Loule Holidays

Right in the middle of Portugal’s Algarve, Loule is a cosmopolitan town with history to boot. The walled old town is a maze of narrow cobbled streets lined with cafés, bars and restaurants – with a well-preserved 13th-century castle thrown in. Every Saturday, a famous gypsy market is held here. And for nightlife, Loule comes neatly bundled with the lively coastal town of Vilamoura, which is within a 15-minute drive.

Loule isn't on the coast, but Quarteira Beach is just 20 minutes’ drive away. It’s a long and wide stretch with calm waters, and the tree-lined promenade is dotted with cafés and restaurants. Handily, there’s a free car park about 100 metres from the beach itself. Quarteira runs all the way to Praia de Faro. This one’s out on a peninsula with a lagoon on one side, and choppy sea water on the other.

The old town in Faro, 15 minutes’ drive away, is encircled by Roman walls and houses a 13th-century cathedral. Orange trees line the narrow cobbled streets and it’s within striking distance of the bus station. Buses from Loule also head to Vilamoura, quarter-of-an-hour away. Its 1,000-berth marina is a bit of a celebrity hotspot, with former footballer Luis Figo owning a bar here – but it’s also got a free-to-explore wetland reserve and the ruins of a Roman fishing village.