Discover one of the best beaches in the Algarve

The golden beach of Praia da Falésia is a seemingly endless stretch of sand backed by impressive cliffs. It’s also the setting of stylish EPIC SANA Algarve. Kuoni traveller Laura May tells us of her recent visit and explains why it changed her view of Portugal’s southern coast.

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Portugal has never been on my travel wish list. I recall someone jetting off on a stag do to Albufeira once and obviously pushed the whole of the Algarve coastline into a dark corner of my subconscious labelled places to avoid, fearing a glut of all-day English breakfasts and happy hours. So I was surprised to hear that the Algarve has repeatedly been named Europe’s Leading Beach Destination at the World Travel Awards.

I obviously needed enlightening. One suitcase-packing session and a short EasyJet flight later, I am in Faro getting into a luxury private car and making my way to the five-star Epic Sana Algarve in Olhos de Água.

As the sliding doors gently open, the lobby’s seaside tones are complemented by enormous gold flower pots and gigantic round seats that resemble stepping stones leading up to the reception desk. I’m led to my ocean-facing room so I can check in there, and I’m treated to freshly-baked macaroons that distractingly melt in my mouth while a friendly member of staff explains the room to me – from using the Nespresso machine to syncing my phone’s playlist to the in-room speakers.

I’ve chosen this hotel because it overlooks one of the longest and best beaches in the Algarve, stretching from Albufeira to Vilamoura. It’s time to see what all the fuss is about. Passing three pools surrounded by loungers and cabanas, I make my way to a small wooden gate that opens with a tap of my key card. I follow the decking that zig-zags through the pine trees and down the steps edging the orange sandstone cliff face, which looks like it’s been sliced open with a giant-sized cake knife. Purple flowers resembling tiny tulips cling to the rust-coloured outcrops leading down to Praia da Falésia’s golden sand.

The beach is astoundingly unspoilt. The gigantic cliffs have held back an onslaught of bars, beachside hotels and commercialism. This is raw beauty the way it should be and I feel like I’ve been let in on a hidden secret at last. I’m here at the end of April, so there is not a sunbed in sight on the wide expanse of sand, but the weather is in the low twenties and the soft sunshine is casting shadows on the beach from the joggers taking advantage of low tide.

EPIC SANA Algarve is well known for its focus on wellness, with structured SAYANNA Retreats and a generous programme of complimentary daily fitness classes. Bootcamp style sessions, yoga, Pilates and guided walks are all part of the mix; though instead of tackling the cliffside steps myself, I choose a leisurely hour long walk along the shoreline to Vilamoura. The buzzing marina is packed with bars and restaurants overlooking the luxurious yachts. White sofas, bottles of Champagne chilling in buckets of ice and funky house music create a stylish place to sit waterside and people-watch.

Back at the hotel, I book one of the spa’s signature gold infused facial treatments and browse the full timetable of classes available to guests. My treatment room overlooks a quiet walled courtyard, and for fifty blissful minutes I’m treated to cooling collagen masks, rich creams and a deeply relaxing head massage. The final layer of fine gold filaments leaves my skin glowing, somewhere between radiant and disco ball.

The relaxation room has the feel of a Japanese ryokan and the walls feature huge images of a forest, so you feel like you are looking up into the treetops. If you’re opting for one of the couples’ treatments, request the private room on the roof-top, which has its own outside Jacuzzi with a view out to sea. After your treatment you can have an hour to yourselves in the bubbles while enjoying Champagne and strawberries. Time it with the sunset for optimum romance.

I’m impressed by how many guests have committed to a SAYANNA Retreat. Before arriving, you can choose from programmes focused on fitness, reshaping, relaxation or stress relief, each combining tailored exercise, workshops, treatments and a nutritionally balanced menu created by the hotel’s chefs.

Food is taken seriously here, and it shows. Across the resort’s restaurants the quality is exceptional, with Al Quimia standing out as one of the region’s finest dining experiences. Its modern, creative menus showcase the best Portuguese produce, turning local flavours into dishes that feel both refined and rooted in place. 

Just outside of the hotel is a selection of pizza and Portuguese restaurants surrounding a square right on the doorstep. I get chatting to some locals and they urge me to visit the historic town of Loulé, so I take their advice and hire a car in Vilamoura the next day. Loulé is not centred around tourism, so when I arrive it feels like a real flavour of Portuguese life here. I head inside the Arabian-style municipal market and find rows of fig cakes, mounds of giant tomatoes and bottles of Vida Nova wine surrounded by pictures of Cliff Richard, which makes more sense when I’m told he owns one of the vineyards nearby.

Stepping back out into the sunshine, I wander down little alleyways and past carved wooden doors with peeling paintwork, the old stone walls of the castle and traditional pottery shops at every turn. After getting lost, it is time to find a café and treat myself to a strong coffee and a Portuguese custard tart. These freshly-made delicate pastries have a crisp sugary crust and creamy vanilla-infused custard centre, far from any stodgy mass-produced alternative I’ve tried before. They are, admittedly, my new weakness. I kick myself. How have I been overlooking these at the hotel’s breakfast buffet each morning?

It’s mild all-year round in the Algarve, with the best of the weather between April and October, and July highs can reach a whopping 40 degrees. Yes, Albufeira is only 20 minutes away but this area feels a million miles away.

Portugal may not have been on my travel wish list but, now I’ve experienced it, it firmly has a place on the list of places I want to return to. Even if it is mainly for the Portuguese custard tarts.