs, a Luxury Collection Resort, is one of Portugal’s leading holiday hotspots. A firm favourite with families and luxury travellers, this sweeping coastal property offers much to many, including excellent accommodation, delicious dining options, and even a 7,000-square-metre children’s village.
In the heart of Portugal’s serene Algarve countryside, the Viceroy at Ombria Algarve seems worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the coastline. A tranquil hideaway that’s part of the larger Ombria Resort, it’s perhaps one of the area's best-kept secrets: elegant, authentic, and refreshingly low-key.
A hotel within a hotel, these stylish one- and two-bedroom residences share the 5-star facilities of Domes Lake Algarve and come with fully equipped kitchens for gourmet evenings in, separate dining and living areas, cool terracotta floors, luxury bathroom amenities, bamboo garden furniture and views either inland or of the resort’s gardens, lake or yacht-filled marina.
Modelled on an 18th-century Portuguese palace with Moorish undertones, this crisp white contemporary hotel is light-filled and luxurious, with a wonderful appreciation for art. Add a choice of pools for all ages, a lavish spa and award-winning golf courses nearby and you’ve one of the Algarve’s most sought-after properties.