The 'California Of Europe' Is A Gorgeous Coastal Getaway With World-Class Wines And Exceptional Eats

A few descriptors that might come to mind when you think of California's coastal lifestyle are: mild climate, varied landscapes extending to the ocean, and renowned wine. The same qualities could be said of the Algarve, the southern region of Portugal, which is why it gets the nickname of "the California of Europe." On its coastline, Algarve is bordered by over 150 beaches known for their golden sand and limestone formations, several of which are Blue Flag-awarded, per The Portugal News. Inland, Algarve's home to the lush Monchique Mountains and vineyard-blanketed hillside, full of individual wine estates, called quintas.

The Algarve is a more leisurely region than the urban centers you'll find in Lisbon or Porto further north. Its main appeal is for a slower-paced travel style, with beach lounging, sipping wine, and driving along scenic coastal routes being the focus. The region's largest town and capital is Faro, a beachy city on the southern coast, which has roughly 70,000 residents (just a fraction of Lisbon's nearly 500,000 people, for example). Plus, there are plenty of smaller, historic towns worth checking out for their own traditions and food, with over 20 Michelin-recognized restaurants dispersed in towns throughout the region.

Although Northern Portugal has the country's oldest wine region, the Algarve has its own wine-forward culture. Its Mediterranean climate and over 3,000 hours of sun make the Algarve fruitful for grape growing, as Portugal by Wine notes. For reds, the most common grape varieties are Castelão and Negra Mole, while Arinto and Sírio dominate whites. Cellar Tours characterizes Algarve's wines as full-bodied and aromatic.

If you want to partake in a wine tasting in the Algarve, you'll likely have to book one with an independent winery. Travel blogger Amsterdam Foodie says, "The best place to taste the Algarve's wine is straight from the source: at the quintas, next to their vineyards." One the blogger recommends is Quinta do Francês, a valley winery in the hills around Silves. The winery grows four red and two white grape varieties, and its Quinta do Francês most recently won a gold medal from the 2025 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. Another well-reviewed winery of the Algarve, with 5 stars on Tripadvisor, is Quinta dos Capinhas. Something unique about this quinta is that it has villas available to book that are located right on the vineyard.

For travelers more interested in the food scene of the Algarve, Southern Portuguese cuisine is a delight, mostly shaped around seafood and fruits produced by the region's rich agriculture. A signature must-try dish you'll come across is called Cataplana de Marisco, a seafood stew made with shellfish and herbs, served in a unique copper pot. In Santa Luzia, as blogger Tanya GO Travel shared, octopus is the highlight, where the octopus is roasted rather than grilled. And if you want to dine luxuriously, head to Albufeira to try the two Michelin starred Vila Joya.

If you'll be flying into the Algarve from another European city, your best entry point is the Faro Airport, which serves arrivals from many European hubs. Faro could also be a good base for exploring the surrounding wine country and beaches. It has lots of accommodation options that are decently affordable, with a couple 3-star hotels available for under $100 per night. The city is a feast for the eyes, with its white-washed buildings on the coast and a particularly beautiful Old Town ringed by medieval walls.

However, if you're coming from another part of Portugal, consider driving into the Algarve from your point of origin. Blogger Our Travel Passport asserts that driving in is the best way to get there, which makes it easy to stop between beach towns and linger at some unexpected gems along the way. If you're coming from Lisbon, for example, you could make the drive to Lagos in about three hours. Lagos is one of the Algarve's more picturesque beachy destinations, home to Praia do Camilo, a jaw-dropping, cliff-backed cove only reachable by stairs.