Hotels in Aljezur

Aljezur sits on Portugal's far southwest, on the wilder edge of the Costa Vicentina where the Algarve stops behaving like the Algarve. It's a small farming-and-fishing town split between an old hillside quarter with a Moorish castle ruin and a scatter of beaches a few kilometres out, Arrifana and Monte Clérigo among them, known for cliffs, surf and cold, punchy Atlantic water rather than calm swimming.

Surfers and hikers doing the Rota Vicentina trail are the main visitors, not sunbed tourists, and the town keeps a working, unpolished feel — few of the resort trappings you'd find further east. This is not a base for nightlife or fine dining, restaurants are simple and close early, and you'll want a car, since the beaches, trailheads and town centre are spread apart with patchy public transport. Stay near Arrifana if you're surfing or want beach access with a proper sunset; stay in Aljezur town itself if you'd rather have shops, cafés and the old quarter on foot.