Visit Algarve

Why visit Algarve

The Algarve is Portugal's golden coastline — a 155km strip of southern Atlantic coast with the most dramatic limestone cliffs, hidden coves, and gentle sandy beaches in southern Europe, plus year-round sunshine that has made it one of the continent's most popular beach destinations since the 1960s. The headline natural sight is Praia da Marinha and the adjacent Algar de Benagil sea cave — a dramatic domed grotto with a circular hole in the ceiling and a small beach inside, reached by short kayak or boat from Benagil village (one of the most photographed natural features in Portugal). The medieval walled town of Lagos, with its dramatic Ponta da Piedade cliffs nearby, is the classic resort base. Further west, the windswept Sagres peninsula at Europe's southwestern tip is where Prince Henry the Navigator gathered Portuguese explorers in the 15th century to plan voyages of discovery. The historic salt-flat town of Tavira in the east is gentler and more traditional, with cobbled streets and 21 Roman bridges. Don't miss the dramatic limestone arches at Praia do Camilo (200 wooden steps down), the wonderfully old-fashioned town of Silves with its red-sandstone Moorish castle, and a long lazy lunch of grilled sardines and a bottle of chilled vinho verde at any beachfront restaurant.