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A splendid old farm complex nestling in the heart of the countryside. An informal atmosphere pervades the rooms and apartments. Dinner can be arranged, and there’s a minimum two-day stay. (Camping also available.)

Figs were introduced by the Moors and soon became an integral part of Algarve cuisine. Fig lord cakes are dainty creations moulded from a fig-and-almond paste.

The view from the this modern museum looks out to the ocean, while inside is a modest but fascinating collection of Stone Age, Roman and Moorish artifacts. The 10th-century Arab silo is worth close scrutiny, as are the set of weathered 16th-century keystones.

Set within the cloisters of the former convent of Nossa Senhora da Assunção, this museum is one of the most beautiful in the Algarve. A giant Roman floor mosaic, fragments of a Moorish bowl inscribed with “Allah” and a gallery devoted to 16th-century Italian paintings are just some of the highlights.

This excellent museum is unique in Portugal for its astonishing 12th-century Arab well-cistern. Unearthed by chance in 1980, it is the star exhibit around which the entire building is constructed. An original staircase (closed to the public) incorporated into the ancient structure descends 15 m (49 ft) to the bottom of the well.

A first-rate modern museum and historic Roman site rolled into one, Cerro da Vila is an outstanding example of a 2nd-century villa complex, complete with sunken baths, salt tanks, a burial tower and brilliant black-and-white patterned mosaics. The adjacent museum houses a superb display of Roman, Visigoth and Moorish artifacts.

Silves’ cork museum and factory highlights the impact this abundant and versatile bark has had on the town through a series of huge photographic panels, themed exhibitions and displays of early 20th-century machinery housed in converted workshops.