Classic Tp Alentejo & Algarve Beaches On this sunny coastal drive you'll experience some of Europe's finest beaches and explore the picturesque, formerly Moorish towns of Portugal's south. Lia ncaa 4-6 DAYS ‘360 KM/ 225 MILES GREAT FOR.. dB inne Vigne | Sesh ant BESTE Toco ei cronded muy and August ESSENTIAL 16 proto 20: BEST FOR WILDLIFE The Sagres area fers Lagos eoromtchng dbolpnins and perhaps whales EE Stine word ct iSudanimpressve somone ‘own wih restbecches. Festprent ane greAlentejo & VEE Tae tla Gen Re iene eee eee COO eeu ome eee beaches. Only this in’ the Med, it's the Atlantic, so add serious surfable Te LO ne ea een) CA eC Ras Ce explores the intriguing towns, which conserve their tight-knit Moorish street cr orale xD Via eters %, Bera aot ye oe ame} ee ee fare EBM Hg ggVila Nova de Milfontes Cone of the loveliest towas along this stretch ofthe coast, Vila Nova desllontes as an ttactve,whitewased centr, sparking beaches nearby ed aai-back population who couldn't Imagine living anywhere eis. Montes remain Inch more low-key than ‘ost resort towns, excep. In August when is ck co the hilt with Eurfers and sut-seckers [Relocated inthe mile ofthe beni Parave arasd! ORES Ey ergo omezgeet) f- Gis pm % fe aca ina iA visRestdey ics sete B Fromthe endotthistpits Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa ‘Vieentina and is sila port (Hannibal is said to have sheltered here) alongside a lovely, stnd- ‘edged limb of estuary. Milfontes narrow lanes, tiny plazas end ‘bese harbor varied ‘eating and drinking ‘options, The tain beach is sheltered but can pet ‘busy the best strand in| the vieinity is fantastic Praia do Malhto,backe by rocky danes and covered in fragrant Serub, around Tk to the north The Drive» Hea 304m die traughpotctodprkrdor tHe h3S0 auto Fat. © Zambujeira do Mar Enchanting wild beaches backed by rugged elit form the setting of this sleepy seaside village. The ain street terminates at the ii paths ead othe duimctive sands below ‘Quieter than Via Nova, Andalucta's White Villages sneasy192kmon the AZ2 snd Ado motorways, arti Sela, to Carmana, the Starting pont ofthis out, Zambujeiraatractsa backpacker, sury crowed though in August the town isa party place and sts the massive music fest, Festa do Sudoeste, “The ht-season crowds obscure Zambuyeira’s fut-ofseason charms: fresh fs in family-run restaurants, blustering lifeiop walks anda dramatic, empty coast 5 pate themain-and youth ead foutnendhe 20 leno © Odeceixe Located just ns you eross Into the Algarve from the Alentejo, Odecexe isan endearing whitewasbed village easeading down il below a petare perfect windmill on fhe somtern side ofthe Riberia de Seine valley. Wsasleeny town, except ‘summer, when it fills with people Keen fon its nearby beac, This tongue of sand Medieval Jewels in the Southern From the endo this i, head 75kmnorth to Mero, ‘nefishing point of is route, nd doin reverse, ye nwa 9 ocuNsTy BZ WandsCsi am {swinningly set at 2 vermouth and flanked by imposing seis lis winds down the ill, (ayaaying tar with a Nindsdown the hill mouthful of PeridBE- >. oeary hilltop eastle Wsa particularly good (Gain, aljezur is coe to sone fast beaches, edged by black racks that rene into the waitetipped, bracing sea - surfing hot option fr families, as ‘aller children ean paddle on the peacefal verde ofthe strand while olde kids tackle the waves on the ocean Ww 8@ Wwonido. E ateTebeachsosun 204 Te dendionest E from Odeesaeifalng UAC 8 he Abenie 4 Scharming country road. ie oF the picturesque &Aitheteach asmall