Algarve

Beaches are the reason most people come, and the coast offers several kinds. Between Lagos and Albufeira the shore is a run of small sandy coves under ochre cliffs and sea stacks, such as Praia da Marinha, Dona Ana and Camilo, many reached by long stairways. East of Faro the Ria Formosa lagoon is screened by barrier islands, and Ilha de Tavira, Culatra and Barril have long, empty sandy beaches with gentler water. The wild west coast near Aljezur and Sagres is for surfers more than swimmers.

This is still the Atlantic. The east is warmest, often 22°C to 23°C in August and September, while the west can stay near 19°C. Swimming is comfortable from about June to October, and the famous coves get very crowded in high summer.

The best of the food comes from the sea: sardines and bream grilled over charcoal, clams cooked in a copper cataplana, octopus, and goose barnacles from the western rocks. Olhão's riverside market halls and the old fishing quarters of Portimão and Tavira are where to eat it. Inland, the hill villages make medronho brandy and serve heavier pork and game. Hotels on the coast between Albufeira and Almancil support a handful of ambitious, high-end kitchens.

The downside is the main resort strips, where breakfast menus in English and identical grills take over. If you care about food, stay near Tavira, Olhão or the old part of Lagos, or go to the simple fish restaurants by the harbours.

Heritage here means pleasant old towns, not great monuments. Silves has the red sandstone castle and cathedral of the former Moorish capital. Tavira has a hilltop castle, many church spires and a Roman-style bridge over the Gilão. Faro's walled old town surrounds its cathedral, and the Carmo church has a chapel lined with bones. Lagos keeps its walls and the gilded Igreja de Santo António, and the fortress at Sagres stands over the headland linked to Portugal's age of discovery. There are also the Roman villa ruins at Milreu and painted azulejo churches in villages such as Almancil. You can see all of it, but it is best fitted around beach days, not used as the reason to come.

Going out here is a summer resort affair. Albufeira's Strip and old town hold the loudest scene, with neon bars, karaoke and clubs that stay open until dawn, aimed mainly at groups on package trips. Lagos has a younger backpacker scene in the lanes of the old town, Praia da Rocha in Portimão has beachfront clubs, and the marina at Vilamoura is smarter and dressier.

The late nights run from about June to September and get much quieter outside those months. Tavira and the west coast villages are calm at night all year, with little beyond a drink on the square.

The coast is the landscape here. Between Marinha and Benagil the Seven Hanging Valleys trail runs along cliff tops above sea caves and arches. Kayaks and small boats go into the grottoes at Benagil and around the rock towers of Ponta da Piedade near Lagos. The west coast falls within the Costa Vicentina natural park, which has wild cliffs, the long-distance Rota Vicentina footpaths and steady Atlantic surf from Sagres to Arrifana.

In the east, the Ria Formosa lagoon has flamingos, spoonbills and saltpans you can explore by boat or bicycle, and dolphin trips leave from most harbours. Inland, the wooded Serra de Monchique rises to Fóia at about 900m. Spring and autumn suit walking much better than the heat of midsummer.

The best day out from the eastern Algarve is Seville, about two hours by car over the Guadiana into Spain. Closer to home, the walled riverside town of Mértola is about an hour north, and the river villages of Alcoutim and Sanlúcar face each other across the Spanish border. Boats leave Olhão and Faro for the car-free fishing islands of Culatra and Armona.

The region's own towns make easy outings from any base: Silves and its castle, Loulé's Saturday market, the spa village of Caldas de Monchique and the headland at Sagres. Évora and Lisbon are too far for a comfortable day trip, so the choice runs out after a week.

This coast is built for family vacations. The sheltered beaches on the Ria Formosa islands and around Armação de Pêra and Alvor have shallow water and wide sand. There are several large water parks inland from Albufeira and Lagoa, and Zoomarine near Guia has dolphin and sea lion shows. Smaller zoos and boat trips to see dolphins and caves round out the week. Self-catering villas and resorts with pools and kids' clubs are everywhere, and Portuguese restaurants welcome children late into the evening.

The cliff-backed coves in the centre are less easy, as many need steep stairs and the tide can cover the sand. The July and August heat makes midday at the beach hard work for small children.

Most visitors hire a car. The A22 motorway runs the length of the coast, so Lagos to Tavira is about an hour, and quiet back roads lead to the hill villages. A regional railway connects Lagos, Faro and Vila Real de Santo António, but it is slow and many stations are well outside town. Buses link the main towns but are sparse to beaches and villages.

The old centres of Lagos, Tavira and Faro are compact and easy to walk, so a stay in one of them without a car is possible if you are happy with fewer beaches. In August, parking at the popular coves and driving through Albufeira can be slow.

Shopping here is mostly about local produce and crafts. Loulé's Moorish-style market hall and its Saturday market are the best stop, with cork goods, copper cataplanas, almonds, figs and honey. Hand-painted ceramics are sold on the roads near Porches, and Castro Marim and Olhão produce sea salt and flor de sal. Outside Faro and Portimão there are big malls and an outlet centre, and Vilamoura's marina has boutiques. Elsewhere, the resort strips sell mainly beachwear and souvenirs.

Eating out is good value. Simple grilled fish, house wine and the plain café near the market cost much less than in northern Europe, and fuel and car hire are reasonable outside peak weeks. Accommodation is where the cost builds up. Villas and beach hotels are in high demand in July and August, and the golf enclaves around Almancil are among Portugal's most expensive addresses. Staying in a town such as Tavira or Olhão, or coming in June or late September, keeps a trip moderate.

There is little performing arts here. Faro and Loulé have municipal theatres with a modest programme of concerts and touring productions, and summer brings open-air festivals, including world music in Loulé's old town and medieval fairs in Silves and Castro Marim. Fado nights are mostly staged for tourists in restaurants. A visitor who wants regular evenings of music or theatre will find too little.

Wellness here mostly means the spas of the large golf and beach resorts, which are common between Albufeira and Quinta do Lago. The one place with a longer history is Caldas de Monchique, a spa village in a wooded valley whose warm springs have been used since Roman times. Yoga and surf retreats gather in the quiet west near Aljezur and Sagres.

The pace depends on where and when you stay. Tavira and the west coast are slow and restful, and spring and autumn are calm across the region, but the central resorts in August are anything but restorative.