This week I returned from a 15-day trip to the Algarve, the region in southern Portugal that borders the Atlantic Ocean. Accompanying me were my wife and two children, who are both under the age of two. Here are some of my thoughts about Europe’s formerly up-and-coming, but now fully there, beach destination.
The beaches are stunning. Absolutely fabulous. I say this as someone who generally isn’t a beach person. I’ve never understood how beaches in much of the world are ranked. Almost every Florida beach I’ve been to is indistinguishable from the next, yet some are viewed as premier destinations and others ignored. You stand on the sand and look out at the water. There are high-rises behind you. Etc.
The beaches of the Algarve are different. While beaches filled with long stretches of sandy emptiness exist, most beaches in the region are smaller and flanked by limestone cliffs. The result is often stunning - stretches of sand hemmed in by ocean on one side, and beautiful yellow bluffs on the other. A few, notably Praia da Marinha, get all the attention, but dozens along the coast are drop-dead gorgeous. Praia do Carvalho, for example, looks like something out of a movie. To get to the beach you have to walk down a tunnel staircase carved through the rock. It’s very cool. All these cliffs also provide ample shade if visiting at the right time of day.
The downside to these beaches is twofold. First, they are crowded. Like all of Europe’s coastal destinations, it’s hard to find spots of sand that are untrammeled. Second, the water is cold. The Algarve, being several hundred miles west of the Straight of Gibraltar, is not on the Mediterranean Sea. It’s on the open Atlantic Ocean. The water temperature rarely rises above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Compare that to the beaches of Croatia or Southern Italy, where ocean temps can hit 80 degrees. Ocean temperatures around 70 are warm enough to still swim in, but the water is more refreshing than relaxing.
A lot of this popularity is new. As recently as 2000, the Algarve wasn’t a big destination. Brits have long traveled to Albufeira, and Lagos had its fans, but the region was easily overshadowed by the Mediterranean. The expressway through the region was still under construction. Today, the Algarve is a happening place. Faro airport will likely hit 10 million arrivals this year. Towns that are inevitably described in guidebooks and travel blogs as “former sleepy fishing villages” are now packed with hotels and condos.
Perhaps the biggest asset of the Algarve is the weather. It is perfect. The average high in June is 79, July 81, and August 83. The humidity is much lower than in Italy or Greece. And then there’s the sun. It does not rain in the Algarve in the summer. It’s rarely cloudy. Instead, it’s sunny. And when I say sunny, I mean always sunny. Over our two-week visit, the typical day saw literally uninterrupted sunshine from sunup to sundown. Not a single cloud in the sky. In the month of July, if a day has 12 hours of sunshine, that’s lower than the average. It’s incredible. We had one day of overcast weather, two days where it was mostly cloudy, and 12 days of constant sunshine. It was glorious. Being able to depend on weather like this should not be underrated. Except for the occasional heatwave that can last for 3-4 days and push temps into the 90s, you are guaranteed to have pleasant weather during a visit.
As far as destinations, there are many options. We spent a week in Carvoeiro, the ultimate “former sleepy fishing village” destination, and Lagos, a small city with arguably the best old town in the region. Golfers can head to Vilamoura. Visitors wanting a more local experience to Tavira. Those who want to see what would happen if Bourbon Street was transformed into a beach destination that primarily caters to unbelievably drunk twenty-somethings from England and Ireland can visit the Strip in Albufeira.
The biggest weakness of the Algarve is, that while the cities and towns are worth visiting, they are a cut below the A-list destinations of Europe. There aren’t any fairytale towns like Bruges, Belgium; Dinan, France; Cinque Terre, Italy; or Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. It’s important to remember that Portugal is relatively poor compared to France, and doesn’t have the history of wealth like Spain or Italy. The Algarve has never been much of a commercial hub or political center of power, so there’s a lack of picturesque old towns dating to the Middle Ages or Renaissance.
