Sun and sand have drawn winter-weary Europeans to Portugal’s southern coast for at least a century. This shore, known as the Algarve, has plenty of both — 300 days of sunshine annually and more than 100 miles of golden-sand beaches.

It’s true that some of those sunny beaches have become encrusted with high-rise apartment blocks and hotels catering to package tours, but with so much sandy coastline, there is still plenty of unspoiled terrain. Intimate beaches hide in coves surrounded by soaring cliffs, and long strands of dune-backed sands are only sparsely dotted with beach umbrellas, with plenty of towel space and solitude.

The western Algarve remains the quietest of all, its small fishing villages clustered in picturesque coves and resorts blending into a landscape that alternates between beaches and wind-carved cliffs worn into fantastic shapes and grottos. When the coast turns north after rounding Europe’s most southeasterly point at Cape St. Vincent, a third compelling draw adds to sun and sand: surf. The western beaches feel the surge of the open Atlantic tides, with long lines of breakers offering some of the Atlantic’s best surfing waters. World competitions are held here, and these beaches have a special appeal to spectators, who can watch from the steep shores that create natural amphitheaters above the long beaches.

Lighthouse at Cape St. Vincent © Ernest Winnik | Dreamstime.com

Not a surfer? This is the place to learn, without daring the mega-waves or sacrificing the creature comforts of a luxury resort. Unlike most surfing paradises, the western Algarve offers two coasts: the more gentle waters of the south and the open Atlantic of the western beaches.

The western Algarve’s only 5-star resort sits in a beautiful cove at a point where the two coasts meet at Sagres. Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel was designed to fit the landscape, its small, detached beach rooms and villas hugging the sloping shore amid indigenous trees and grasses above a half-mile crescent of golden sand.

The long beach slopes into the water gently enough to make it a favorite for families with children as well as for windsurfing, paddle boarding and other water sports. These include kayak tours around the offshore islands to discover sea caves and watch fish play in the crystal waters between them. The full-service Finisterra Spa, swimming pools, a long list of sports facilities, children’s programs for all ages, beach bars and three restaurants make Martinhal a good choice for those who need a few days of secluded luxury to kick back from the boardroom.

Martinhal’s broad cove is protected by the long, tall headlands of Cape St. Vincent, where in the 1400s Prince Henry the Navigator gathered Europe’s top mapmakers, navigators and geographers to create the nerve center for explorations that would make Portugal a powerful colonial empire. They returned with ships filled with gold that still covers the altars of the Algarve’s Baroque churches. That location also makes Sagres a perfect base for exploring both the southern and western coasts of the Algarve.

North of Cape St. Vincent, the cliffs become higher and the landscapes even more dramatic, with tall headlands dropping into the sea and long, narrow beaches in the coves between them. Beloved by surfers, these beaches rarely found by tourists are popular with locals for swimming and sunning. From Vale do Bispo, just north of Sagres, follow signs to Praia do Castelejo and stop to see Torre de Aspa, a rock formation that towers 500 feet above the sea. Look farther north for the staggeringly beautiful beaches and cliffs at Armado and Bordeira. A long-distance walking path follows the coast; and if you don’t suffer from acrophobia, you can walk stretches of it along the cliff tops.

A park protects this natural landscape along the western coast, and the south-facing shore at this end of the Algarve follows its lead with well-spaced, low-rise resorts that blend into little fishing villages and craggy cliffs. Praia da Luz is still primarily a fishing village, its long beaches uncrowded, and Alvor sees few tourists. Between them is Lagos, more crowded with visitors but a convivial town with development kept back away from the beaches. It’s enclosed in 15th-century walls, with an attractive harbor and two outstanding churches washed in New World gold.

Beach villas on the cliffs at Carvoeiro © Sergioua | Dreamstime.com

East of Carvoeiro, just before the crowded beaches of the central Algarve set in, you’ll find some of the most dramatic cliffs and rock formations, including a giant sinkhole where the porous rock collapsed into the sea. Trails lead from a lighthouse, along the top and down to the coves below. Fishing boats on the tiny beach in Carvoeiro can take you for sea views of the eroded cliffs and sea caves and to secluded, hidden beaches. To dive in these waters, reserve with PADI-certified Tivoli Dive Center, also in Carvoeiro.

