Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For some rigorous rest and intensive relaxation, make sunny Salema your Algarve
hideaway. Here the tourists and fishermen sport the same stubble. It's just you, a beach
full of garishly painted boats, your wrinkled landlady, and a few other globetrotting ex-
perts in lethargy. Nearby sights include Cape Sagres (Europe's “Land's End” and home
of Henry the Navigator's famous navigation school) and the beach-party/jet-ski resort of
Lagos. Or you could just work on a tan and see how slow your pulse can get in sleepy
Salema. If not now, when? If not you, who?
Planning Your Time
The Algarve is your vacation from your vacation. How much time does it deserve? It de-
pends upon how much time you have, and how much time you need to recharge your solar
batteries. On a two-week trip of Portugal, I'd give it three nights and two days. After a
full day of sightseeing in Lisbon (or Sevilla, if you're arriving from Spain), I'd push it by
driving four hours around dinnertime to gain an entirely free beach day. With two days,
I'd spend one enjoying side trips to Cape Sagres and Lagos, and another just lingering in
Salema. The only other Algarve stop to consider is Tavira. (If you're visiting in winter,
Tavira—which is lively year-round—makes a better stop than tiny Salema, which slows
down.)
