Praia da Marinha
Located in the central Algarve, only a short drive from Carvoeiro, Marinha beach is a picture perfect example of the rocky cliffs and caves along this stretch of the coast. Wind your way down the steps and be greeted at the bottom with this small but perfectly formed cove beach, complete with stacks in the water. This is an Instagram dream with the crystal clear waters, golden sands and stunning cliffs. Praia da Marinha is a firm favourite with visitors coming to the Algarve so be sure to get down early in the morning to find your perfect spot.

Praia do Barril
Head east to Tavira to find a beach that boasts not only an anchor graveyard but also a little train to take you over to the golden sands! Hop on the little train which departs from the Pedras d’El Rei tourist village or if you fancy stretching your legs then you can walk the 1.5km until you come across the beach. Not only is this an enormous beach with plenty of space for everyone, there are also a selection of restaurants here, making it the perfect place to spend the entire day.

Praia do Amado
Get your surf on at this stunning beach up the west coast of the Algarve near to Aljezur. If you like your beaches rugged and natural then this is the perfect place for you and there are numerous trails along the cliff tops to explore this wonderful area of the Algarve that is very different from the beaches along the south coast. The sea here is rougher which makes it perfect for surfing and there are plenty of surf schools working from the beach. At certain times of the year you can also watch professional surf competitions here too.

Praia de Vale do Lobo
This beach is one you would have seen as you fly in top Faro, if you were on the right side of the plane, thanks to its emblematic ochre cliffs and pristine golf courses lined with incredible properties. The beach is located in the “golden triangle” of the Algarve and this is the place to see and be seen with the jet set regularly planting their towels on the sand. The beach itself is enormous and there is also a good selection of beach bars and restaurants all along it. Don’t be surprised to bump into a celebrity or too while you are here.

Praia Grande
As the name would suggest, this beach in Ferragudo in the central Algarve is a big beach! The special feature of this beach is that it is very sheltered thanks to the river Arade running along one side which allows the cruise ships and boats to come into Portimão. The sand here is fine and golden and the water is calm with gently lapping waves making it ideal for small children or anyone looking for a quick paddle. There is also a children’s play park, a sports area and a selection of great beach restaurants including Club Nau which is famous for it live music Sundays that spill out onto the sand.

Praia da Armona
This beach takes a little more effort to get to but it is well worth it! You need to first catch a ferry from Olhão to take you across the water to Armona Island where you will then find a gorgeous selection of beaches around the tiny island which is only nine kilometres in length and one kilometre wide. There are a good few houses on the island and a great selection of places to eat and drink too so you can stay the whole day but don’t forget to catch the ferry back to the mainland!

Praia de Benagil
You actually don’t really come to this beach to stay on the beach (although it is a lovely beach in its own right!), you come here to go to the famous Benagil cave, an incredible cave only accessible by the sea that has a sandy beach inside and a hole in the top of it to let the light in – don’t forget you camera for this one. You can either take a boat trip to go and visit this cave and lots of others in the surrounding area or you can hire a kayak or a Stand Up Paddle board to get there yourself, either way this is a truly spectacular experience and not to be missed while you are in the Algarve.

Getting to the Algarve to enjoy the amazing beaches here is easy, with flight times from most major northern European cities coming in at around only three hours. There are regular flights throughout the week to Faro airport in the Algarve, including from Munich with Lufthansa, from Frankfurt with either Lufthansa or Ryanair and from Dusseldorf with Eurowings or Ryanair.
As soon as you land in Faro then your Algarve adventure can truly begin, with the airport only a short drive to most of the major destinations in the region.