Visiting the Algarve?
Plan it with the people who live here. Where to stay, the beaches worth the drive, what's on while you're here, and the restaurants and towns we'd actually send a friend to. No tourist traps, no pay-to-win rankings.
The best beaches
Over 200 in the guide, with the details we've verified.
What's on
Markets, music, food and festivals during your stay.
Bliss Vilamoura Grand Opening with Plutonio
Bliss Vilamoura opens its 2026 season with Plutonio, Portugal's most streamed artist on Spotify last year.
Colour Abuse Fridays at Matt's Bar
Weekly colour parties with free colour shots, face painting and giveaways every Friday at Matt's Bar in Albufeira, July to September.
by Matt's Bar
Portimão by Night 2026
Noitada is gearing up for its third edition, further cementing its place as one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the summer. From 24 to 25 July, the heart of the city will be transformed into
Olhão South Jazz 2026
The event is the Algarve's newest jazz festival, created with the aim of becoming an international benchmark. There will be two days of open-air concerts, featuring jazz and fusion music in an intimat
Parish Festival in Silves
Parish Festival in Silves
Raul Reyes, Osvaldo Pegudo & the Algarve Jazz Orchestra
“Caribe Libre” is a vibrant programme featuring Raul Reyes (vocals) and Osvaldo Pegudo (percussion), dedicated to Latin music and its deep connections with jazz. It was Dizzy Gillespie who, by bringin
Day guides
Real places strung into a day out, the way we'd do it.
Perfect Yoga & Brunch in Vilamoura
A slow Vilamoura morning done properly: an expert-led class at the town's top rated yoga studio, then breakfast next door at the cafe run by the same team.
British-Curriculum Schools in the Algarve
Nine places teaching the British curriculum across the Algarve, from the west coast at Aljezur to Tavira in the east: what each one offers, from first enrolment at age 3 through to A-Levels and the IB.
Moving to the Algarve: The Settling-In List
The paperwork half of a new life in Portugal, handled: visas and NIF numbers, a lawyer for the house, insurance in plain English, pension advice and a doctor.
Where to base yourself
Lively resort or quiet fishing village, every town has its own feel.
When to come, and how to get around
The Algarve is good all year. July and August are hot and busy; May, June, September and October give you warm sea, quieter beaches and lower prices. Even winter is mild, with bright days made for coastal walks and long lunches.
Faro airport sits in the middle of the region, with the west coast about an hour one way and the Spanish border an hour the other. A hire car opens up the hidden beaches and villages, though the train and buses link the main towns along the coast.