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Algarve

Best time: May to June, and September for warm sea and fewer crowds

Introduction

The Algarve is Portugal's southern coast, a strip of ochre cliffs, sandy coves and old fishing towns that fill up between June and September. The light here is strong most of the year, which is why the region draws golfers in winter and beach crowds in summer.

Beyond the resorts you find the quieter interior: cork oak hills, whitewashed villages and market towns like Loule. Rent a car if you can, since the coast road and the inland N125 open up beaches and towns that buses reach slowly.

Sightseeing

Ponta da Piedade: Sea stacks and grottoes near Lagos, best seen by boat.

Benagil Cave: A domed sea cave with a hole in the roof, reached by kayak or tour.

Cabo de Sao Vicente: The southwest tip of Europe, with a lighthouse and big Atlantic waves.

Faro Old Town: Cobbled streets inside the walls, plus the storks nesting on the cathedral.

Silves Castle: Red sandstone fortress from the Moorish period, above the old capital.

Ria Formosa: Lagoons and barrier islands good for birdwatching and clams.

Local food and drinks

Cataplana de marisco: Seafood stew cooked in a hinged copper pan, meant for sharing.

Grilled sardines: Cheapest and best in summer, sold at seaside grills.

Dom Rodrigo: A sweet of egg threads and almond, wrapped in foil.

Medronho: Strong spirit distilled from arbutus berries, made in the hills.

Ameijoas na cataplana: Clams steamed with garlic, coriander and white wine.

Local traditions

Carnival: Parades in Loule each February, one of the oldest in Portugal.

Festa da Sardinha: Summer sardine festivals along the coast, notably Portimao.

Med Festival: Silves fills with world music and food stalls in late June.

Fado nights: Sung in tavernas, though the Algarve is more casual than Lisbon.

History

Phoenicians and Romans traded along this coast, but the name Algarve comes from the Arabic al-Gharb, meaning the west. Moorish rule lasted centuries and left the region's whitewashed houses, filigree chimneys and towns like Silves, which was once a major city.

Christian forces took the Algarve in the 13th century. In the 15th, Prince Henry the Navigator based his voyages near Sagres, launching Portugal's age of exploration. The 1755 earthquake and tsunami wrecked much of the coast. Mass tourism arrived from the 1960s, and Faro's airport turned fishing villages into resorts.