I want to stress that those going to the Algarve are not going to find themselves in the European equivalent of Cleveland. It’s still Europe. There are streets lined with buildings hundreds of years old. Cafes and restaurants spill out onto pedestrian-friendly roads. Beautiful fountains and elegant statues stand in picturesque squares. I love the ceramic tiles Portuguese place on both the exterior facades and interior walls. Those seeking magnificent churches and medieval villages, however, would be better served elsewhere.
The lack of historic value does help with the affordability. Despite being one of the most popular beach destinations in Europe, the prices are manageable. We stayed in nice, two-bedroom Airbnbs in great locations and paid about $250 a night. Not cheap, but reasonable for a tourist hotspot in peak season. Budget travelers can easily find decent lodging for far less.
Then there’s the food. In my opinion, Portuguese food is the most underrated cuisine in the world. It’s so good. Additionally, despite being a small country, the cuisine varies by region. On my first trip to Portugal in 2022, I was introduced to the national ingredient of Portuguese food, cod (bacalhau), which is prepared in literally hundreds of different ways. I also loved the francesinha, one of the greatest sandwiches ever invented. The Algarve, however, has its own cuisine. I didn’t see any francesinhas, and cod was usually on restaurant menus as an afterthought, if at all. The only strong carryover I saw between food in Central/Northern Portugal and in the Algarve was the pastel de nata pastry - a must try for every bakery lover.
Instead of cod, other forms of seafood reign supreme. Bream was the most commonly served fish, which is a species I’d never heard of. I got to try cuttlefish for the first time. Squid and oysters were also common. Landside, chicken piri-piri is a delightful dish that’s Portuguese by way of its former African colonies. The real star of the region is cataplana, a stew of seafood and meats in a sauce unique to each restaurant. A kind of bouillabaisse cooked and served in the eponymous pots that give the dish its name. Given the number of British tourists, there are also a ton of Indian restaurants, most of which have mainstays like chicken tikka masala for around 10 euros.
Similar to France, where I traveled to last year, Portugal has road signs that are far different from American ones. Fair enough. Yet both countries share the same exception: stop signs. Stop signs in France and Portugal are the same as their American counterpart. They literally say “STOP” on a red octagon, rather than “ARRÊT” or “PARAR”. How this came about I don’t know.
Since I live in Connecticut, I never expect foreigners to know where I’m traveling from. When people ask where in the United States I’m from, I generally respond with, “A state called Connecticut. It’s on the East Coast between New York and Boston.” Everyone at least knows of New York, so that provides context. I was surprised to have several different Portuguese people not be familiar with Connecticut, but know about neighboring Rhode Island. It turns out the Ocean State has the largest percentage of Portuguese-Americans, and much of this diaspora is still in contact with their relatives in the US. In fact, the nearby town of New Bedford, Massachusetts hosts the largest festival of Portuguese culture in the world every summer.
The Portuguese love children. Traveling with an infant and toddler was like being a minor celebrity. Everyone from old grandmothers to young men went crazy whenever my son would wave at them. The kid is objectively adorable, don’t get me wrong, but it was the most attention he’s ever gotten. A few times we had to gently stop restaurant staff from picking him up and instead give him a high-five. One restaurant made an entire meal of mincemeat, potatoes, and cheese for him, free of charge. It was adorable.
Speaking of traveling with children, it can be done. Will things go wrong? Of course. Our children are generally well-behaved, but even the calmest toddler and infant have their moments. Both decided to have meltdowns at the same time while we were finishing up breakfast at an adorable cafe. At dinner one evening we dealt with a dreaded blowout. Not easy when the typical European bathroom is roughly the same as a porta-potty. Our son threw up on the flight home. Shit (literally) happens. The thing is, all these things happen in the US. So in my view, the only option is to either stay at home at all times, or continue to live your life with some additional constraints. Sure, raging nights that end after the sunrise are out, but traveling with kids should not be thought of as a deal breaker.
There’s a reason the Algarve has exploded in popularity over the last quarter-century. It’s wonderful. Nice towns, reasonable prices, fantastic food, singular beaches, perfect weather. Check it out.