The town of Monchique is, with only a few exceptions, happily untouched by the invasion of tourism brought to the Algarve during the 20th Century.

Silves, picturesquely silhouetted above the River Arade where its castle looms large, dates back to the Romans.
The castle of Silves is the Algarve's finest example.

Loule is an active market town with remains of a 12th Century castle that has been virtually destroyed, leaving the remaining walls surrounded by modern buildings.

Here stands Europe's most south westerly point - the 'Land's End' of Portugal.
The cape is still an important shipping landmark and the lighthouse is visible 50 miles away.

If you manage to head out towards the far western tip of the Algarve, you won't be able to miss Sagres - the most unmistakable landmark being Ponta de Sagres.

Portimao, with some 35,000 inhabitants is essentially a commercially orientated town and it is the main shopping district of the whole of the Algarve.

Located in the centre of the Algarve, Albufeira has approximately 40,000 residents and a cliff lined coast with 23 beaches enjoying a mediterranean climate.

Vilamoura lies at the heart of the Golfing country, with some of the worlds best golf courses there, but there are also pleasant beaches and dramatic cliff top walks.

One thing particularly attractive about Faro is the old part of the city which is surrounded still by the Roman walls which date all the way back to the 9th Century.

Often described as the 'Algarvian Rome', and more fancifully the 'Venice of the Algarve', Tavira stands on two hills on either side of the River Gilao linked by a seven arch bridge.