2 Best Sights in The Algarve, Portugal

The views from outside this lighthouse are remarkable, and the beacon is said to have the strongest reflectors in Europe—they cast a beam 96 km (60 miles) out to sea. Turquoise water whips across the base of the rust-color cliffs below; the fortress at Sagres is visible to the east; and in the distance lies the immense Atlantic. There's a small museum and café on-site if you want to linger.

At almost 13 km (8 miles) in length, this surfing beach (one of Portugal's top-rated for surfing) has enough room for the dozens of surfing camps and schools that have sprung up around it. The water is cool and rocky toward the western tip. The area surrounding the beach lacks basic facilities like garbage cans, so sometimes waste is scattered around, spoiling an otherwise beautiful beach. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: surfing, windsurfing.