Tavira is a scenic town on the Eastern Algarve with a beautiful riverfront and numerous historical attractions including a castle and several churches. Tavira does have some great beaches close by (including Praia da Ilha de Tavira), but they’re not as easily accessible as the beaches in other Algarve towns. Praia da Ilha de Tavira, for example, is 2 km Read more...

With a big, long sandy beach and the 2 km long palm tree-lined promenade that runs behind it, Quarteira is a popular resort town in the Central Algarve. Quarteira’s main selling points are it’s long beach (it’s actually made up of several beaches), calm waters, proximity to Faro Airport and nearby historical towns like Faro and Loulé, and easy access Read more...

Praia da Rocha is one of the largest and most popular beach resort towns on the Algarve. Named after the very long and very beautiful beach that this town is centered on, Praia da Rocha is a lively town with plenty of bars, restaurants, and cafés. The town attracts people from all walks of life, but is particularly popular with Read more...

Monte Gordo is a popular beach resort on the Eastern side of the Algarve, close to the border with Spain. It has characterised by its long and white, sandy beach and the tall apartment blocks and hotels that sit behind it.  That’s just one side of Monte Gordo, however. Although the town largely revolves around the tourist industry, it’s also Read more...

High up in the hills, and away from the beaches, coastal resort towns, and all of the other things that you associate with the Algarve, is the little town of Monchique. Monchique is a popular destination with walkers, and there are several great hikes through the nearby forests. It main claim to fame, however, is the nearby spa town of Caldas Read more...

Porches is a very small town in the Central Algarve that’s primarily famous for its pottery but also its wine. The town itself has a population of around 2,000 people, and is very small and quiet with just a few bars, restaurants, and small shops. Despite the town’s small size, Porches is home to many high end and popular restaurants Read more...

Lagos is one of the most popular towns on the Algarve, and one that is consistently recommended by people who both stay and live here. The town is popular with travellers in their 20s and 30s, especially backpackers and surfers, but it really attracts people from all walks of life. Walk through Lagos Town Centre during the summer and you’ll Read more...

Lagoa is a small, quiet, and relatively non-touristy town that’s situated 10 minutes inland from more popular beach resort towns like Carvoeiro and Ferragudo. Although there are charming parts to the town, including the main square, its main selling point is its location rather than anything in the town itself. It is just 10-15 minutes drive from some of the Read more...

Although Faro is just a 15 minute drive from Faro Airport, most people visiting the Algarve drive right past and head to resort towns on the Central Algarve like Albufeira and Carvoreiro instead. Faro is definitely worth visiting, though. It’s the capital of the Algarve, and also the largest city on the Algarve as well (although the population isn’t huge: Read more...

Situated in the centre of the Algarve, Carvoeiro is a small but popular beachside town with whitewashed buildings and golden sandy cliffs. It has a small beach, Praia de Carvoeiro, which was voted European Best Beach in 2018, and is within easy driving distance of some of the best beaches on the Algarve including Praia da Marinha (9 km). Although Read more...