Sagres and the Costa Vicentina

Wild, surf-battered Atlantic coast under natural park protection, with dramatic cliffs and Europe's southwestern tip.

The southwestern corner of the Algarve, from Sagres along the Costa Vicentina to Aljezur and beyond, is the wildest and most protected stretch of the Portuguese coast. The Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina restricts development, preserving dramatic cliffs, empty beaches, and a rugged landscape battered by Atlantic swells. Sagres itself is a small, windswept settlement near the Fortaleza de Sagres, the fortress associated with Prince Henry the Navigator. Cape St Vincent, the southwestern tip of mainland Europe, is a few kilometres west. The beaches here are surfing beaches: Praia do Beliche, Praia do Tonel, and Praia da Arrifana further north attract surfers from across Europe. The surf culture gives this coast a younger, more alternative atmosphere than the resort-dominated south coast. Aljezur, a small inland town with a castle ruin and a growing organic food scene, serves as the main settlement for the Costa Vicentina. Property development is tightly controlled by the natural park authorities, which limits supply and has pushed prices upward despite the area's remoteness. The trade-off for residents is spectacular scenery and empty beaches at the cost of limited services and long drives to Faro for anything beyond basics.