Colina Tranquila Algarve

You’ll no doubt be swinging by Silves at some point – for food supplies if nothing else. Don’t shoot through too quickly though, for there’s much to see on a foray around the fortified town, including a castle, cathedral, archaeology museum and the Porte Romana bridge (actually from the 15th century, but on the site of the original Roman river crossing). There are plenty of rural outings to be had in the hills and valleys around town: horse riding is 10 minutes away by car, and there are walking trails around Barragem do Arade reservoir (15 minutes). And if you (correctly) surmise that a bottle of something local would make splendid sunset sipping, you’ll want to seek out a couple of nearby wineries. Quinta do Francês and Quinta Dos Vales are both about half an hour away for quality tipples. Noted the word Algarve in the site name? The beaches of the famed coast are 25 minutes away by car – Armação de Pêra and Carvalho are good places to start. For those who want to get further out to sea, Ferragudo (half an hour) is the place for whale-watching boat trips and sea kayaking.