Praia Da Gale Holidays

If it wasn’t for its look-at-me beach, Praia da Gale would do a fine job of melting into the background. The cracker-coloured sands are just too good to ignore, though. Sandstone cliffs and bumpy dunes blend into the shoreline, and chunks of rock are dotted along the water’s edge like natural distance markers. Space isn’t hard to come by, either – the beach rolls all the way to the next town, Armacao de Pera.

This place is big if you’re into clubs – but we’re talking golf rather than nightlife. There’s an 18-hole course right beside the beach, which means sea views while you hop between holes. The village sits alongside it, with enough hotels, restaurants and bars to generate a gentle buzz.

Praia da Gale’s slotted between a pair of the Algarve’s major players – Armacao de Pera and Albufeira – so filling your days is never an issue. Both get a gold star for beaches, and you can take boat trips from the former to caves and grottos along the coastline. Albufeira, meanwhile, is a charming old town by day and party central after dark.