Algarve holidays are holiday heaven - sunshine, natural bays, dramatic cliffs and warm seas. Sagres is small and sweet, while Lagos is the good-looking carnival queen of the resorts. There are unspoilt islands in the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, fascinating old towns at Tavira and Silves (the former Moorish capital), and lovely wooded hills in the interior.
The Algarve conjures up many images - private villas with inviting swimming pools, al-fresco dining, rustic buildings, superb golf courses, watersports and golden sands where fishing boats unload the catch of the day.
Most of the Algarve's trendy, modern holiday resorts were formerly little fishing villages. They still feature central areas with narrow streets, whitewashed houses and ancient churches, but it is the region's long sandy beaches which have ensured its place as a holiday Mecca. The coastline stretches 100 miles (161km) from Cape St. Vincent to Vila Real de Santo Antonio on the border with Spain, and much of it today is built up with high-rise hotels and holiday apartment blocks, particularly the area to the west of Faro.
A special feature of the Algarve is the myriad almond trees that are found throughout the region; in late January and early February the countryside is blanketed with white almond blossom. There are also groves of lemons, oranges, carobs, pomegranates and figs growing inland in what is known as the 'garden of Portugal'. Also characteristic of the province are swathes of green golf courses, associated with real estate developments and major resorts, which have proliferated since the tourist boom began in the early 1960s.
The Algarve does boast some of the best beaches in Europe - even in the more developed resorts like Albufeira and Praia da Rocha which are perched on rugged cliffs.