Travel Between Resorts in the Algarve

Of all the Road Trips in Europe, a leisurely drive across the glorious Algarve region of southern Portugal is definitely one of the best. With over 150 kilometres of golden sandy coastline, including some of the finest beaches in the country, the whole area is blessed with all the right ingredients for a fun-filled travel itinerary under a blazing sun, whether it’s a relaxing long weekend or an action-packed fortnight.

Faro

Compact and cosmopolitan, Faro is the main gateway to the Algarve and a natural starting point for your journey. Here you can visit some of the Algarve’s top attractions whilst soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of a large Portuguese city. Once a quaint little fishing village, Faro has since metamorphosed into a major tourist centre with several first-rate museums and one of the most interesting historic quarters in Portugal. Don’t miss the city’s impressive cathedral built in the Renaissance and Baroque style, with part of its interior decorated with centuries-old azulejo tiles and ornate gilded woodcarvings. Housed in a former convent, Faro’s excellent Municipal Museum features a fine collection of Roman stone carvings and a wide variety of other archaeological finds from the local area.

Vilamoura

A pleasant half-hour drive west of Faro takes you to Vilamoura, one of the most upmarket beach resorts in southern Europe. Its main focal point is the large modern marina fronted by restaurants, bars and chic boutiques all the way round its impressive perimeter. Vilamoura excels as a top venue for enthusiasts of sports of all kinds, including tennis, horse-riding and sailing. It is also a major golfing destination with some of Europe’s best courses spread out like green velvet in the town’s surroundings, most notably the Victoria Course - home to the annual Portugal Masters tournament. Besides whiling away a few hours on its long sandy beaches, visitors can learn all about Vilamoura’s fascinating history at the Roman ruins of Cerro da Vila located on the edge of town, which date from the 1st century AD and include a large bathing complex and some very well preserved mosaics.

Albufeira

Albufeira needs no introduction; since the 1970s it has been a popular year-round destination and one of the liveliest beach resorts in the country. Often dubbed the tourist capital of the Algarve, this charming fishing town boasts a bustling seaside atmosphere, especially in the summer, and is a firm favourite with sun-seekers from all over Europe. Much of the town centre is pedestrianised but there are plenty of places where you can park your car hire for the day. Be sure to check out Praia dos Barcos, an iconic beach in the centre of Albufeira where local fishermen still ply their trade, while in the evening head for the famous Strip where many of the town’s most popular bars, restaurants and discotheques are situated.

Praia da Rocha

This beach resort par excellence is one of the most photographed along the entire Algarve coastline. Located in the east of the region, about an hour’s drive from Albufeira, Praia da Rocha features a series of idyllic sandy coves set amongst imposing cliffs and unusual rock formations to offer visitors a unique bathing experience. Once their tan has been topped up, petrol heads might enjoy a visit to the nearby Algarve Autodrome, home to the annual Portuguese Grand Prix, which lies just 8 kilometres north of Praia da Rocha. The nearby town of Portimão is one of the largest in the Algarve and an excellent place to dine alfresco and buy souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Lagos

Nestling on a large bay embroidered by fine sandy beaches, the enchanting resort town of Lagos is one of the most appealing places in the eastern Algarve. Once an important maritime centre, it was where many of Portugal’s earliest ships were designed and built in the 15th and 16th centuries before they departed for destinations unknown. Much of the town’s historic quarter has been preserved (most notably the old Moorish archway that leads onto Avenida dos Descobrimentos) and visitors can stand on the very spot where Europe’s first-ever slave market was built in 1441, which is marked by a commemorative plaque.

Car hire in the Algarve

With a car hire in the Algarve you can see and do everything at any time of the year, including winter when average temperatures remain warm and temperate. Numerous high-profile car rental companies operate in the region, which is traditionally one of the cheapest places to hire a vehicle for a few days, especially out of season.

With over 24,000 locations in more than 180 destinations to offer, including dozens of convenient pick-up points in the Algarve, Auto Europe is one of the world’s longest-established car rental brokers and always a top choice for anyone planning a road-trip in southern Portugal.