Continuing on from our time in Alentejo, Portugal’s south central wine region, we drove 3 1/2 hours south to the coastal region of The Algarve. Known for its cliffside villages and sandy coves, the region was a beautiful place to satiate my craving for beach time. We stayed at Pine Cliffs, a Luxury Collection Resort, and were upgraded to a beautiful king suite thanks to our Platinum Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy. Their rewards program is very generous for cardholders by the way, especially after the 2016 Marriott SPG merger, it’s now the largest rewards program for a single hotel company, so options are endless - worth looking into. Anyhow, the majority of our time was spent on property resting and relaxing beachside. With the hotel perched atop the cliffs and the beach down below, beach access was a very special experience in that there was a cliffside elevator to take down. We enjoyed many meals on property as well, our favorite being the waterfront beachside restaurant Maré at Pine Cliffs, where we enjoyed squid, ceviche and delicious cocktails, dining al fresco there almost daily. We also enjoyed a glass of champagne at sunset at the cliffside Mirador Champagne Bar.
We were excited to see the region’s famous sea caves, so we booked a boat tour that ended up very windy and bumpy. While not quite the relaxing boat experience I would have preferred, it was a way to get us up close and personal with the caves in a way I’m not sure would have been possible otherwise. Afterwards, we enjoyed another beautiful piece of coastline, a popular nearby beach for locals.
After the boat adventure and plenty more R&R, we ventured to the nearby town of Faro for an afternoon of strolling around cobblestone streets and admiring local Neoclassical, Moorish and gothic architecture in Old Town.
For our final night in The Algarve, we had a gorgeous meal at Arte Náutica Beach Restaurant, where we dined seaside and enjoyed the delicious simplicities of fresh caught fish, smashed potatoes, Portuguese salad, and white wine.
Having had the opportunity to enjoy beaches around the world, I must say, The Algarve is one of the most unique coastlines I have had the pleasure of visiting. When the world gets back to normal and European travel is back on the table, I highly suggest adding Portugal with an obligatory added visit to The Algarve to the top of your bucket list.
—Shea