Much-loved European seaside region has 23C autumns, little-known islands and affordable holiday deals
SEEKING an autumn adventure? Portugal’s Algarve has comfortable temperatures of 18–23C that make the coastal walking trails breezy.
Sophie Swietochowski finds secluded praias (beaches), the best walks and finest grub.
FOR FOODIES
IF you are a seafood lover, you will want to make sure you book a table at Estaminé, one of the Algarve’s best kept secrets.
The restaurant is on Ilha Deserta — a deserted island — and serves exceptionally fresh seafood, while diners soak up panoramic views over the Ria Formosa estuary and the Atlantic Ocean.
The menu includes shellfish platters of spider crab, clams, oysters, sand shrimps and homemade pickled tuna, all plucked from the Ria Formosa, as well as local cuttlefish and Grandma’s squid stew.
Return shuttle boats from Faro to the Ilha Deserta cost £17.
Stay at the 4H Hotel Faro & Beach Club, close to the marina. Seven nights’ B&B costs £415pp, including flights from Stansted. See loveholidays.com.
FOR EXCELLENT HIKES
THE Costa Vicentina is known as Portugal’s wild coast because of its untouched landscapes. That’s what makes it a prime spot for ramblers.
There are 750km of hiking trails and 1,000km of rural cycling routes winding through the natural park, home to sea eagles and peregrine falcons. It’s one of the few places in Europe where you can spot otters fishing in the sea.
The Fisherman’s Trail is one of the most famous routes, known for its breathtaking scenery and stretching around 230km in length.
You can rest your weary limbs at the Cascade Wellness Resort, just a ten minute drive from the start of the Fisherman’s Trail, with plush beds and five outdoor pools.
Seven nights’ B&B is from £845pp, including flights from Stansted on October 22. See jet2holidays.com.
FOR HIDDEN COVES
LOVE picturesque sands? Praia do Paraíso beach (or paradise beach) in Carvoeiro won’t disappoint.
The small cove, tucked between two cliffs at the edge of clear blue waters, is worth the climb down. Check tide times as the beach shrinks at high tide.
The 4H Mirachoro Carvoeiro Hotel is just a 15 minute walk from the beach, so book a room here and you will be able to visit daily if you desire.
You may not be able to tear yourself away from the on-site spa and Jacuzzi, though.
For even more secluded sands, Praia do Carvalho beach is an eight minute drive from the hotel in Lagoa and can be accessed through a tunnel carved into the rock.
Seven nights’ B&B at the Mirachoro Carvoeiro Hotel starts from £887pp, including flights from Bristol on October 18. See easyjet.com/holidays.
FOR NATURE
TWITCHERS should look no further than Sagres, on the very tip of Portugal’s southwestern coast.
The annual Birdwatching Festival takes place from October 3 to 6. You can spot up to 169 species, including the lanner falcon, the Rüppell’s vulture and the booted eagle.
It’s such a popular spot because it is the main crossing point for migratory birds flying to Africa for the winter months.
When you are not admiring the birds, there is plenty of other nature to observe nearby, including dolphins, which you are most likely to spot on a boat tour.
Stay at the 5H Martinhal Sagres Beach. Luxury rooms have great beach views. Four nights’ room only is from £649pp, including Gatwick flights on October 4. See britishairways.com/portugal.