Algarve holidays

What can you expect on an Algarve holiday that you won’t find elsewhere?

The Algarve, making up the entire southern region of Portugal, is prized for its rugged cliffs and wild beaches. Along the coastline, you'll comes across a bounty of seaside resorts and enchanting fishing villages while, further inland, the rustic scenery with transport you back to Portugal’s past. Head to Cabo Sao Vicente and you'll have reached Europe's most southwestern point, where, to the untravelled Europeans of the Middle Ages, the Algarve was the edge of the world. It soon became the departure point of the many Portuguese voyages of discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, thanks to the protection of the Costa Vicentina national park, this dramatic stretch of Atlantic coastline has remained mercifully undeveloped - nowadays the seafarers are of a different kind and the School of Navigation has given way to surf schools and some of the best surfing beaches in Europe.

Who is the Algarve best for?

Painted golden by the sun, the Algarve is blessed with gloriously warm summer weather, perfect for days spent dozing on floury-white sandy beaches, frolicking in the sea or riding the waves; anyone with a love of the coast will be in heaven here. Algarve holidays are all about getting back to nature and putting indulgence at the top of your to do list.

The best ways to discover the Algarve

- Forget whitewashed villas and golf clubs, there is more to the Algarve than meets the eye. Experience this charming coastal haven as the locals do with a stay in a quinta (a traditional villa or estate). After days spent exploring every last inch of the Algarve, return to your rural retreat and find the perfect spot looking out over peaceful gardens blooming with Mediterranean flora.

Special things to do in the Algarve

- During Easter, head to the Algarve to get your dose of spring sunshine. While weather can be unpredictable elsewhere at this time of year, the Algarve boasts average temperatures of around 20°C, perfect for days spent relaxing at the beach.
- Nab yourself a pretty private residence on the amber cliffs of Albandeira beach.
- Walk through the dunes and salt marshes of the Rio Formosa Natural Park, the alleyways in the old town of Faro, and over the bridges of Tavira.
- Enjoy a secluded picnic on Ilha Deserta (Meaning ‘deserted island’) or snack among happy locals in a pastelaria (Portuguese pastry shop) in Albufeira.
- Visit in the winter to experience all this, and more, in a different light.