The Algarve

Europe’s southwesternmost point is a barren headland 6km northwest of Sagres' town centre that was the last piece of home that Portuguese sailors once saw as they launched into the unknown. It's a spectacular spot: at sunset you can almost hear the hissing as the sun hits the sea. A red lighthouse houses a small but excellent museum showcasing Sagres' role in Portugal’s maritime history.

Encompassing 18,000 hectares, this sizeable system of lagoons and islands stretches for 60km along the Algarve coastline from west of Faro to Cacela Velha. It encloses a vast area of sapal (marsh), salinas (salt pans), creeks and dune islands. The marshes are an important area for migrating and nesting birds. You can see a huge variety of wading birds, along with ducks, shorebirds, gulls and terns. It's the favoured nesting place of the little tern and the rare purple gallinule.

Starting around 10km north of Loulé, Serra do Caldeirão is a beautiful protected area of undulating hills, cork trees and harsh scrubland. The area is renowned for its bird varieties. It’s an excellent place to hike – the Via Algarviana passes through – and a great spot to base yourself to meander through some ancient villages and enjoy the local cuisine. A feature of the region is its fontes (traditional water sources, many of which comprise exquisite taps and fountains).

As tourist towns go, Lagos (lah-goosh) has got the lot. The port town, which launched many naval excursions during Portugal’s extraordinary Age of Discovery, lies along the bank of the Rio Bensafrim. Its old town's pretty, cobbled lanes and picturesque squares and churches are enclosed by 16th-century walls. Beyond the walls is a modern but not overly unattractive sprawl and some truly fabulous beaches.

With a huge range of activities spanning water sports, boat trips and horse riding, excellent restaurants and a pumping nightlife, it’s not surprising that people of all ages are drawn here.

Set on either side of the meandering Rio Gilão, Tavira is arguably the Algarve's most charming town. The ruins of a hilltop castle, an old Roman bridge and a smattering of Gothic and Renaissance churches are among its historic attractions. An enticing assortment of restaurants and guesthouses makes it an excellent base for exploring the Algarve’s eastern reaches.

Tavira is ideal for wandering; the warren of cobblestone streets hides leafy gardens and shady squares. There’s a small, active fishing port and a modern market. Only 3km from the coast, Tavira is the launching point for the stunning, unspoilt beaches of Ilha de Tavira.

One of the Algarve's – and Portugal's – most emblematic sights, this huge natural seaside cave has a hole in its ceiling through which streaming sunlit illuminates the sandstone and beach below. The only way to access the interior is via the water. Numerous companies along the coast, such as Taruga Tours, run boat trips, and hire kayaks and SUPs (stand-up paddleboads) to paddle here yourself. Swimming to the caves is discouraged due to strong tides and currents, and high watercraft traffic.

This baroque masterpiece was built on the site of a ruined chapel after locals, while digging a well, implored Saint Lawrence for help and then struck water. Constructed by brothers Antão and Manuel Borges, it's smothered in azulejos (hand-painted tiles) – even the ceiling – depicting the saint's life and death. In the 1755 earthquake, only five tiles fell from the roof.

It's 9km south of Loulé; buses (€2.35, 15 minutes, up to two per hour) stop 2.5km west in Almancil's centre.

Surf-central Carrapateira is a tranquil, pretty, spread-out village, with two nearby beaches whose lack of development and strong swells attract a hippy, surf-dude crowd. The coast along here is wild, with copper-coloured and ash-grey cliffs covered in speckled yellow and green scrub, backing creamy, wide sands.