fiyermouth and backed ZB Wagetascaingand yl dane Pala surfing options. The Rota ‘Vicentina, a longdistance walking path that leads ight othe southwestern tip of Portugal, passes ‘through Odecsise, and The Drive A there are great day walks Klonelessut eau cuca ‘hebeasesa Monte Cege stohian sresarostecot dds Amoreia, it's Ska by rond from Aljezur, slgnposted off the mata road north of own, ‘The rive Wana skn connie N12 tarot (wars arte ourdsncopensistne "Clg fore fllenst pete wth tera ge 7A tor te: FAMILY ATTRACTIONS This central section ofthe Algarve coast sgreat for fares, with numerous waterparks ane other attractions in th area Twe ofthe most popular are Slide & Splash (2282310 800, wwnalcsptsh cor Fata acral 25 aauveniy 62679; lore 5p aro tpn cal May-Sn,MorSat 5&0) and Aquatand (12422020, N28 St os ing Aen; a8 622 507650, @ 0 om ug oom biden ea she veya oe, © Praia da Arritana Arrifana i seductive fingernailshaped cove embraced by elit Just t-add to the Picturesqueness, it Also sports an affshore pinnacie and a petite traditional fishing harbour. The beac is ‘willy poputar with surfers of al abilities fd there are several surf echocls in the zea. The each break is reliable, bat there's also a rightshand reet Deak that ean offer some ofthe Algarve’s best surfing when there's a big swell. Theres a sal, very popula beachside restaurant, and eliffop ‘eateries near the ruined fortress up above, which offers breathtaking. vistas, Good diving is also possible here. ‘The Deve Praia dele Figurais reacted ya reugh top nts se tur rgntar tenl20 nto te © Praia de Vale Figueira One of the eemeoter west east beaches, this isa tong, wide and tuagaieen stretch of vtsh sal ith a thereat! beauty, backed by stratified eis hexynthe ocean spray. t's reached by a rongh, partly paved road The ‘each, whieh has no facilities, faces due west and has preity reliable ‘Surf especially when a southeaster is blowing, Tes one of those lonely, romantic beaches Uha’s great to stroll on even ‘when the weathers nasty. ‘The Drive Hesdbacktothe {ts bout Ter rom mere to @ Carrapateira Surfcentral Carrapateira isa ‘anquil, pretty, sprea- font village offering two fabulous beaches with spectacular setings and turquoise seas. ordeira isa mammoth swath of ‘snd merging into dunes 2ksn from the north side of town. Amado, ‘with even better surf, is atthe sontlern end, ‘The cnet ofboth fom Ccarrapateira (okm) is a Visually stunning hike (or drive), with lookouts lover the beaches and oeky coves and elif between them. In town, ‘he Museu do Mar e da Terra (29282370000 52 de Pesador aout E2010; Bidors5r Tu Say) isan intriguing place to vst, with great onrehtdomtoForupsstpat Sages (24) vain eral cee ot lado Spo TOP TIP: THE SAGRES EAT SCENE ‘Aclosly packed string of surfercriented laces on Rus Comandante Matoao fer abit of everythne, whether ts acoftee or acaprinna youre ater: ey 216 cates by day restaurants serving ternational Tavourtes whatever imehunge drags you aay ‘rom the beach, alive bars bynght Further down the same street near the port, sa cluster of ‘more acon Portugues restaurants. © Sagres ‘The small, elongated village of Sagres, with {rich nautical history, has an appealingly out ofthe way fel Tsits ona remote peninsula amid picturesque seaside seenery witha sculpted coastline and stern fortress (2282 620140, Mtoe rrenumentoscalgarve ot? imonunsttosdoskand fontkre-desagres, out? entses/is0; 8.3001 Sor aySe.to8 305m) cto) giving access toastunning elittop walk. Halso appeals forts ceess to ne Descies and water-based