The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal known for white sandy beaches and villages over low cliffs. It’s become renewed for stunning hotels and villas along the south coast and a popular tourist destination spot year round.
And it’s popular for good reason. Simply put, it’s one of the most beautiful beach and coastal destinations that I’ve been to. What can I say? The Algarve rings true to its promise to be a destination worth visiting. And honestly, it couldn’t be easier to get there. Flights are readily available from around the United Kingdom to Faro with Jet2.
Before I had ever visited the region, it was steadfastly one of Joe’s favourite places to visit. I think it took a few years before he finally got me there on holiday as I’m typically much more of a city gal. I didn’t realise how much I do need holidays like this in my life. There’s something about being enveloped in sunshine and the sand beneath your toes – no matter the time of year.
So when the opportunity to return for work with Jet2 arose, I jumped at the chance.
Where to stay – Tivoli Marina Vilamoura
Wow is probably the best word to describe the Tivoli Vilamoura. It. Is. Stunning. The last time I stayed in Vilamoura we popped into the Tivoli for drinks and I honestly said, the next time I’m in the Algarve that’s where I wanted to stay.
Lo and behold, two years later and my words rang completely true! With Jet2holidays we were booked for a stay at the Tivoli Marina Vilamoura, which in my humble opinion is a rather impressive grand hotel. You can expect modern style and decor but it’s still got such a friendly vibe about it. It’s a perfect base for those exploring the Algarve area as everything is relatively close by. There’s also a local marina filled with bars and restaurants that you can easily pop out to if you’re looking for more of a ‘hotel” stay vacation.
In fact, my only wish is that we’d had more time to spend there because I could have lounged on my balcony with a coffee and book for hours. We did end up getting a little bit of pool time though, paired perfectly with Aperol Spritz’s all around. And even time for a frolic down to the beach it overlooks, where you can also lay on the sun loungers for hours on end. Simply put, it’s a pretty cool hotel.
Oh and last but not least, I really need to emphasis how great the breakfast was. Top-notch daily. Whatever you do, make sure you’re booking in for breakfast.
But let’s delve into the Algarve! We were packed to the brim with a super fulfilling Algarve itinerary with Jet2holidays where we’d be exploring the southern coast from Faro to Carvoeiro.
A guide to Portugal’s Algarve
Unexpected gems of Faro
I’ve visited Faro once before and it’s one of those places that I’ve always thought you only need to spend a short amount of time before making your way into the depths of the Algarve itself. But if you do have time, the city streets are well worth exploring – in fact, the streets of Faro are positively beautiful.
And there’s plenty in the city that will surprise you.
Pastel de natas
There’s a speciality spot that you need to nip into for fresh pastel de natas called Faisca & Henriques. This bakery is off the beaten path and one that you can’t sit down in… but you most certainly can take away. Grab those natas and hit the town!
Lunch at Tertúlia Algarvia
A lovely dining spot in the town centre where you can sit outdoors and soak up the sunshine. Of course, we started with a delicious white wine while trying all the dishes. You know one of those moments where you sit down and feel instantly at ease? I knew from here on it was the start of a truly wonderful trip.
We tried their specialities among many other beautiful dishes. I didn’t know that cured cheese with honey and almonds was a thing, nor did I know it was a Portugese thing! Who would have thought honey would be so good on top of cheese? Now you do and you’re welcome for the knowledge.
But the real standout winner was the Ria Formosa shellfish cataplana including clams, cockles and razor clams with garlic and olive oil sauce. Served in a giant steaming pot, it’s absolutely delicious. And there’s even garlic bread in the dish too to soak up the tasty sauce – which trust me, you’re going to want to do.
We ended with a creamy chocolate and carob cake. Carob is a really interesting ingredient because you expect it to be like chocolate or cacao beans. But it’s more of a sweet nutty flavor. It’s a hard one to describe but definitely worth trying from the local community.
Museu Municipal de Faro + Cathedral of Faro
A surprising visit in Faro was to the Museu Municipal de Faro. Which is a historical convent-turned-museum featuring permanent and temporary archeological exhibitions. Honestly? Go in simply to walk around the old courtyard. It’s beautiful and completely relaxing.
And the Cathedral of Faro is also one to visit. You can climb up to the top of the Bell Tower for views across the city. And they also have some really interesting but very creepy Bone Chapels to check out too.
Take a boat tour and visit the local desert island
We ended up in Faro for another day of adventures off to the country’s desert island. Literally named Ilha Deserta, the island is small and uninhabited except for one person, Mr Alvis who is known locally as a sort of “guard” of the island. Interestingly, you can get a boat out to the island and there’s even a restaurant.
It’s certainly a novelty experience and our guides said these beaches are the ones that the locals flock to in the summertime (sorry if I’ve just spoiled that for the locals)! But the main event for me was the food. Because it’s always about the food, isn’t it?
Estaminé Restaurant
Estaminé is a beautiful restaurant with glass windows so you’re granted views surrounding the island. It’s a contrast to what you might assume about a beach resarautn, dark interiors which make it interesting and even more visually beautiful.
We tried a few starters and even got some of the girls to try oysters who hadn’t before. I always love getting oysters so these were lovely. Then it was the main presentation – the fish of the day Charcoal grilled and served on massive platters. Serious presentation points!
Oh and we all did shots of firewater which was incredibly good but also incredibly strong! But hey – when in the Algarve!
