Armacao de Pera holidays

Portugal’s Algarve is the setting for holidays to Armacao de Pera. The highlight is Praia Grande – a long sweep of sand featuring rocky cliffs and caves. There’s an old town with a chapel, and nearby attractions include a 15th-century castle and a Gothic cathedral in the town of Silves.

Big and buzzing

Armacao de Pera is a big, bustling place in central Algarve. Modern apartments may have moved in on the landscape, but this fishing village has kept its laid-back charm in the old town, where you’ve got winding streets and a 16th-century chapel. As for the waterfront, it showcases one of Portugal’s finest beaches and buzzes with bars and restaurants.

A beach worth exploring

Praia Grande is the town’s star beach. The fine golden sand stretches out for over 3 kilometres, leaving plenty of room for sunloungers. Children can paddle safely in the shallow breakers, and further out surfers glide across the water. To the east, there’s a 17th-century fort and wading flamingos, while the west brings rocky cliffs with caves and arches worn into the rock – perfect for exploring on a leisurely walk.

The old town

Over to the east of Armacao de Pera is the old town, with its ancient fort and narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses. It’s home to Fisherman’s Beach – where the catch is hauled in every day – and further on you’ve got a pretty tree-lined square with a whitewashed church that’s worth a peek inside if it’s open.

Daytrips to Silves

The town of Silves is just 20 minutes’ drive inland. The crowning glory here is the sprawling 15th-century castle – its sandstone turrets and battlements give you a view of the fields and citrus groves below. On the way down, don’t miss the Gothic-arched cathedral and the Archaeological Museum with its Iron Age relics.