Western Algarve
ALJEZUR [perched on a hill with the remnants of a castle up top and a cascade of white houses down the hillside towards the river, this is a charming village and where I recommend staying for a few nights since the beaches in this area are stunning]
BORDEIRA BEACH [large sandy beach surrounded by limestone cliffs and pristine dunes, on the mouth of the Ribeira da Bordeira river. From the parking lot, there is a dirt track that leads to a wooden path, and after that you will need to cross the shallow river on foot to get to the beach. You will have the beach pretty much to yourself]
AMADO BEACH [this is one of Portugal’s premier surfing beaches with its own surf school on site. It’s backed by sand dunes with cliffs on both sides]
PEDRALVA [fully restored tiny traditional rural village, that until not long ago was in total disrepair with only 9 inhabitants left. It now has a Gourmet Grocery and two restaurants Pizza Pazza Pizzeria and Sitio da Pedralva, Worth a quick stop or a a few-nights stay]
STAY Muxima [guest house near Aljezur with a rustic charm inspired by the owner’s love for Africa]
Southern/Central Algarve
LAGOS [a relatively big town in comparison to the villages we have visited while driving down the coast. It has a walled old town and jagged cliffs overlooking sandy coves. While I believe it was a charming place at one point, my husband and I did not care much for it. Felt very touristy, with uninteresting shops, restaurants where menus are on the sidewalk and hosts keep inviting you in and neon bars with bad lighting. The beaches in the area are quite beautiful but pretty busy. But if you are in the area, our favorite beach was Camilo. Also nearby is Farol da Ponta da Piedade where everyone recommended we should watch the sunset from. We, however, loved our hotel (see below) and ended up spending a lot of time there]
STAY Casa Mãe [a rustic, chic hotel in the old town. We booked the Cabana room – Oeste was it’s name – and highly recommend it. One of my favorites rooms ever in a hotel. Surrounded by a beautiful vegetable garden, a pool, and a beautifully renovated white mansion, original to that site. It has its own little patio & hammock]
EAT Orta [the restaurant at Casa Mãe – fresh produce from their garden, creative dishes and delicious]
We skipped the rest of the Alrgave coast from Lagos until Olhão, which is right after Faro. This area is too developed and populated. We spent our time in Eastern Algarve, as described below, and that was the right decision.
Eastern Algarve
OLHÃO [town that it’s life revolves around the sea. Fishing has always been the typical livelihood of its inhabitants and the seafood market is the best I have ever seen. The abundance of fish of every size and shape, shellfish, octopus, squid, eel is astounding. We went there on a Saturday and that is a special day when small producers from the Algarve hills arrive at the market to sell their fruits and vegetables. From Olhão you can take a boat to visit the RIA FORMOSA NATURAL RESERVE, an intricate network of ponds, canals, salt mines and sandy fields separated from the Atlantic by a group of sandy islands that stretch from Faro to Cacela Velha. Unlike any place I have ever been. There are many options of islands to go spend the day ay and we picked ARMONA. Ferris run from Olhão’s harbor to Armona, but there are also water taxis. A more expensive option but not restrictive schedule-wise. We chose the latter. In 15 minutes you get to Armona, a pedestrian-only fishing village. You have to walk for 20 minutes across town to get to the really beautiful beach, and it’s worth the trek. Miles and miles of white sandy beach with very few people. Heaven! There’s a beach bar right on the sand, the only one, and while the food is nothing to remember, it’s a great spot for a drink]
STAY Fazenda Nova Country House [beautifully renovated farmhouse, a true work of love by a British couple. The Garden Rooms are spectacular, tranquil environment by a saltwater pool by the olive tree grove, great staff, however the food is pretty weak]
EAT Casa do Polvo [in Santa Luzia, about a 20-minute drive from the hotel, considered the capital of octopus. This restaurant is specialized in octopus, but has other seafood options as well]
BARRIL BEACH [from Pedras D’Rei the beach can be accessed by a 1.5km walk through the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve. There is a small train for those who don’t want to walk. It’s a beautiful & long white sandy beach, a bit more popular than Armona since access is a bit easier. As you arrive the first thing you will notice is an Anchor Graveyard, left by tuna-fishing boats over the years]
TAVIRA [the loveliest city we visited in the Algarve – a blend of old, elegant buildings, cobbled streets and squares, traversed by the Gilão river and it’s old bridge. Tavira still maintains an atmosphere of a traditional, typical Algarve fishing village]
STAY Pensão Agrícola [this is a special place! Rui, the owner and host, acquired this property in complete disrepair and restored it into a small hotel with only 6 rooms. It’s paradise with white simple buildings filled up with antiques and surrounded by tranquil green fields. . You can rent their Vespa for the day or get toured around with their TukTuk. Charming does not even start to describe this place]
EAT TAVIRA Aquasul [in a narrow alley, this nice little restaurant serves a delicious variety of food. If you can, get a table on the alley or the terrace. Make sure to make reservations] O Castelo [for meat lovers this is a great place run by a Brazilian. Reservations are recommened] CABANAS Noélia e Jerônimo [serves delicious seafood & reservations are a must]
CACELA VELHA [Unesco Heritage site astonishing views of the Formosa Lagoon river and the Peninsula of Cacelha Velha. There’s also a beach in Cacela Velha, that can be accessed by boat or you can drive to the next town over, Manta Rota and walk along the beach westward and you will get to Cacela Beach]
