The Algarve, seen from a different point of view

Are you from Porto? Or maybe from Lisbon? Has the headline piqued your curiosity? What could be different about the Algarve other than this mini-Morocco, with its crowded beaches, slow restaurant service, empty plastic bottles in the streets and traffic jams in the insane heat?
If that’s your take, then you only know the August version of the Algarve, because you come to visit us during the height of summer. Many foreigners know the Algarve better than people from Lisbon and Oporto because they choose a different time of year to enjoy this beautiful piece of Europe than the summer holidays. Let me show you the Algarve through the eyes of a foreigner: the Algarve is an exceptionally pretty spot on this planet. Mother Nature has really spared no effort here. If you want the Algarve’s highlights, such as fantastic beaches, stunning cliffs and picturesque little villages, all to yourself, you should visit the region out of season. My suggestion: visit in spring or autumn. Spring makes the Algarve shine in a completely different light. The countless flowering almond trees alone are enough attraction at this time of year.
Many people only visit the southern strip of the Algarve. They miss out on a really exciting, wild landscape: that of the Algarve’s far west. The coast here often drops even more steeply into the sea than along the southern stretch and the sea is also rougher. Overall, the rhythm seems to be different here - slower. Arrifana is a great, crescent-shaped bay, set between high cliffs, popular with surfers and simply wonderful to look at. You won’t find any large hotels here. Instead, there are small, cosy houses that have been unobtrusively built into the hillside. Some of them are traditional Portuguese fisherman houses still. If you walk all the way to the southern end of the beach, a small path leads up to the rocks.
Whether Lagos, Silves, Loulé or Tavira, all these charming little towns have pretty much everything: restaurants, bars, nearby beaches and a picturesque old town. Party stronghold and tourist chaos in the high season, in the low season they are places to discover hidden jewels. In the old town, you can walk in the footsteps of the Romans and the Moors, and of course, there are numerous references to the times when Portugal was still a major naval power. But even anyone with little interest in history will find it hard to resist the charm of the small towns here.
Whether boat trips to grottoes, catamaran adventures in search of dolphins or deep-sea fishing; the race track in Portimão, where you can book guided test drives in racing cars; the Via Algarviana trail, which allows you to get to know the Algarve over 300 km on foot; a jeep safari; a balloon tour or paragliding; or the Zefa Contemporary Art Centre in Almancil, which is Portugal’s largest private arts centre… all these experiences are not just for overseas tourists.
Try to see the Algarve from a different perspective. The beach is really too crowded and too hot in the summer.