Boutique Hotels in Algarve

The Algarve splits into three coasts, and choosing between them shapes a trip. The central coast —Albufeira, Portimão, Lagos, Carvoeiro — is the classic Algarve of dramatic ochre cliffs, sea caves and cove beaches, the most beautiful shoreline and also the busiest; the famous Benagil cave and the Ponta da Piedade headland are here. It is where most of the boutique hotels sit, on the clifftops above the sand.

East of Faro lies a gentler, less-developed coast: the Ria Formosa, a protected lagoon of sandbar islands, salt pans and birdlife, with the handsome old towns of Tavira and Olhão and some of the quietest beaches in the region. West of Lagos, past the surfing beaches towards Sagres and the Costa Vicentina, the coast turns wild, cliff-bound and windswept — the edge of Europe, where Henry the Navigator's sailors set out. Inland, the Monchique hills and Moorish Silves offer a cooler, greener counterpoint to the shore.

The Algarve repays looking past the sun-lounger. It is one of Europe's great golf destinations, with the courses around Vilamoura, Quinta do Lago and the western coast drawing players year-round. The sea caves and the cliff coast are best seen from the water — kayak or boat trips from Lagos, Portimão and Benagil are the classic outing — while the Ria Formosa is for birdwatching and island-hopping by ferry.

The food is reason enough on its own. This is a coast of grilled fish and shellfish, cataplana stews, Atlantic oysters from the ria and percebes from the rocks, and increasingly serious cooking — the region holds several Michelin-starred kitchens among its clifftop hotels. Inland, the markets, the Monchique spa town, the Moorish castle at Silves and the almond and citrus country give a sense of the older Algarve. And the coastal walking — the Seven Hanging Valleys trail above Carvoeiro chief among it — is some of the finest in Portugal.

The Algarve has one of the longest seasons in Europe. High summer, July and August, is hot, busy and at its priciest, the beaches full and the resort towns lively; it is glorious for the sea but the least peaceful time. Spring and autumn — roughly April to June and September to October — are the sweet spots: warm, sunny and far quieter, the sea swimmable from late spring into autumn, the cliffs and trails at their best. Winter is mild and very green, with bright days and few crowds, the golf in full swing and the hotels at their calmest; the sea is cool but the light is lovely. For the balance of weather and space, the shoulder seasons win comfortably.