Although there are golf courses within easy reach of Sagres, serious golfers head to another luxury resort enclave farther east, an oasis of secluded luxury close to some of the Algarve’s most congested coastline. At Vale do Lobo, magnificent greens and fairways spread across the crests of deeply carved red cliffs, overlooking miles of white sand. Its spectacular Yellow Course crosses two ravines.

This resort and Quinta do Lago are both über-luxe facilities, part of a cluster that includes some of Europe’s most prestigious courses. Quinta do Lago features lakes and challenging bunkers, and its newest course, Laranjal, is known for its spectacular fairways and five lakes set amid umbrella pines, cork and orange trees. The 27-hole championship Pinheiros Altos Golf Course offers three contrasting nine-hole courses, with the longest and most demanding, the Corks Course, legendary for the difficulty of the eighth hole. San Lorenzo’s beautiful Bermuda grass fairways are almost exclusively reserved for guests of Dona Filipa and Amarante Formosa Park hotels.

With scenery like this, golfers may find it hard to concentrate on the game, and there are other distractions, as well. Experts are on hand to teach sailing or wind surfing; one of the Algarve’s premier equestrian centers offers riding; and the 12-court Vale do Lobo Tennis Academy welcomes tennis players. Nearby Vilamoura boasts the Algarve’s largest yacht marina, comfortably accommodating more than 1,000 craft. The well-equipped Rascasso, operated by Cruzeiros da Oura in Vilamoura, takes hopeful fishing parties in search of marlin, shark, tuna and bottom fish, providing quality rods and tackle for a variety of fishing. Shopping in smart boutiques and more water-related activities — scuba diving, sailing, scenic cruises along the spectacular cliffs — draw an upscale international clientele to this part of the coast.

Statue at Palace of Estoi © Carlos Neto | Dreamstime.com

An entirely different atmosphere pervades the laid-back seaside town of Tavira. Here you’ll feel you’re at last encountering the real Portugal, although beautiful long beaches are only a short boat ride away. Or you can hop on board a mini-train to ride into the large Ria Formosa Natural Park — 42,000 acres of beaches, lagoons and islands drawing migrating birds and the enthusiastic birders who come here to watch them.

You’d hardly know Tavira was in the heart of a resort region. Handsome 18th-century houses climb its hills and line its river, crossed by a bridge set on Roman foundations. A garden borders one bank of the river, framing views of colorful fishing boats, and a small castle on the hilltop offers an atmospheric garden with views across the town’s red-tiled rooftops.

Near the castle, a former convent was restored as Pousada de Tavira, one of Portugal’s many historic properties transformed into luxury hotels. Another is only a few miles away in Estoi, where a grand 19th-century palace filled with neo-Baroque decoration sits above formal gardens. This ornate Palace of the Visconde de Estoi houses the pousada’s dining and public rooms, while up-to-the-minute guestrooms reside in a contemporary wing.

The Pousada de Estoi lies close to the excavated Roman villa of Milreu, where you can see beautiful mosaics — and be reminded there’s a lot more to the Algarve than just sun and sand. The rich cultural and historical elements here are often overlooked by travelers intent on its beaches and resorts.

Along with the Roman villa at Milreu and Prince Henry’s compound at Sagres, explore hilltop castles at Castro Marim and Paderna, and the largest of all at Silves, where the Algarve’s long Moorish history is most evident. These early conquerors from North Africa planted the almond groves, the “Algarve snow” that turns its hillsides white in February.

Algarve Info to Go

The airport at the Algarve’s capital of Faro (FAO) serves the entire region, with frequent connections from Lisbon (LIS) and international flights from throughout Europe. Travelers stopping in Lisbon can also drive to the Algarve in about three hours via the well-marked E1 highway or along the scenic western coast.