This Algarve resort is Portugal’s best kept secret

Standing among the fragrant orange trees in the central square of Vila Real de Santo António, surrounded by charming 18th-century mansions and a mosaic of striking black and white cobblestones at your feet, you could almost think that this town is only known for its looks.

In many ways you would be right, because travel the whole of the Algarve and you will not find a prettier, more ship-shaped town. But Vila Real de Santo António, which sits right on the Guadiana River that separates Portugal from Spain, has hidden depths.

It was only a small fishing village when it ...