Vila do Bispo

For a break from the resort buzz, head to this small, quiet town at the crossroads between the west and south coastal roads. The interior of Vila do Bispo’s parish church is covered with 18th-century azulejos (to see it, come on a Sunday morning; the church is open only for services). What really draws people here, however, is that Vila do Bispo makes a logical base for exploring the Parque Natural Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina—a less traveled region of designated parkland that contains some of the Algarve's wildest beaches and draws surfers from all over the world.