DK Travel : The Algarve

The Moors called their al-Gharb the Sunset Land, and visitors have been waxing lyrical ever since. Blessed with a mild winter climate and a sunny disposition, Portugal’s playground province remains one of the most popular year-round holiday destinations in southern Europe. Lively coastal resorts spill over ribbons of golden sand in sharp contrast to the quiet villages of the hinterland, where history and tradition go hand in hand.

Folk dancers

Praia de Dona Ana, Lagos

A spectacular and intimate picture-postcard beach, framed by extraordinary outcrops of ochre sandstone. A warren of caves and grottoes runs through the base of the nearby cliff face.
Praia de Faro (Ilha de Faro)

One of the narrow barrier islands that shelter the Ria Formosa lagoon, this giant sand spit is a magnet for Faro residents and those visitors wishing to escape the city heat mid-season.
Praia de Figueira, Salema

This select swathe of sand is popular with youngsters and windsurfers. There are also some excellent nearby dive sites, such as Boco do Rio to the east, where the wreck of theOcean, an 18th-century French man-of-war, lies in shallow water. Praia de Figueira lies right in front of the village of Salema. Arrive early to find parking space.
Praia de Figueira, Salema

This popular beach fronts the tidy fishing village of Salema and attracts a young, sporty crowd, with windsurfing running a close second to sunbathing.
Praia de Manta Rota

Part of a sweep of golden sand that arches from Vila Real de Santo António to the tip of Praia de Cabanas. Access is via Manta Rota and Alagoas.
Praia de Marinha, Benagil

An almost vertical cliff face towers over Marinha’s two wonderfully secluded beaches, the waters of which are a favourite with snorkellers.
Praia de Monte Clérigo

Another preferred beach of the surfing set and tourists possessed of a more independent spirit. An isolated landscape with untamed breakers.
Praia de Odeceixe

One of the Algarve’s best kept secrets, Odeceixe is in a spectacular setting, up in the northwest corner of the Algarve. Its sheltered, crescent-shaped beach is just a short drive (along a road that shadows the path of the river) from the quaint village of Odeceixe. Even in summer, the beach is always wonderfully uncrowded.
Praia de Odeceixe

The River Seixe runs into this delightfully secluded stretch of sand, tucked away right up in the northern reaches of the Algarve, close to the Alentejo border.
Praia de Rocha, Portimão

One of the most famous beaches in the Algarve, this impressive swathe of golden sand stretches out in front of russet-coloured cliffs.