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.
Praia da Falésia
Praia das Primas
Praia do Camilo
Praia da Batata
Praia de Dona Ana
Praia do Castelo
Praia dos Tesos
Quinta Amoroso
What's on
Markets, music, food and festivals during your stay.
Dr John Sanchez: Traditional Chinese Medicine
A month-long residency in traditional Chinese medicine, with treatment plans built per guest.
Tiles & Tales: Design Your Own Azulejo
Paint your own azulejo using seventeenth-century techniques, every Monday into December.
European Car-Free Day - Moving is good all year round
Traffic-free route : Rua Dr. Alberto Sousa between the Rotunda do Saber (Skate Park) and the Rotunda da Empreita (Indoor Swimming Pools) A variety of activities and sporting entertainment Join us – o
European Car-Free Day
As part of European Mobility Week 2026, the council is reaffirming its commitment to promoting sustainable mobility by taking part in European Car-Free Day Activities and themed zones on Avenida dos D
Bruna Louise: Novo Show
Brazilian stand-up comedian Bruna Louise brings her new show to the Marriott Algarve auditorium in Guia.
European Sports Week 2026
European Sports Week 2026 at Silves. Organised by Silves Municipality with the support of the European Comission and IPDJ (Portuguese youth Institute). Listed in the official Visit Algarve events guid
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.
Save the spots you love.
A free account lets you save beaches, events and places to a list you can come back to, and follow the towns you're visiting for what's on while you're here.