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.
Albufeira 35mm: Open-Air Cinema in Paderne
Free outdoor screening of Ama Gloria opens Albufeira's summer open-air cinema cycle in Paderne.
Late-Night Market in Silves
Late-Night Market in Silves
Alcoutim ComVida - Savinho & Cia.
Alcoutim ComVida - Savinho & Cia.
HASHTAG#FREE, by Quórum Dance Company
#Free is not just another contemporary dance performance; it is a journey that challenges perceptions, moves the audience and inspires. The choreography becomes a living dialogue between movement, sp
Rodrigues / Frade / Duarte / Júlio
The Algarve Jazz Orchestra presents Rodrigues/Frade/Júlio/Araújo, a quartet of the highest calibre, who are coming together for a brand-new project set to premiere on 22 July at the Feira da Arte Doce
37th Sweet Art Competition Fair
The Arte Doce Confectionery Fair and Competition is back for another edition full of flavour, tradition and fun! At the heart of the festivities once again are the irresistible regional sweets, prepar
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.