I often meet people, bound for the excitement and the beauty of the Mediterranean, who only visit one place in the Algarve - and miss the rest of what we have on offer – which is often very much better than they are going to find elsewhere. I know, I was once one of these misguided people.
I first visited the Algarve in about 1993, on my way from Poole to Gibraltar in Henry Morgan my Rival 34. I had been running a sailing school ‘Poole Harbour Sailing’ for 5 years and made the decision to run courses from Gibraltar that winter. I had stopped on the way down at Dartmouth, Falmouth, La Coruna, Viano de Castelo, Porto & Lisbon. My chart and pilot book showed 
just one marina and that was at Vilamoura. Arriving in early December, I was unimpressed. It seemed to lack any natural ambience. Taking a walk ashore to stretch my legs and find a supermarket, I decided to search out the ‘old town’ - I am still looking! But now (April 2009) it is much improved with palm trees that were planted a few years ago all round the marina which have created a better ambience plus more and better restaurants.
For three years I sailed from Poole to Gibraltar in November and December, returning in April. I did not explore the Algarve until a northerly Force 9 to 10 off Cape St Vincent on a return journey dictated a night at anchor at Baliera. A forecast promising more of the same encouraged me to pay a visit to Lagos Marina. I liked it so much that after several days I made plans to move my sea school permanently to Lagos. So the next winter, instead of sailing past the Algarve bound for Cadiz and Gibraltar, I sailed for Lagos and began to run my sailing courses from there. It was then that I really began to realise how much I had been missing.
The Algarve is the most wonderful place in which to cruise. On a seven-day course I can take people to Alvor, Portimao, Vilamoura, Faro, Ohlao, Culatra and Tavira. In nine days we can visit all of those places plus Vila Real Santo Antonio and Alcoutim on the River Guadiana. Vilamoura provides an excellent place to stop for showers, shopping and laundry - I have grown to appreciate it far more as I have got to know its excellent shops and restaurants.
Eleven years later, much has changed: new marinas at Portimao, Vila Real St Antonio; Albufeira, Ohlao, Ayemonte; and pontoons at several places on the Guadiana.
Whilst land close to the coast in the Algarve may have been a overbuilt and (some say) there are now too many golf courses, the coast seen from a boat a mile or so offshore as shown in the photograph to the left is still stunningly beautiful. The stretch from Cape St Vincent to Lagos is totally unspoilt with many small remote sandy beaches. Immediately to the west of Lagos there are fascinating grottos and caves - great fun to explore by dinghy, having anchored a couple of hundred metres off. East of Lagos towards Portimao there are seven miles of almost continuous sandy beach, with a wonderful secluded anchorage at Alvor. Moving east again to Armacao de Pera there are impressive cliffs with occasional beaches - many of which are entirely deserted because they are only accessible from the sea, as you can see in the photograph to the right. Then there is more continuous beach almost to Albufeira where the cliffs are again broken by occasional, secluded sandy beaches. From Albufeira to the Guadiana at the Spanish border, there is a further 50 miles of continuous sandy beach, punctuated only by the entrance to Vilamoura Marina, and the entrances to Rio Formosa and Tavira - both with a wide selection of secluded and safe overnight anchorages.
Finally – The river Guadiana, navigable all the way up to Alcoutim, Sanlucar (photo to the left) and Pomarão. Wonderfully beautiful and remote, whilst there are pontoons in several places, some with electricity and water, it is safe to anchor anywhere in the river. I have sailed and motored up many rivers but for me the Guadiana beats them all. With it’s steep hills on either side, covered in the spring and summer with beautiful wild flowers; attractive cottages from a past era now mainly derelict but a few recently re-built in the traditional style and many small farms with orange groves and herds of goats still tended by shepherds to keep them within the confines of their unfenced pastures.
So, whilst I am sure the Mediterranean may have it’s attractions, a year or two of exploring the Algarve is well worth the investment of time. Or come here and do a sailing course with me!
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