The Details
The picturesque fishing village of Ferragudo sits quietly on the banks of the Arade River. Casually minding its own business, it’s been overlooked by the developers who once swept through the neighbouring cities of Albufeira and Portimao. It’s a very welcome neglect: the village’s cramped, cobbled lanes and squat fishermen’s cottages provide a glimpse of the Algarve of old – a maritime way of life, which has been lost to most of this region of Portugal, is alive and well in Ferragudo.
You’ll take on your own seaborne adventures on a dolphin watching trip, with the chance to see common and bottlenose dolphins, and a wealth of marine birds. You’ll also explore the southern Algarve’s famous, golden coastline with a visit to the impressive Benagil Cave, before venturing inland and upriver to the medieval fortress city of Silves.
Leaving the south behind, the rolling hills of the Serra de Monchique will bring you west – to the Praia do Canal Nature Resort: a peaceful refuge, nestled in the wild dunes of the Vicentina Coast. This is a very different Algarve – a beautiful, barren wilderness whose isolated bays, beaches and sea cliffs have been battered for millennia by the indefatigable Atlantic Ocean.
The Praia do Canal is true tranquillity; make yourself at home and take some time to simply enjoy being there. If you prefer to explore with our resident guide, the historic maritime cities of Lagos and Sagres are to the south, and the famous Rota da Vicentina hiking trail takes you north – to the celebrated surf beaches at Monte Clerigo, Amoreira, and Odeceixe, where you can raise a traditional Medronho toast to a successful Algarve adventure.
