traveldk.com

This refurbished family-run farmhouse is set in wonderful gardens on a tranquil, 3-hectare site. There’s a swimming pool, an outdoor jacuzzi and a children’s play area. Dinner can be provided on request.

A 17th-century farm lovingly converted into a series of beautiful apartments named after flowers. Birdsong from the garden aviary drifts over the shaded, outdoor dining areas.

Set in a pretty valley, this site offers all necessary facilities – toilets, hot showers, laundry rooms, shops and restaurant. There are studios and apartments for rent too, and there’s even a separate area for naturists!

This agency features quality properties to rent in the Algarve resorts of Carvoeiro, Tavira and Albufeira, among other locations. Also has villas in the pretty inland village of Alte.

Secluded under a canopy of pine, this is one of the most modern and comprehensive sites in southern Portugal. Facilities include tennis courts, pool and restaurant, and the surrounding countryside is national park. Caravans and bungalows can also be hired.

Delightfully secluded in the countryside near Estói, the suites of this converted farmhouse overlook gardens of bougainvillea and swaying palms. The proprietor/chef trained at London’s hotels, and the menu is a hallmark of this special retreat.

This excellent site near the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa has first-class amenities and lively recreation facilities that include a swimming pool and tennis court. There’s also a mini-market, a restaurant and a bar.

A sprawling camping and caravan site about 2 km (1 mile) from the town centre. Facilities include three pools, an adventure playground, an à la carte restaurant, a supermarket and a night club.

A serene circular walk which partly follows the course of an irrigation ditch (levada ) and two rivers. The 8-km (4-mile) path begins at the Mira-Rio restaurant on the N124 where it picks up thelevada before heading towards the “Ilha” do Rosário viewpoint. The path then veers through lush, open countryside and skirts a tiny hamlet, Vale da Lama, before meeting the restaurant again.

Fine, panoramic views characterize an easy to moderate walk, the start/finish point of which is only accessible by car. The 8-km (5-mile) track snakes its way through beautiful rolling countryside, fording two small streams and passing the diminutive villages of Malhada de Peres and Daroeira.

This select beachfront is patronized by guests staying at the nearby Vale do Lobo resort and is always a hive of activity. There are some excellent barcafés close at hand.

This hugely popular tract of sand is characterized by the colourful fishing boats stationed at one end – indeed, Praia dos Barcos is also known as “Fisherman’s Beach”. Right in front of the town’s old quarter, the beach is reached through a tunnel next to the tourist information office.

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.

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

Some extraordinary rock formations protrude from the shallows of this pretty bay fringed with fine sand.

A sublime beach opposite Quinta do Lago that narrows into a sand spit, the tip of which is the preserve of near-empty, tranquil dunes.

Pummelled by Atlantic swells, Armado is one of Portugal’s premier surfing venues, and its surf school enjoys international patronage. Sitting well off the beaten track, this west coast beach also attracts families, and the rock pools at low tide teem with inquisitive children.

One of the surfer’s favourites, Armado’s Atlantic swells attract enthusiasts keen to ride the surf back into the wide sweeping beach.

The “Beach of Boats” is so called because of the dozens of colourful fishing smacks pulled up on the sand between use.

The steep climb down a cliff path to the beach is rewarded with a wonderfully secluded wedge of pristine sand that sees few visitors because of its somewhat awkward location.

A beautiful sweep of sand on the bank of a long sandspit island. Farol can be reached by a 45-minute ferry ride from the Porta Nova wharf below Faro’s Old Town district. There are also departures from Olhão.

Another fabulous location for windsurfing, with the ocean lapping a golden swathe of sand. The beach is also conveniently situated near the town of Sagres.

One of the best locations in the area for snorkelling and diving, the beach skirts Burgau resort and is hemmed in on either side by sloping cliffs.

Less crowded than some of its neighbours, Cabanas’ pristine beaches lie in peaceful seclusion and are reached by continuing westwards along the shores of Praia de Manta Rota.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

Steep steps hewn into rock lead down to two compact and secluded beaches tucked below soaring cliffs. A treat for snorkellers, Marinha is served by a small café.

Located at the bottom of “The Strip”, this is a hugely popular beach in summer and attractive with its patches of yellow sandstone rock.

One of the most famous and impressive beaches in the Algarve, Praia da Rocha is one vast blanket of golden sand set against a backdrop of cliffs the colour of cinnamon. It can get very crowded in summer, but a tunnel at the western end allows access to narrower stretches of sand. At various points along Avenida Tómas Cabreira there is further access via steps, some of them steep.