activities: is especially popular with surfers Outside tow, the stiking elif of Cabo de Sfo Vicente Sprouse compl Oana Tsu orSea,tafpm Ocean, the outhwesternmost point of Europe, make for an enchanting vist, ‘especialy at sunset. Make sure you pop into ‘he sal museum (23.7 enbels0r!: @ldare fom Te Sn apeSep. loSpm erste) here, which has intresting background on the Algarve’ starring role in the Axe of Discoveries. Fromm Sagres harbour, ‘worthwhile excursions bead out to observe ssuavae shaven» osunsw BZ waned 852505 wncrarbtago on Pvt oki) isa recommended operator, Xp paso. ago na tarneght orto ize tattoo tag, bot re ot em, rome bechestoure nelle Zod td Slr, © Lagos ‘Tours, heable Lagos lies ona rverbank, with teth-eentury walls enclosing the ol ovis pretty, cobbled slreets and pictoresave plazas. A huge range of Festaurants and pomping sasPALIN) eS aC ANC eres ere ee saeightlfe add to the allure provided by fabulous beaches and numerous watery activities. Aside fromm the tedonisn there's plenty of history here: suet by visiting the lovably higedy-pigsledy Municipal (3222 uaGeneralAberio casera, autieonesson 5/150; @lamt2 09 .5200n Tu Sa, whieh Incorporates the fabulous Daroane cht tgreja de Santo Ant6nio (22701 Abertoca Sea: atiehe irelmuseume3/1$0; @ ar 12309n425:300" eS, Heading out on to the vate is a must, perhaps fetacean-spotting with Algarve Dolphins (92:2 788513 wmv alps zor: acon rom £35725), kayaking with Axossextrome (2315114 608 mnaressotrre com Syrav€25) or learning tosurt with Lagos Surt Canter (F282 Mo 14 vewwlagessurantencom; Rua aS lope Gus ayensses 9/180/25, ast of town stretch the long, golden sands of Mela Praia, backed by worthwhile beach ps9 stag tne coast om ag, buitsa2dim atau nna va thenl2en aca © Portimao & Praia da Rocha ‘The Algarve’ second largest town, Portimio’s ssuavae shaven» osunsw BZ wontoaCassie Sr, Ww 8@ Wwonido. 380 Ac the southera end backed by numerous restaurants and ight options. history dates back to ‘the Phoenicians before became the regions The Drive The N25 eads youessin she anton win ‘eNI2U tat seeryou orth weston, fshing an ansng abit th estry Though iavingyey” Bh a fale dete ts stant frihmenysrmactine — @ $i ‘atmosphere. Learn all. @ Sitves tout the ows Aang sertagein te extent Musee Portinge tresses we mote tel Dontertsl sent toners ore te Soehtefore stating She the nls ‘Stig restaurants ot Shes querer ot argo do Brea sence oa bide Sives is one ofthe ‘Algarve's prettiest towns Aan replete with history it was an important trading ity in Moorish ‘umes and preserves Lightly woven medieval centre. At the top oF| ‘the twa, is sizeable castle (282445624 veered yr E2BO/LAO/es ont seat winMusesMuncpal ae Arnab @Baretp ing. to Sa0pmiaray 2 SepNex ta DETOUR: MONCHIQUE Start: © Portimso & Praia da Rocha High ove the coast, cooler mountalnous woodanés, the plturesquelitle own of Morchique rakes lovely tour wth some excellent options foray nies nclcing climbing he Algarve higrest his, Peota an Fea or supe views over the coast Monchiqu and tn surouncing ara nave sme ‘excellent eating choices and nearby Caldas de Monchgue s sweetie spahamletia narrow wooded walle. “The N266 heads north fom the Ni2&north of Portis 27k drive tm Lagos to Monenique, then another 30km nto Sives, om Daca) offers great views fromm the ramparts Originally occupied in the Visigothie period, what you see today dates ‘mostly from the Moorish ‘era, though the caste was heavily restored in the 20th century. Below this, the atmosphere cathedral (i502 adinssion 1: @8an-2.300 