Travel hometown Algarve: These are the 10 most beautiful places in the south of Portugal

When traveling withinyou usually think directly, France or Greece. The beautiful Portugal is regularly forgotten and that is really a shame - there are beautiful corners in the south of the country. But the great thing about it: that's exactly whythe south of Portugal on the Algarve almost goes through as an insider tip.

, beautifulAnd bizarre rocky coasts - a vacation on the Algarve is always a vacation that you will never be forgotten again. A piece of earth that really wakes up wanderlust - especially now in winter.

The south of Portugal has a lot to offer and - anyway - also include a lot. One of them is the Praia da Marinha on the so -called rock salary. And there you can of course do all the beautiful things in summer that you can do on the beach: (sun) bathing, diving, snorkeling. One advantage of this beach is: it is protected to the north by 30 meters high rock cliffs that keep cool north winds, especially in the low season, which thealso makes attractive apart from the summer. Other great beaches in the south of Portugal are the Praia do Camilo, the Praia Dona Ana near Lagos and the Praia do Martinhal near Sagres.

The small coastal town of Olhão is located on the so -called Sandalgarve, the Sotavento, between Faro Airport and the border with Spain. Although Faro is just half an hour away, Olhão is hardly frequented by tourists - at least not yet, which is why the village is still an insider tip. Because the charm of the city, in which the houses are almost all white, has almost something from a free place, precisely because there are so few tourists there. The alleys of the old town in the middle of the white houses are impressively beautiful and there is even an architecturally interesting market hall: it was designed by Gustave Eiffel, the builder of the Paris Eiffel Tower.

We admit that it is an insider tipfrom Benagil no longer. But she is so incredibly great that of course we can not give her unmentioned at this point and can only recommend everyone who travel to Südportugal to make a detour there. The spectacularUnderstandably is one of the most popularof the country and also lies on one of the most beautiful beaches of Portugal, the Praia de Benagil. It is particularly impressive there when the sun shines through the hole in the cave blanket - really not from this world! But keep in mind: the cave cannot be reached via the land path, but only from the water. This is either possible with a booked boat tour if you take a SUP or kayak or by swimming there. The latter is quite possible in good weather. It is only about 100 meters from the beach to the cave entrance.

The Ria-Formosa lagoon on the South Portuguese Algarve is part of the Parque Natural Da Ria Formosa nature park and with a protected area of ​​170 square kilometers of one of the largest lagons. The park is one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal and protects a landscape of watercourses, swamp areas and sandbars. Even chameleons live there, but also other rare, sometimes endangered animal species. An absolute insider tip and unforgettable vacation experience is a hike along the lagoon at low tide.

An absolute jewel on the Algarve coast is undoubtedly the historic port city of Lagos at the mouth of the Ribeira de Bensafrim. There are only a few cities on the Algarve with so many historical buildings and old alleys, through which you can stroll wonderfully and in between in one of the many cafes and restaurants. But you can just as well go on the kilometer -long sandy beach and let the sun shine on your stomach. Even the nightlife in Lagos should not be underestimated: there are many thereandin which you can beat the nights around your ears. Definitely an insider tip and not quite as obvious as Faro.

The Ponta da Piedade, a really picturesque headland south of the city, is very close to Lagos (about two kilometers), which protrudes into the Atlantic and looks like the picture book - an absolute postcard motif. The rock cliffs there are 20 meters high under which a lot of fantastic beaches andhide. The best way to explore them from the water is by boat, but some can also be reached on foot. It is definitely worth taking a closer look at some of them, especially since many of them are often deserted.

Friends of powdered sugar beaches, paddling in the water and long sun baths are of course excellently lifted on the Algarve - for example on the Ilha da Tavira. It is a small oneIn front of the coastal city of Tavira, whose beaches are among the most beautiful Portugal - especially the sections Praia do Barril, Praia da Terra Estreita and Praia da Ilha de Tavira. Because there are only quite flat into the water on them, they are also suitable for families with small children, especially since the entire island is car -free. Therefore, you can only get over a narrow one by boat or on foot. It's worth it!

The beautiful city of Silves with its almost 10,000 inhabitants lies on the Rio Arade, a river that flows exclusively through the Faro district. It is a somewhat sleepy town, although it used to be the cultural center of the Algarve, but it is precisely this fact that makes the city a small insider tip today. Because there is really something to see there, for example the old Castelo de Silves and the cathedral Sé Velha, which is one of the most important churches in the Algarve and is reminiscent of the former importance of the city.

Anyone who says Algarve has toSay - after all, the Algarve is one of the bestEurope. And a hotspot for the surf community, but for many others a small insider tip, is the Portuguese community of Sagres in the west of the Algarve. Just 2,000 people live there and that is exactly what makes the place so pleasant - especially since it also lies great in the parque nature protection area of ​​Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina. In the high season, however, there are significantly more people to ride the great waves that piling up on the rough Atlantic coast. A great spot.

Near Sagres is also the southwestern top of the European mainland, namely the cliffs of the Cabo de São Vicente. From there you have a really spectacular view of the Atlantic, which takes your breath. The 24 -meter -high lighthouse Farol do Cabo de São Vicente with its bright red dome, which has been shining there since 1846, is also idyllic. By the way: From the Cabo de São Vicente you can take very fantastic coastal hike on the cliffs.