Portugal’s prettiest beach

Albufeira, Portugal

This morning we set out on a mission – to find that elusive beach in the Algarve, the one that has made this area such a popular destination for pasty-skinned Brits in search of sun.

Armed with a map, Lonely Planet and some tips from the concierge, we hit the road under sunny skies with high hopes.

Driving through Lagos, we found it. We parked the car in a public lot, waked down a steep encampment and put down our towels. Here is was, Praia da Marinha.

With sheer limestone cliffs, crystal clear, calm water (perfect temperature, too), we had found it. This was Portugal’s prettiest beach. We promptly agreed to spend the day here.

As the late afternoon approached, we continued onward to Albufeira, the next stop on our road trip down the southern coast. Our destination was the Hotel Aqua Pedra dos Bicos, a stylish hotel with sweeping ocean views and massive room numbers.

It turns out Albufeira the town isn’t much – overrun by sunburned Brits. We tried our best to avoid it all but ended up watching a Manchester United football match and drinking Guinness. We tried!