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.
Friday Reset & Breakfast at Vila Vita Parc
A 45-minute outdoor class on the Praia Dourada deck at 08:15, followed by a healthy breakfast at NANA on the Beach. Fridays until 2 October.
Paulneel Jauhiainen: Thai Therapies
A visiting Thai therapist at the Sisley spa, on the estate through to the end of August.
National Beach Volleyball Circuit, Portimão Stage
Round five of Portugal's national beach volleyball circuit on Praia da Rocha, free entry.
Alcantarilha Market
Street market in Alcantarilha.
Sagres Market
Street market in Sagres.
Praia Dourada Summer Sessions
Guest DJs on the beach, Thursday to Saturday 15:00–18:30, plus Sunday-dinner live music 19:00–22:00, at Praia Dourada Beach Club until mid-September.
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.