2pm Worn shssan. lpm ug the region's bestpreserved Cote earch, The Museu Municipal (2232 44838 RuacasPoras Louk: etvirde Oy e230/rae ont tickatnch ase #00: Qian.) sgves good background on Wie citys history tnd is built around fascinating Moorish-ra ‘well complete with spiral Sairease, The old-iown streets are great for strolling. The Drive» Cruse ek Saigon theNI20 ta he © Carvoeiro Carvoeiro isa cluster of ‘whitewashed buildings Fising up from tases, sold and green clits fd backed by hil, ‘This diminutive seaside resort is prettier an ‘more laig-back then ‘many ofthe bigger resorts, The town beach is pretty but sll and eroveded, hovwever, there are lots of other excelent ‘options inthe area, Themost picturesque of al, with stanniag rock formations, i Praia Marina, best reached Dy the Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos eliftop walk, beginning Al Praia Vale Centianes, 2.9km east of oxen, 5 paso ene 2s ‘etwas ta 26a ett ard head tonares the east enerprgatsp te bg brah Iss hm foes This long straight strip of sand offe fone of the region's most impressive first glimpses of coast 2s you arrive from above I's backed by stunning cliff in white and several shades of ache, gouged by weather into intriguing shapes and topped by typical pines. ‘The areas near the ear parks get packed in ssumner (especialy as bgh tides eover much of the beac, but as the stip is over 3km Jong, it's easy enough to ‘walk and find plenty of breathing room. Isa 000 beach for strolling, fs the eliffcape constantly changes colours and shapes, and there's sueprising range of hardy seaside plants in the eracks and 2s andsontmue ess, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: MERCADO MUNICIPAL Faro’ imressive modern market bullng (2255 357280; wnwrnerasoruricpabsae ot aged: Parcsco SaCarrera: Qstas arom Sat makes a reat place to wander, 0 people-atch, to buy fesh proce to sit down ana terrace with cafe, oto Lunch at one ofthe several worth eateries, ‘man Stone wchesmwasedion @ Faro The capita of he ‘Algarve basa dstintly @ lereja de Sio—Porturuese ecland Lourengo de Matos oe ld Its worth sopping hee town is very scenic and tovigtthe mavens (nearer seen md interior otchissmall penetra ae aren wuss” Teale Mase res ise Manoa ee serait eon Pagan ae? Sem MonSa bit Serr ian tgm ver aruined chapel Trt soanomsat ater local people while Sar wraen aes Giggingawelyad. Teo ipameesgean implored the sine for Sinden tina help and then stuck former comment The area voter Theresing —_guasueg ound isos baroque masterpiece, Dull by fraternal master eam Antéo and Manuel sgo%aS6; savers Borges, is wall-to-wall” fog, @i0an-309m Wot azuleos (painted tiled) {3p $3urhig Som ‘inside, with beautifal yop, opm St Sepa Dane's depicting the sien the 13th century lifeorthe Roman-ers but heavily dumased saint, and his death by ip the 758 earthquake, Darbecue. Ia the 1755 What you see now fea ‘earthquake, only ve les variety of Renaiesunce, fel fran the root Conn cad Barone The Drive» Backenine ‘features. Climb the tower Nz resdenswodeonc ater for lovely views across the em youre Fo valle town and esta Islands. These islands ye nwa 9 ocuNsT BZ Wands sarsie Bip are partof the Parque ‘Natural da Rit Formosa and can be explored on texcellent boat trips run Dy Formosamar (218 120002 wnwsornosere tom: Chachavalrae tars) ‘The cathedral hasa small Done chapel, but much spookier i the one atthe Igrela de Nossa Senhora do Carmo. ¢0 400m chapsl€2: Qsartom Sper a7 ovr Sa JpmSat assdanSin, Dut fromthe mortal remains of over a thousand sonks. X paso The Drive 9 tsSimeast Jong reNI25t on, Despite Youortsee ruc ns you, Limaf Futsal votre viageto nesta, 388 aires oir Suctaprabacacos tpiigepdi cen Bifaea cr tas Soveudeatahin tmnmtrne Roc, Tarebecmnine Dencherumrare tito east ean ders Mortensen. 