Albufeira or Benidorm?

These are two of the best beach towns on the Iberian coast, but the beaches look different. Albufeira's sand is broken up by ochre cliffs and rock stacks. Praia dos Pescadores and Peneco lie right below the old town, the long stretch out to Falésia runs east, and smaller coves such as São Rafael and Coelha lie to the west.

Benidorm has two long, groomed crescents, Levante and Poniente, with towers behind them and shallow water in front. It also has the warmer sea, a Mediterranean that feels comfortable rather than bracing in high summer. In both towns the central sand fills up in July and August.

Neither town is a destination for serious food lovers, and both have long rows of full-breakfast and pizza menus for package visitors. What lies beyond them is different. In Albufeira the good meals are Algarve cooking: sardines and bream from the charcoal grill and copper cataplana stews, best found near the fishermen's beach or in villages inland.

Benidorm's better food is in its rice restaurants, which cook paella, arroz a banda and arroz negro in the Alicante way, and in the old-town lane of tapas bars where Spanish visitors gather in the evening.

There is little sightseeing in either town, and both can be covered in a morning. Albufeira's old town is a hillside of whitewashed lanes and stairways with fragments of Moorish wall and a clock tower with an iron bell cage. Benidorm's old village on the headland has the blue-domed church and the Balcón del Mediterráneo lookout, and the tower skyline is probably its most memorable sight.

Both are loud, cheerful party towns that draw British stag and hen groups, but Benidorm has more going on and more variety. On top of its themed pubs and karaoke around the Rincón de Loix, it has drag cabaret, a Spanish night of tapas and terraces in the old town, and big clubs on the edge of town that run until dawn.

Albufeira's nightlife is concentrated on the Strip in Montechoro, with neon bars, sports pubs and promoters out on the pavement, and a calmer terrace scene in Oura and the old town square. Much of the Strip closes from November to March, so a winter visit there means quiet evenings.

Both towns have fine outdoor country close by, but the landscapes differ. Albufeira's is the sea-carved limestone coast: arches, sinkholes and the domed grotto at Benagil, reached by boat or kayak, plus dolphin trips offshore and birdwatching in the Ria Formosa lagoons.

Benidorm's land rises steeply behind the towers. The Serra Gelada cliff path starts at the edge of town, and the peak of Puig Campana and the Bernia ridge offer proper hiking and climbing within half an hour by car. There is also diving and snorkelling around the small island off the beach.

Benidorm has the stronger day trips, and many can be done without a car. Altea's white old quarter and Villajoyosa's painted houses are only minutes away, the tram goes to Alicante, and Elche's UNESCO palm grove and the city of Valencia are within reach for a longer day.

From Albufeira the outings are pleasant rather than outstanding: the castle at Silves, Faro's walled old town and Tavira's Roman bridge. Buses between towns are slow, so you will mostly need to drive.

Benidorm is the easier town with children. Its flat promenades, gently shelving water and large share of Spanish families make it relaxed for parents, and four big parks lie together on the edge of town.

Albufeira is still a sound choice for a pool-and-beach summer. It has Zoomarine, several water parks nearby and calm, lifeguarded beaches such as Galé and Oura. The steep old town is hard work with a pushchair, though, and most families end up in resort complexes away from the centre.

This is where the two towns differ most in daily life. Benidorm's beaches and old town lie along one flat strip that is easy to walk. Seafront buses run to the theme parks, and the coastal tram connects the town with Alicante and Altea, so a car is more of a burden than a help.

Albufeira spreads for kilometres through separate hotel zones, local buses link them only patchily, and the railway station is about 6km inland. Expect to take taxis in the evening and to hire a car for the coves and cliff walks.

Albufeira's best souvenirs are crafts: painted Algarve pottery, cork goods and bottles of medronho, the local fruit spirit. For everyday fashion, people drive to the large mall at Guia, and the market hall and weekly market in Loulé are the place for local produce.

Benidorm's shopping is bulk and bargain. Big weekly open-air markets on the edge of town sell clothes, leather and fakes, and the old town has turrón and local ceramics. With no boutiques of note, serious shoppers take the tram to Alicante.

Both are good value by Western European resort standards, but Benidorm goes further on a small budget. A huge supply of rooms keeps prices low for most of the year, all-inclusive deals are common, and drinks and set lunches cost less than in most Spanish resorts.

Albufeira is also reasonably cheap to eat and drink in, thanks to competition between its many restaurants. Its spread-out layout means taxis and car hire, which raise the cost of a summer stay. Both towns become very cheap from autumn to spring.

Neither town has a serious theatre or concert season, but Benidorm offers far more evening entertainment. A large dinner-show venue stages song-and-dance spectaculars, and its bars host drag cabaret, comedians and tribute singers every night, many of whom have loyal followings among returning visitors.

In Albufeira, live performance is mostly cover bands, hotel cabaret and fado dinner shows for tourists. Summer brings free concerts on the square by the fishermen's beach.

In both towns, wellness mostly means hotel spas, and both are at their calmest in the mild winter months. Albufeira has a natural spring within reach: the old spa village of Caldas de Monchique, about an hour into the hills. Its quietest bases are the cliff-top resorts west of town.

Benidorm has larger spa hotels designed for long stays, and Poniente is its peaceful side. Its winters are also drier than Albufeira's, which helps if you plan to spend the days walking on the seafront.