The Algarve stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to Spain, but itâs actually a small region. Faro, the capital, is just 50km (30 miles) from the Spanish border, and it is only 112km (70 miles) west of what was known in medieval times as o fim do mundo (the end of the world) at Sagres. Along this 160km (100-mile) coastal strip, resorts and holiday villages of all types have sprung up, so wherever you are based, youâll never be far from a good beach, a reasonably sized town, village, or resort, shops and nightlife.
The following pages cover the Algarve from west to east, though you could of course do the reverse or begin in the centre, in or around Faro, and embark on day trips both east and west from there. The A22 motorway, or IP1 (toll payable), provides fast access across the region, running north of the slow-going, but toll-free, coastal N125. For those with additional time and an interest in seeing the Portuguese capital, a brief section on Lisbon is included. Lisbon is about two to three hours by train or car (and 40 minutes by plane) from Faro; it should be conceived of as an add-on to your visit to the Algarve rather than a day trip.
Picturesque rock formations at Praia de TrĂȘs IrmĂŁos
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Western Algarve
The Sagres peninsula
If you begin your journey at Sagres 1 [map], youâll be in for a surprise. Rather than the built-up tourist resorts the Algarve is famous for, it has a remote, rugged, undiscovered feel. There is only a relative smattering of hotels, restaurants and other facilities aimed at tourists here, making it like an outpost of the Algarve â which is precisely why it has so many admirers. In particular, it is favoured by surfers.
The rocky peninsula near Sagres
Lydia Evans/Apa Publications
Sagresâ connections to the sea are strong. Prince Henry the Navigator established his Navigation School here (though some suggest that it was further east, near Lagos). The town has a picturesque working harbour, where small, brightly painted fishing boats bob and larger vessels haul in daily catches of lobster, eel and mackerel. A couple of restaurants are clustered around the harbour, with impressive views. Inland, a cute little square, Praça RepĂșblica, is ringed by informal (and, in summer, heaving) nightspots.
The best beaches near Sagres are sheltered and not overcrowded. Mareta, down below the pousada (government-owned inn), is the most popular. Martinhal, just east of the harbour, is a wide, curved beach. Beliche (also written Belixe) is a sandy expanse protected by the Cabo de SĂŁo Vicente. Tonel, just before Beliche, and Telheiro, about 9km (6 miles) up the west coast from Sagres, are also well-regarded beach spots. There are plenty of companies offering watersports in this area, particularly surfing.
Beyond the village of Sagres, a great, rocky peninsula hangs above a brooding ocean. Youâll understand why, in the days before the great Portuguese explorers set out from here seeking to discover the great beyond, it was known as the End of the World. Those wishing to put a positive spin on things called it Sacrum Saturni â Holy Promontory â and believed that the gods slept here.
Henry the Navigator â Infante Dom Henrique â was bequeathed the land around Sagres in 1443 by his brother. Henry lived within the castle and died in Sagres in 1460, though his remains were later transferred to the Batalha monastery north of Lisbon.
Since time immemorial this forlorn place has stirred the imagination. Henry and his sailors are said to have set up camp at the Fortaleza de Sagres (Fortress; daily MayâSept 9.30amâ8pm, OctâApr 9.30amâ5.30pm; free 1st Sun of month) that fills the promontory. Unfortunately, not much of the original has survived. Most of it is a 17th-century fort that was insensitively restored: the walls have been resurfaced with grey concrete and whitewashed, masking the external character of the building, though it still has an imposing, wind-buffeted appeal. The fortressâs principal building, which may have been Henryâs headquarters, no longer exists. What youâll find inside is a small 16th-century chapel, Nossa Senhora da Graça, and what looks to be a huge stone sundial, known as the Rosa dos Ventos (Rose Compass). A modern hall on the fortâs grounds houses an exhibition area with a rewarding view over the coastline.
A couple of kilometres (1 mile) west of Sagres are the more authentic remains of another fortress, Fortaleza do Beliche. This small, attractive 17th-century castle houses a white, domed chapel (Santa Catarina). Both the fort and chapel, however, threaten to collapse because the surrounding cliffs are eroding at a frightening rate and the site, at one time a hotel, is now considered dangerous and off-limits.
The lighthouse guards the coast at Cape SĂŁo Vincente
Lydia Evans/Apa Publications
The windswept cliffs of Cabo de SĂŁo Vicente, the most southwesterly point in Europe, were once surely even more bleak than they are today, when supertankers and small yachts heave into view. But even on the calmest of days, the Atlantic thunders below and the wind whips around the cape. At the tip of the point, the lightÂhouse, built in 1904 on the site of a convent chapel, has a beam visible up to 96km (60 miles) away. Visitors can climb the stairs to a hot, enclosed lookout (Wed summer 2â5pm, winter 1.30â4.30pm; free).
The first settlement of any size outside Sagres is Vila do Bispo, situated 7km (4 miles) to the north. Take a break in the peaceful townâs pleasant, flower-filled garden square and pay a visit to the 18th-century parish church. The walls are covered with azulejos (tiles) and the ceiling decorated with frescoes.
About halfway between Sagres and Lagos, Salema is a nicely small-scale, laidback resort, popular with independent travellers, with a lively sprinkling of bars and restaurants, and a lovely wide sandy beach.
Burgau, 3.2km (2 miles) east, is small and sleepy, though it gets busy in July and August. It has another appealing sandy beach, backed by craggy cliffs, with the road down to it lined by fishing boats. The small village retains its easy-going local character.
Luz is a pleasant seaside town, another low-key, attractive small resort. All that remains of old Luz is the church and, opposite, the fortress, which has been renovated and converted into a restaurant (www.fortalezada...
