Explore: from dolphins to sausages
Dolphin watching off the coast, a grotto tour or a day trip to Benagil cave, one of the most visited sights in southern Portugal: a variety of boat trips can be booked.
The Zoomarine Aquapark offers varied entertainment for all the family.
All kinds of watersports, deep-sea fishing, hiking, biking and golf are very popular in the region. Hence there are countless hire services, shops and resorts to choose from. For visitors to the Algarve, who like to get out and about, tourist boards and local communities offer a special pass – the so-called “Rota” – that grants holders discounted snacks at participating local restaurants.
For those interested in a city trip, we recommend Lagos. Beautiful buildings from the colonial era, mighty fortress walls, lively bars and cafés ... Lagos has charm, history and extremely beautiful beaches; it is not without reason that most of the advertising for beach holidays on the Algarve uses pictures of here. Portuguese city life beneath the palms, a stroll in the harbour, a spot of shopping – a day trip to Lagos is well worthwhile.
Those who travel to Salema will also make it to the “end of the world”. At the Cabo de São Vicente near Sagres, which is the southwesternmost point in Europe, something of the wanderlust that people once felt can still be sensed; back when people believed that the earth was flat and didn’t know that America lay across the water. The fortaleza with its old lighthouse has a history to it and the access road is particularly charming: among the mobile traders and stalls is a well-known hotdog stand offering the “last bratwurst before America”. Every day at sunset, people flock to the western cliffs. They stretch out on blankets with a glass of wine, someone strums on a guitar, an atmosphere reminiscent of a love and peace festival hangs in the air.
The International Sand Sculpture Festival is held in Fiesa every year. Dinosaurs, Star Wars, Hollywood ... The themes for the largest city of sand in the world change every year. The fantasy worlds created using special durable sand will amaze visitors both young and old. www.fiesa.org
Want to escape all the hustle and bustle? Beyond the little town of Vila do Bispo, high up on the steep coast, is a viewpoint. Untouched nature can be experienced here. There is nothing staged, but rather only rugged originality. The surfer coastline lies far below you; the boards are nothing but tiny dots that skim across the water, the sea is beautifully clear. Feel the wind and sun on your face as you contemplate the vast expanse of the big blue sky that comes down to meet the Atlantic shimmering in all possible shades of blue.
