The Details
We’d like to introduce you to the real Algarve. This sunny, southern region is often misrepresented – yet like the rest of Portugal, it’s a beautiful and varied region, with a fascinating cultural history. It’s warm and welcoming population has a distinct character all its own, whilst its outstanding gastronomy moves naturally with the ebb and flow of the seasons.
Your holiday begins on the outskirts of the old Moorish market town of Loule. Your hotel, the Viceroy Ombria, sits on a secluded hilltop overlooking the Ribeira de Algibre – it’s a modern, contemporary hotel with the deliberate feel of a small village. Striking a careful balance between tourism and heritage is one of the unique challenges in the Algarve, and the Ombria feels in tune with its surroundings: a green hinterland of olive groves, poplars and ash.
You’ll explore the eastern Algarve with our resident guide, visiting Olhao on the shores of the Ria Formosa nature reserve, a traditional olive farm at Quinta au Monte, the charming castle town of Tavira, and the tranquil vineyards at Quinta da Tor. It’s almost six centuries since the Christian Reconquista expelled the Moors from Portugal, but the deeply rooted influence of North Africa is still evident at every turn – in the region’s architecture, cuisine, handicrafts, and even its dialect.
Leaving Loule, you’ll relocate to the coastal town of Lagos. Steeped in maritime tradition, this far western outpost was the departure point for Portugal’s pioneering explorers: the first European sailors to chart the sea route to India, and beyond, in the 15th and 16th centuries. You’ll have your own ocean adventure in a modern 21st century RIB, spending time at sea with Lagos’ common and bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat.
You’ll appreciate the contrast between the gently rolling hills of Loule and Lagos’ dramatic landscape. The coastlines of the west are shaped by the wild Atlantic Ocean: a hotchpotch of hidden coves, remote beaches and sandstone sea cliffs, which culminate in the striking promontory at Cabo Sao Vicente. Your holiday ends overlooking one of the west’s most-treasured bays at Praia Arrifana, where calm turquoise waters and simple seafood meet an unhurried sunset.
