Algarve Slow Travel Guide: Where to Go, Stay, and Tan

Download the travel guide

There’s something about the Algarve that hits differently. Maybe it’s the cliffs that drop straight into the Atlantic. Or the scent of grilled sardines coming off a backstreet tasca. Or the rhythm of life in sleepy fishing villages that still resist the pace of modern tourism. Whatever it is, the Algarve isn’t a region you rush through — you tune into it or miss the point.

With this in mind, we created the Algarve Travel Guide. Curated for travellers who care more about feeling a place than ticking it off, this guide is your starting point for a slower, more thoughtful way of exploring Portugal’s southern coast.

The Algarve is often misunderstood — known more for its package holidays than its raw beauty. But beyond the built-up resorts lies a coastline shaped by the Atlantic and still rooted in local culture. That’s the Algarve we’ve come to know and love, and it’s the one you’ll find in this guide.

What’s inside the guide

At its core, the Algarve Travel Guide is built around three things: beaches, food, and stays. We’ve spent weeks combing through the region — from the windswept cliffs of the Costa Vicentina to the softer curves of the eastern Algarve — to find the places you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Expect a refined list of accommodations, from rustic countryside homes surrounded by olive groves to small guesthouses tucked into quiet coastal towns. Each place was chosen for its atmosphere, design, and sense of place. No corporate hotels, no generic listings — just spaces we’d return to ourselves.

The food section reflects the Algarve’s strong ties to the sea. You’ll find local tascas serving grilled fish on plastic tablecloths, tucked-away tavernas, and natural wine bars where the menu changes with the tide. And because good mornings matter, we’ve included coffee shops that take their espresso (and their pastries) seriously.

But the heart of this guide lies in the beaches — and we’ve featured many. Some are famous for good reason, others are almost secret. Whether it’s a long stretch of golden sand or a tiny cove at the end of a crumbling staircase, each one earned its place for offering something unique.

Not just another list

We didn’t set out to write another top ten. This guide is made for those who prefer taking the scenic route, who’d rather discover one unforgettable beach than ten forgettable ones. It’s for those who ask locals where they eat, who linger in cafés, and who choose places for how they make them feel, not just how they look online.

The Algarve isn’t a region you can summarise in a paragraph. It’s layered — dramatic and wild in the west, softer and slower in the east. This guide reflects that. It’s downloadable, designed for screen viewing, and packed with original photography captured by L’escale Voyage, offering not just practical details, but a visual feel for the region.

Somewhere between a quiet lunch in the shade and a late swim in salt-heavy water, it hits you. The Algarve isn’t trying to impress you — it just is. The light shifts, the sea glints, and there’s a glass of something local in your hand that tastes like sun and soil. It’s not about doing much. It’s about noticing more. Long shadows on terracotta walls. Olives that taste like they were just picked. The stillness that comes when the wind finally drops. Just a series of simple moments that add up to something that feels a lot like freedom — not because you saw it all, but because you felt it.