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.
Piazzetta Summer Nights
The Piazzetta by Adega turns into an evening of Portuguese food, music and company.
DJ & Live Violin with Dom Oliver at Matt's Bar
Dom Oliver's electric violin meets house, R'n'B and hip hop every Tuesday at Matt's Bar on the Albufeira strip, June to August.
by Matt's Bar
Pintura Cerâmica
Step into the world of ceramics through painting and discover how to transform a piece of clay into a unique creation. Throughout the workshop, you’ll have the chance to try out different ways of appl
Astronomy Night at Alto da Ameixeira
Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve observes the dark skies of Alto da Ameixeira, São Brás de Alportel, at 21:00 on 18 August 2026.
Festival Paragem – Lavoisier
The extension of the 8th edition of Festival Paragem - Contemporary Artistic Practices in the Bathing Season will pass through Lagos, based on a transdisciplinary programme aimed at promoting platform
Tiago Sousa Memorial Golf Tournament
A parent-and-child charity golf tournament on Quinta do Lago's South Course honours Tiago Sousa on 19 August.
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.