Vilamoura Beach

Vilamoura’s deluxe hotels, trendy bars and busy marina border this popular sandy beach, where deck chairs and Jet Skis are available to rent.

Framed by bars, galleries and shops, this leafy plaza is a great starting point for exploring the treasures of Albufeira’s historic center.

Take a boat trip to see dolphins and go parasailing with a tour operator near this marina, which is bordered by the town’s main strip of restaurants and nightclubs.

Pine groves crown the scorched red-orange cliffs edging this long and wide beach, complete with comfortable amenities, watersports options and lifeguard patrols.

Rent kayaks and surfboards to ride the waves lapping this narrow stretch of sand, which serves as a wall between ocean and river.

For centuries, Faro’s fortified walls have enclosed the city’s most intriguing treasures, from the cathedral’s chamber of bones to a castle converted into a brewery.