All along The Algarve with its vast coastal strip are to be found fabulous beaches of golden sand sheltered by red cliffs and sandstone rocks, and sculpted into remarkable shapes by erosion. Here in The algarve the clear warm Atlantic water invites you to take a dip, whilst for the more adventuresome there is a wide variety of water sports available.

In The Algarve you can choose a hotel close to the beach, so that you will always be beside the sea. But if you prefer a more intimate kind of accommodation on The Algarve, there are many tourist villages whose traditionally designed white houses are reminiscent of the Moorish presence.

If you are a keen golfer, don`t make the mistake of leaving your clubs at home. The Algarve has a whole host of courses overlooking the sea, where you can play golf all year round.

Nor should you fail to visit the picturesque cities and towns of the coastal region, perhaps stopping for lunch in a small restaurant where you will always be sure to find fresh fish. If you are travelling by yacht, you can call in at one of the region`s several marinas.

Further inland and to the north, the Algarve`s hills mark the edge of a greener and more fertile region, to which yet further colour is added by fig-trees, orange-groves and almond-trees that come into blossom in the winter. Here you will also find a series of typical villages that have successfully preserved their ancestral traditions.

If you enjoy contemplating never-ending horizons in The algarve, you should go to Cabo de São Vicente, at the very tip of south-western Europe. From here you can see the promontory of Sagres, which gave its name to the School of Navigation founded by Prince Henry the Navigator. It was considered an essential port of call for ships sailing westwards from the Mediterranean, and it was from this very spot that Prince Henry planned and directed the great Portuguese maritime discoveries.