The undisputed star of the Portimão area is this 1.5-kilometre beach fronting the resort of the same name.

On the east side by the Arade Estuary there’s a vast swathe of soft white sand.

This shelves very gently, leaving lots of shallow water to paddle in despite the rolling waves.

As you go east things start to get rocky, and there’s a powerful cliff and rocky outcrops, all striped with red and yellow limestone.

In the cooler season you can come just to get a photo of these monsters.

Walk around and you’ll get to more sheltered coves walled on three sides by these tall cliffs.