Albufeira or Fes?

This is the starkest difference between the two cities. Albufeira is a beach town first. Praia dos Pescadores and Peneco lie below the old town, and Falésia, Oura and the coves at São Rafael and Coelha stretch along the shore on either side, with calm, clear water through the summer.

Fes is far inland, so a stay there means no sea at all. If swimming matters in the summer heat, book a hotel or riad that has a pool.

Fes has the stronger kitchen. Its tradition of pastilla, slow tagines with quince or preserved lemon, and long multi-course riad dinners is something you travel for, and the medina adds bissara counters, sfenj and spice stalls. The catch is a narrow range and very little alcohol.

Albufeira is better for an easy fish lunch: grilled sardines, cataplana and octopus near the fishermen's beach, with local wine. However, much of what is served on the Strip is generic food for package tourists.

Albufeira's whitewashed lanes, clock tower and small museums make for a pleasant evening stroll, and history lovers end up driving to other towns.

In Fes, the history is the reason to go. The Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the doors of the Quaraouiyine, the Chouara tannery and the Mellah could fill several days, and the medina's working trades make the whole old city feel like a sight in itself.

Albufeira is the place to go out. The Strip in Montechoro has neon bars, karaoke and clubs open until dawn in summer, and Oura and the old town square are a little gentler. It is loud and unpolished, and largely closed in winter.

Fes is close to the opposite. The medina empties after the shops close, alcohol is scarce, and a night out means a rooftop dinner and mint tea.

Albufeira has the better outdoors close at hand. The Seven Hanging Valleys cliff walk, boat and kayak trips to the Benagil sea cave, and dolphin trips are all within easy reach. Monchique's cork-oak hills and the Ria Formosa lagoons are further out.

Around Fes, the Middle Atlas cedar forests near Azrou, with wild Barbary macaques, and Tazekka National Park offer real hill country. You will need a car or driver to reach them, and the summer heat cuts down the good months.

Both cities have a solid set of day trips, but they differ in character. From Albufeira you can tour pleasant Algarve towns such as Silves with its red castle, Loulé's market hall, Faro and Tavira, mostly by car, none of them a major heritage site.

From Fes, the classic long day combines the imperial city of Meknes, the Roman mosaics at Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss. That is a weightier piece of history, though it is best done with a driver.

Albufeira is built for an easy family summer. Zoomarine and the water parks are just outside town, the beaches at Oura, Galé and Falésia are calm and lifeguarded, and the family resorts have shallow pools. Just stay well away from the Strip.

Fes suits older children who enjoy craftsmen and street snacks. With small ones, its crowded lanes, strong tannery smells and summer heat make every outing hard work.

Neither city is easy to get around, but the problems differ. Albufeira stretches for kilometres through hotel zones, with patchy buses and a station well inland, so most visitors rely on taxis and a hire car.

The Fes medina is car-free and walkable, though you will get lost in its maze of lanes. Red petit taxis link the gates, the Ville Nouvelle and the station, and Meknes is on the railway.

Fes is a far better place to shop, as long as crafts are what you want. Tannery leather, babouches, Seffarine brass, blue Fassi pottery and carved cedar are made in workshops behind the counters. Expect to bargain, and watch out for guides who earn commission.

Albufeira mostly sells beachwear and souvenirs. Cork, painted pottery and a bottle of medronho are its best buys, and the Guia mall covers the basics.

Fes is the cheaper trip. Street food, taxis, madrasa entry and modest medina riads all cost little, and the money mostly goes on grand riads, guides and drivers. Alcohol is the one clear extravagance.

Albufeira is reasonable for Western Europe, especially outside summer, when self-catering apartments get very cheap. In July and August, rooms, taxis and car hire add up quickly.

Fes has a real musical heritage. Andalusian classical music, Sufi devotional music and the Festival of World Sacred Music in palace gardens give it some depth, although it is quiet outside the festival.

Albufeira offers resort entertainment: tribute acts, hotel cabaret and free summer concerts by the fishermen's beach. For real fado, go to Lisbon.

Fes has the deeper bathing culture. There are public hammams in every quarter, calmer riad hammams with black soap and massage, and the hot springs of Moulay Yacoub half an hour out of town. A courtyard fountain or a rooftop at dusk gives you respite from the busy medina.

In Albufeira, wellness means resort-hotel spas and a quiet winter stay on the cliffs around Galé. The nearest thermal waters are an hour away at Caldas de Monchique.