While it was an absolutely lovely afternoon and definitely a must-do if you have a few days in Faro… I do think you’d need quite a bit of time in Faro to tick these all off the list. It takes a good half a day and more to get the boat out and visit the restaurant to the desert island. So pick and choose because you’re going to want to explore plenty of the beautiful southern coast.
Cosmopolitan Bar at the Hotel Faro
I’m a sucker for a rooftop view, so finding the Cosmopolitan Bar was a treat. Located on the top of the hotel, alongside their restaurant, the Ria Formosa. You can grab any kind of wild cocktail concoction that you want. We tried a few really interesting ones!
It’s also worth a visit for the views alone. Paired with a cocktail? Well, that’s just even better.
The Seven Hanging Valleys + Carvoeiro
One of my favourite days in the Algarve was exploring the Seven Hanging Valleys. In the Algarve, it’s all about the views. The caves are unparalleled and I remembered from our last visit how gorgeous they really are up close and personal.
We were lucky enough to have a tour guide for our journey to learn about our walk along the way. We hiked along for a a few miles until we hit the next town along. Now, you can do the entire hike but it’s quite extensive, I was grateful we only did a portion of it because oh my goodness was it hot out!
And the water is the clearest of blues. We all become instantly envious of the kayakers down below. From there, we explored a few more caves and pools. The good news is that they aren’t hard to find. So even if you aren’t on a guided tour, they are easily marked and searchable on a map. On my last visit we find several on our own.
Restaurant O Patio, Carvoeiro
One of my favourite places for lunch was of course in Carvoeiro. It’s such a beautiful town and the last time when Joe and I visited I fell completely in love with it. When I heard we were going there on our Algarve itinerary – I was giddy!
We ate lunch in the city centre where there was all the cheese and we ate some of the best cod I’ve had in a long time. Also, it’s worth nothing that for some reason bread and butter and sauces are all better tasting when you’re on holiday. We couldn’t stop eating it even if we’d tried!
**Also in keeping to true me style of travel – I did happen to get some really nasty bug bites on my hand during my visit to the Algarve so we popped into the local chemist in Carvoeiro to get some antihistamines and a gel cream. Who says all this travel is a glamorous life? In fact, this happens more often than not to me. So it’s a good reminder to always keep some first aid items in your case. A lesson that I’ve really learned from now. Antihistamines, ibuprofens, bandaids are all coming in my cases from here on out.
Algarve restaurants you’ll want to book for dinner
These restaurants were another level of impressive. Going off the beaten path, we didn’t stick to city centres when it came to dinner – it was about finding local favorites throughout the Algarve. And some of these spots are the most beautiful.
Something to note Is that many of them are located in hotels and resorts along the coast. It seriously says something when both locals and tourists are frequenting these restaurants. These aren’t just for holiday makers. Dining in these restaurants is a luxurious experience for guests and locals alike.
Emo Restaurant
This restaurant is located in a sister hotel to the Tivoli, the Anantara Vilamoura. Again, Joe and I drove to this hotel on our last visit because honestly the outside looks absolutely epic. It has the grandest entrance.
We started with a glasses of Prosecco in the cocktail lounge before heading into the restaurant Emo itself. Emo is known for their three course meals. We started with a delicious tarte dish before moving on to the mains… Rib eye, mushroom fricassee, parsnip puree was mouth watering good.
Restaurant Paixa
Paixa is what I’d call luxury tapas style dining. The restaurant is incredibly elegant. It’s definitely a romantic type spot… in fact most of the restaurants we visited could be quite romantic. But you know, it was essentially a girls trip to the Algarve so it’s also perfect for hungry women who like excellent aesthetics. But I’ve noted these all for the next time Joe and I visit!
Paixa was the night of never-ending dishes. Because it’s tapas style, it all comes out as and when and the dishes are all perfect for sharing. And share we did! I think I tried everything on the table and while it looked like there would be too much food… we managed to all eat most of everything. Highlights included the Oxtail croquettes and the Iberian Ham. Oh and the mushrooms! Everything was delicious.
Bovino Restaurant
Our final night we visited this Portugese steakhouse and had some of the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. Served on a hot plate, the steak continues to cook for as long or as little as you like. This is something I personally love because I like my steak cooked for quite awhile. Yes, I’m a medium to medium-well kind of gal and I’m not ashamed of it except for when I am definitely shamed by restaurants. But there’s no such thing as that in the Algarve or especially at Bovino, where you can choose how you’d like it cooked in front of you.
Delicious! Other winners were starters including charcuterie boards. And sides like the truffle mac and cheese, potato gratin, triple cooked fries, so good!
I couldn’t have had a better time in the Algarve! And if you’re looking to explore Portugal too, make sure to take a look into Jet2holidays because their packages are seriously impressive. And of course, flights from London Stanstead with Jet2 make for a great getaway starting point. It’s been ages since I’ve flown from Stanstead and I was seriously impressed.
Anyways! That’s it from me because I’m fairly sure I’ve exhausted the Algarve entirely. That said, I can’t wait to go back again someday and get to share all of these wonderful places with Joe too!
Have you been to the Algarve before? Do you think you’d go in the future? Let me know in the comments below!
Lots of love,
Kelly xoxo
PS. This post is sponsored in collaboration with Jet2 but as always all views, opinions and photos are my own.