Blue Flag beach

Praia do Burgau is a lovely little sandy beach located in the small (and relatively unspoiled) fishing village of Burgau. The beach is backed by high, sloping cliffs and all but disappears when the tide comes in. Roughly halfway between Sagres and Lagos the beach isn't too far off the beaten track and is well worth a visit. It can however get fairly busy during the summer. You'll find most things you need in the village and along the beachfront, with a few cafes and bars here. Finding somewhere to park can be a little more of a challenge though!

The Ilha da Cultura is a small, but very sandy island located just beyond the Ria Formosa nature reserve off the coast of Faro. It is only accessible by a ferry from Faro which guarantees it never gets super busy. However, unlike the neighboring Ilha Deserta (Deserted Island) there are a few permanent residents at the western end of the island in Farol - which is Portuguese for lighthouse.

Cresmina beach (Praia da Cresmina) is located right next to the bigger, much better known Guincho beach - in fact it is sometimes referred to as "Little Guincho". A small rocky headland separates the two beaches upon which stands the Fortaleza do Guincho Hotel.

Once, just a typical Algarve fishing village nestled in a valley and flanked by high limestone cliffs, Carvoeiro is now a popular, ever expanding resort town. That said the beach is still the focus of the town and this area retains much of its charm. Whitewashed, terracotta-tiled villas and cottages cling to the cliff sides forming a kind of amphitheatre with all eyes on Carvoeiro's prime asset - the beach. The Praia do Carvoeiro is a smallish sweep of fine golden sand sheltered by high, ochre cliffs to either side.

Praia de Garrao is one of the principal beaches that serve a collection of high-end resorts known as the 'Golden Triangle'. Originally consisting of little more than sandy beach and pine forest, the Vale do Lobo was developed for tourism in the 1960s, closely followed by the neighbouring Quinta do Lago. The Vale do Lobo boasts a riding school, which offers fantastic rides along the beach, and the most famous tennis academy in the country, patronised by Tim Henman.

Just 8km west of Portimao, one of the largest towns in the Algarve, and within walking distance of Praia da Rocha's pumping late night party scene, Alvor with its huge sandy beach offers a relatively peaceful and calm alternative.

Sixteen kilometres north of Carrapateira lies the village of Aljezur, which is considerably larger than Carrapateira and probably one of the prettiest and liveliest towns on the western Algarve. From here buses run to a couple of outstanding beaches, the largest of which is Praia da Arrifana, ten kilometres to the south west.

The Ilha da Armona, on which the Praia is situated, is one of three islands off the coast around Faro that form part of the extensive Ria Formosa National Park, a small archipelago of lagoon islands that stretches east 50km from Faro to the Spanish border. Armona, Culatra and Farol, known as the sandbank islands, all feature long, sandy beaches, made peaceful by their relative inaccessibility.

Nazare is a fascinating place, steeped in history, but sadly overwhelmed by tourism. Very crowded in summer, with a sprawl of holiday apartment buildings obscuring much of the town's former unique atmosphere, this is a crowded, raucous beach resort with all the hustle, bustle and hassle that goes with it. Formerly known for the traditional costumes worn by fishermen and their wives, old women can still be seen standing on street corners in traditional headscarves and aprons, although they are now more likely to be selling tourist accommodation than fish.

Literally translating to 'half beach', this vast expanse of sand near the interesting old town of Lagos wraps itself around one of the biggest bays in Europe. The wide bay offers protection from rough seas, which makes this long beach of soft, white sand particularly popular with families.