Algarve

The destination

Portugal's southern coast is the Mediterranean's great Atlantic rival — three hundred days of sunshine, water that glows turquoise against ochre cliffs, and a coastline carved into grottoes and hidden beaches that can only be reached by boat. Cruise west from Vilamoura past Albufeira's old town and the sandstone arches of Ponta da Piedade, idle outside the cathedral-like Benagil cave, and drop anchor off beaches that never appear in the brochures. The Algarve suits those who want sunshine with substance: world-class golf and gastronomy ashore, empty anchorages afloat, and none of the high-season crush of the Riviera. Flights from the UK take under three hours and marinas sit minutes from Faro airport, making this one of the easiest premium charter destinations in Europe. A coastline best understood from the water — most visitors never see the half of it.