9 ‘pew nw hang 2 et favor he Renonte ipolsdamcereorae Scenery an be Ate mise ees on ccicoven ee: Storieanssion canine nian Somiesanaser ‘smear of Meni Irae anon he Mecano or Searing he ses of Sitere suc ioe prety historic gardens and shady plazas Tavize Is the launching poin for the stunning, unspoilt beaches ofthe Ta de “Tavira, a sandy island that’s another part of the ie Formosa park, 5 pase The Drive» Cac ha telskmeastt air hane the NZS anda see flere ret © Cacela Velha Enchanting, small and ‘cobbled, CacelaVelhais ‘huddle of whitewashed cottages edged with bright borders, and has a pocket-sized fort, range and olive groves, and gardens blazing, ‘vith colour It sts above ‘gorgeous stretch of Sea, witha characterful local bar, plas other restaurants charehEating & Sleeping Zambujeira do Mar @ Herdade do Tour Raion €€ (Jaa AN EET wwarercnecctauner "er €90, a) Four loatresnerthot Zambia Warts vate uns buleng mh rooms angapartmentsofthe ‘uty stow arly Sore relocates wth ‘necrigna bung (tt 1828) ters ae converted arm cottages. The usticand antamporary desagnatistrangupace has an Aiear safari ledge teal — without he or. Insten,tvks est nearby (ate. this areaisrat ste for clr), Ther'sa seawater oo abu breaks ar ree ake Good fast goed coe. Sagres © XACasinna Portuguese €€ (221 758217 awn taebookcom/ecsa, resurarlasates: ua de Sta Veane mars £1258; der Mon, neh Aner Tue Sat) ‘Thiscony teracattanwht spat —uiton ‘este othe awe’ grandparents house ‘serves upsome sous Portugese csr Ineluing standout arbecued fs, agoos ‘rely of atpirs or wo (34) ae ara fate ecops rie) Het alin 5 Pousada do nfante usury Hotel €6e (44200, 262620240; mwn.nusacas Fv fua Pao ate ost s/4 218/725, Serr 6260/27 BI) Tis ‘rade pousadahas brgeroamsin=grest Setting rer the clit. Coat greaner angelntaror rardsome publsreas and pictreserfectviews tom ne teace, kell Pres quality ek. Lagos © Arora Portuguese €€ ‘Fred 768688: Rve oa lereosi7 ars B15, @roandpn &E.20-pmSin=1) The secrelisotThisbuzng lie pusinthe Crondsloal oseteandxpats ‘or teary opm Vaden foodseved na busting enronmen treat pcs Paes of thedayaestaayralable ae arte fon des. Carvoeiro © Ps OCastelo Guesthouse €€ (10 729256-wawacasebretstu2g0 {asin $8, wthout vem 85, vew £50.10, B) Tothewestof ebay behind theturame, hs standout uestouse wth a welcoming ane sia proudowner is recailyenoatedard losing we Imantanes Roorsaremer ning: so7@ ‘hate large totes sea views suis). wore asa pra taleoy. They ‘stale detip ts asturng tlook and aloe, lovey place Faro ® XM FarGostos Portuguese, french €€ (2749878202, meninges car aco ase: rane 420: © ner Acne Vor Fr cierSa 2) elegant houses in theo town thisofershghelssrencrinfuenced Partiguseclsineina spacaus, confrtbly handsome cingare. Tere’ plent of are, Fsnanaimeatonoterwithrehandseduetve snes anda few eet mana vale Tavira © 5 Casa Belezado Sul Asariment © ((9600¢0 906: min zasabeerascelzon: Fes Parrra apt 30220: 99) gorges htarehouseim eral Tava sshoweased {ofl osantgainthsbesta conersion Thevesutiacutesta andtvee marvelous stort, lieferent wih arg) tied Hoos and mederoatroons A nave tenet a thre sre umerusdecrnve andthovgtltuches that us the wel above thoorara Minmumstays pps. eka svalibeforanetra charge, ssuavae shave » ocunsw BZ wanted a9Tena Ce aa ae a aC