Praia do Tonel

• In the town ofSagresSagres sits at the end of the Algarve, where the south coast turns north and the land runs out at Cabo de São Vicente, mainland Europe's most south-westerly point. This was Henry the Navigator's corner of Portugal, and the fortress on the headland still frames the town's story. Day to day, Sagres is a working fishing port with a laid-back surf-town feel: boards on car roofs, long sunsets, and a pace that stays unhurried even in August. The beaches each have their own character. Mareta sits in the shelter of the town, Tonel picks up proper Atlantic swell below the fortress, and Beliche hides between cliffs on the road to the cape. Surf schools work year round, and the clifftops pull walkers and birdwatchers, especially in autumn, when the cape becomes one of Europe's great seabird lookouts. The town itself is compact: a handful of streets, a harbour where the day boats land their catch, seafood restaurants that serve it the same evening, and a general market on the first Friday of the month. Sagres suits people who want the Algarve with the volume turned down: raw coastline, real weather, and one of the most dramatic sunsets in Portugal from the fortress walls.

Praia do Tonel sits directly below the Sagres promontory on its western side, a west-facing beach known for consistent Atlantic surf. The fortress headland rises at its southern end, and steps lead down from the road to a broad stretch of pale sand backed by dark, layered cliffs. Open to the west, it picks up swell almost year-round, and the waves and currents deserve respect from anyone who is not a confident swimmer. On calm summer days it can turn gentle, but its reputation was built on surf. It suits surfers first, plus walkers and watchers who want the raw end of the Algarve underfoot.

Places to see nearby

All places

Viewpoint

Cabo de São Vicente

Historic site

Sagres Fortress