Ponta da Piedade, Lagos
A headland of honey-coloured sea stacks, arches and grottoes just south of Lagos. Walk the clifftop paths for the views, then see the grottoes from the water on a small-boat, kayak or paddleboard trip from Lagos. Nearby Praia do Camilo and Praia Dona Ana are two of the most photographed beaches in Portugal.
Benagil, Praia da Marinha and the Seven Hanging Valleys
The coast between Carvoeiro and Armação de Pêra is the Algarve at its most dramatic. The Benagil sea cave is best seen from the water on a boat or kayak tour. Praia da Marinha sits beneath tall limestone cliffs, and the Seven Hanging Valleys trail follows the clifftops past viewpoints and hidden coves.
Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente
The south-western tip of Europe. Wild, windswept and home to some of the Algarve's best surf beaches. Stay for sunset at Cabo de São Vicente, where the cliffs drop straight into the Atlantic.
Tavira and the Ria Formosa
The eastern Algarve is calmer and more traditional. Tavira's old town, Roman-style bridge and riverside cafés are made for slow afternoons. Take the ferry to Ilha de Tavira or the little train to Praia do Barril for long, quiet island beaches inside the Ria Formosa natural park.
Faro old town and Olhão
Faro is more than an airport. Its walled old town, cathedral and marina are worth an evening. Next door, Olhão's waterfront markets and seafood restaurants are some of the most authentic on the coast, and ferries run out to the Ria Formosa islands.
Inland: Silves, Monchique and Alte
Head away from the coast for red-stone castles, cork forests and cooler air. Silves has the Algarve's best-preserved castle, Monchique offers mountain views from Fóia, and the village of Alte has river pools and waterfalls.
The Golden Triangle: Vilamoura, Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago
The Algarve's most polished stretch: championship golf, a busy marina, beach clubs and some of the best restaurants in Portugal. Ideal for long lunches, sunset drinks and a more glamorous pace.
