Benagil Cave is one of the Algarve’s most famous natural attractions, but visiting it has become more regulated in recent years due to safety concerns and overcrowding. You can no longer swim into the cave or explore it independently by paddleboard or kayak. Most visitors now experience Benagil Cave onRead More →
Albufeira is one of the Algarve’s busiest holiday destinations and it’s not everyone’s idea of Portugal. Parts of it can feel heavily geared towards tourism, especially in peak summer. That said, there are good reasons why so many people stay here. Albufeira has excellent beaches, plenty of accommodation and easyRead More →
Albufeira is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Algarve, thanks to its expansive golden sands and central location. It’s also one of the easiest places to get wrong. The difference between a relaxed beach stay and a noisy, frustrating one often comes down to where you baseRead More →
Faro is often treated as a quick stop, either at the start or end of a trip, but it’s actually worth a night or two, or longer if you use it as a base for exploring the Algarve region. I’ve stayed in Faro multiple times and have seen how muchRead More →
Tavira is one of the best places to stay in the Algarve if you want a base that feels more attractive, calmer and less resort-heavy than many of the better-known coastal towns. Set on the Gilão River in the eastern Algarve, Tavira has a lovely old town, plenty of goodRead More →
Lagos is one of the most popular places to stay in the Algarve, and for good reason. It has some of the region’s most beautiful beaches, a lively old town, good restaurants and enough accommodation choice to suit everything from a romantic break to a family beach holiday. The trickRead More →
Deciding where to stay in the Algarve can feel overwhelming. Many guides make it harder by listing endless hotels without explaining why a place suits you. Last update: March 2026 I’ve travelled the Algarve many times over the years, both solo and with friends and family looking for very differentRead More →
Sagres sits at the far western edge of the Algarve and feels quite different from the region’s busier resort towns. It’s windswept, low-key and surrounded by dramatic cliffs, wild beaches and open countryside. The town itself is small, so this isn’t the place for lots of sightseeing in the traditionalRead More →
Thanks to its inland location, Loulé has remained unscathed from the blight of holiday resorts that mar some of the coastal areas in the Algarve. What you’ll find here is a quiet, attractive town with a strong local community and plenty of culture and creativity. Here are some of the things to doRead More →
