Algarve is able to attract 7 million (foreign) tourists each year plus 3 million national visitors and it’s very easy to find some reasons why these 10 million visitors love to travel there.
The most popular destination of Portugal offers 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, an amazing coast and beaches bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and great cuisine mainly based on seafood.
Taking in consideration these factors it’s needless to say that Portugal, and in this case Algarve, is the perfect holiday destination all year round.
Here are 8 excellent reasons to visit (and love) Algarve…
Rejoice at the Benagil Sea Cave
This delightful sea cave located in the the small village of Benagil is one of the most popular spots of the region. There’s a specific time of the day in which the sunlight penetrates the cave and creates an awesome oculus effect as you can see by the photo below.
Depending on the tide and if the sea is calm you can just swim directly from the beach to the cave. On the other hand, you can also go on a boat tour and visit many other stunning caves.
Go scuba diving at Ocean Revival – an artificial reef
It’s considered one of the most unique dive sites in the world.
Ocean Revival made this artificial reef – the biggest in Europe – by sinking four Portuguese warships and created a project that takes underwater tourism to the next level. The reef is located in Portimão which is famous for its fishing and shipbuilding history.
All. The. Seafood.
Clamshells, fish, prawns, crabs, lobsters, mussels, octopus, squids, oysters and let’s not forget the sardines.
Whatever type of seafood you’re looking for… It can easily be found all year round in one of the many seafood restaurants in Algarve.
Watch the sunset at Ponta da Piedade
Rare rock formations, tunnels created by mother nature and beautiful yellow sandstone cliffs make “Ponta da Piedade” (Piety’s Point) one of the most visited locations in Lagos.
You can watch the sunset from the rocks or admire the cliffs and hidden grottos at close range by joining a boat tour that is usually made on fishing boats.
Devour sardines at the “Sardine Festival”
Do you like sardines? Great! This small and oily fish is pretty popular in Portugal and has a festival of its own.
The “Sardine Festival” is a summer event hosted at Portimão during the first weeks of August and here you can enjoy what some say are the best sardines in the world cooked in different ways and served with bread, salad, potatoes, and many other ingredients.
If you’re brave enough try participating in the eating contest: you’ll have 15 minutes to eat as much sardines as you can!
Go dolphin (and whale) watching
The nature and wildlife lovers will love to get on a boat and navigate the beautiful Algarve coast to admire all the marine life it has to offer with dolphins being the main attraction.
If you’re lucky enough maybe there will also be some orcas and whales to watch.
Forget the sea and go to the mountains
While Algarve is pretty famous for its amazing coast and the Atlantic Ocean, there’s also a chain of mountains in this region called “Serra de Monchique” (Monchique Range).
We suggest climbing up to the Mount Fóia which has approximately 900m and it’s the highest peak of Algarve. On clear days you’ll have a great view!
More cliffs at Cabo de São Vicente
Visiting Cabo de Cabo de São Vicente (Cape St. Vicent) means going to the southwesternmost point of Portugal.
In this spot you’ll be able to enjoy a marvellous sunset and admire fabulous cliffs that ascend vertically from the Atlantic Ocean to a height of 75 meters.
