Praia da Rocha

• In the town ofPraia da RochaFamous for its massive stretch of golden sand backed by ochre cliffs. Offers a buzzing social scene, beach clubs, and a vibrant nightlife alternative to Albufeira.

Praia da Rocha is Portimão's great showpiece, a vast sweep of golden sand beneath ochre cliffs at the mouth of the Arade river. It is one of the widest beaches in the Algarve, the sand running well over a hundred metres deep in places and crossed by wooden walkways. At the eastern end the seventeenth-century Fortaleza de Santa Catarina looks over the marina and the river mouth, while rock stacks punctuate the sand towards the west. The resort strip runs along the clifftop above, with stairways bringing you down. There is room here even at the height of summer. It suits families, long-stay holidaymakers and anyone who likes big horizons and space to spread out.