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Thomson Destinations
Beaches, beaches and more beaches. From great brushstrokes of sand to cute cosy coves, this coastline is one of the best. But the Algarve's charms don't end there...
Algarve
reviews Video tour & customer on.co.uk thoms
Brits have been singing the praises of the Algarve for years now - the honey sands, the hideaway bays, the great striding rocks marching to the sea. But stray off the sun-kissed beaches and you'll find another side to the Algarve. Cue elegant towns and tiny Moorish villages. Great flocks of water birds wading through the wetlands. And mountains where you can picnic in shady pine forests. And it's this variety which makes the Algarve such a great-for-all place. If you like to wake up at night to dance into the wee hours, resorts like Albufeira know how to show you a good time. If you're travelling with kids then you've hit gold, with splash-tastic water parks and restaurants where children are spoilt rotten. Prefer to tuck yourself away from the holiday hotspots? No problem. There are any number of unspoilt towns like Lagos and Carvoeiro where you can potter around local markets and slope off to blissful beaches untouched by jet skis and neon bars. We think you'll agree that the Algarve can be whatever you want it to be, whoever you are. Things to see and do Algar Seco The Algarve is famous for its crazy rock formations, but at Algar Seco we're talking crazy with a capital C! Here children and adults alike can scramble through arches and caves, over rock platforms and through pools. There's even the natural equivalent of a light show as the setting sun creates eye-catching shadows and pools of light. Waterparks We can't be culture-vultures all the time, and if you're travelling with children this outing is sure to be top of the list. There are four large waterparks in the Algarve, and with corkscrew slides and black holes to plunge into, even the coolest teenager will be impressed. Zoomarine A zoo, funfair and waterpark all rolled into one. Jumping dolphins and performing parrots strut their stuff at regular shows throughout the day. Mums and dads believe us when we tell you that this place is a real hit with the kids. Cabo de Sao Vicente This was once imagined to be the end of the world, and it's easy to understand how it stirred and terrified the locals all at the same time. Think sheer cliffs dropping 70 metres into the sea, waves pounding on the rocks and the wind whistling past your ears. Look up, and you'll see seabirds soaring on the air currents overhead magnificent sights whichever way you look. Caldas de Monchique In the 19th and 20th centuries people came to this little spa town for a cure-all. Nowadays visitors come because, well-it's just a very charming spot. Set in the mountains amongst the pines, the fanciful, pastel-painted buildings cluster around a little square where you can sample the water and wash it down with coffee or something stronger. Paths meander up through the pines alongside the stream to the springs, where you can picnic in the shade. Alte Often judged to be one of the prettiest villages in the Algarve, Alte is all whitewashed cobbled lanes and impossibly elaborate chimneys. To the east, even the village's natural springs spout forth from pipes adorned with cheerily painted azulejo tiles. And Alte's 18thcentury church boasts ornate architecture and fine woodwork, too. Gorgeous in all respects. Ria Formosa National Park This is one for the wildlife lovers. A vast area of sandy islands and shallow lagoons where fish spawn and birds come to feast. The visitor centre will set you up with maps of walking trails and information on the birds, plants and insects you might spot. You can also visit the kennels where a rare and very cute Portuguese water dog is bred - perhaps the only dog you'll ever see with webbed feet. Boats run to a couple of islands in the reserve from Olhao daily.
Almograve
Cabo Sardao
an Oce
Ourique Odemira Almodovar Odeceixe Pereiras Sao Marcos da Serra
333 577 Sao Mu
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Mertola
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Odeleite Aljezur Barnabe Barranco Alfambras Praia do do Velho Vau Silves Carrapateira Colinas Salir Goldra Verdes Algoz Bensafrim Sao Bras de Alportel Alvor Portimão Quarteira Loule Monte Vila do Carvoeiro Vilamoura Lagos Tavira Gordo Bispo Almancil Estoi Armacao Moncarapacho Budens Montinhos de Pera Olhos Vale do Garrao Cape St da Luz D'Agua Sagres Praia da Vicente Ponta de Sagres Vale do Rocha Faro Praia da Albufeira/ Lobo Quinta Luz Golfo de Sao Joao/ do Lago Praia da Gale/ Cadiz Montechoro
902 Foia Monchique
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Atla
Ponta da Atalaia
Martim Longo
Atlantic Ocean
Algarve ALGARVE
15 km
© TUI 2006
Beaches Golden sands are what the Algarve does best. And there are certainly plenty to choose from. Like the idea of hiring a windsurfer and pulling up a chair at a beach bar for lunch? Then you might choose somewhere like Praia d'Oura near Albufeira. We're talking five kilometres of sand where there's always plenty of action. If you prefer a quieter, more laid-back scene, follow the coast east for a few kilometres to discover the vast, uncrowded sands of Praia da Falesia where there's as much peace and quiet as you can soak up in a day. In the east of the Algarve, the beaches are great dune-backed swathes of sand, often floating on offshore islands and reached by boat from resorts like Tavira and Olhao. This is the sort of place where you can leave the world behind for the day. As you travel west, the coastline rears up into those dramatic cliffs and great slabs of rock which you'll have seen in many a holiday brochure. Here, it's all sandstone tunnels,
arches and fantasy shapes - bored out by the wind and sea and cut with gorgeous half moon bays. Check out the coves at Praia Dona Ana in Lagos and you'll see what we mean. Just near here you'll find Meia Praia. It's the Algarve's longest beach and has been spared too much development, so you're sure to find a peaceful spot to make your own. Whichever beach you pitch up on, it's unlikely to disappoint - there are stunners all the way along the Algarve's 200 kilometres of coastline.
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London Algarve
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Sky digital 647 Visit your travel agent up to Call 0871 230 2555 Calls costMobile 10p/min plus 6p set up fee from a BT landline. and other providers' charges may vary.
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