Alte Holidays

Alte is a quiet and peaceful inland village in the Algarve. It’s dotted with terracotta-roofed houses topped with traditional chimneys, and cobbled alleys wind their way to the village’s sparkling springs and plunging waterfalls. The idyllic setting continues as orange trees line the roads leading to the beaches, shops and nightlife of nearby villages.

Alte’s nearest sandy stretch is a 30-minute drive away at Albufeira’s Praia dos Pescadores, AKA Fisherman’s Beach. This Blue Flag beach is one of the Algarve’s cleanest, with gently shelving sands and shallow waters. Fresh fish is served up at the beach-side bars and restaurants, while an escalator takes you up to the top of the steep cliffs for sweeping panoramas of along the coast.

Alte’s springs, at the eastern end of the village, make a pretty place to picnic while you watch the locals taking a dip. A bridge across the river marks the beginning of a series of waterfalls, where water flows into crystal clear pools. Sit on the riverbank and enjoy the view, or grab a bench in the gardens of the Fonte Pequena Inn. It's dedicated to local poet called Cândido Guerreiro.

Silves, with its huge Moorish castle and Gothic cathedral, is about half an hour from Alte. Once you're there, you can stroll along the town’s riverbank before making your way up shady cobbled streets for some wide-screen views of the town from the battlements. Or for something completely different, an hour’s drive gets you to Praia da Luz, starting point for 4x4 tours of South Portugal.