Two Algarve beaches named among Europe’s best

Two Algarve beaches have been named among the 20 best in Europe by readers of the British edition of Condé Nast Traveller, with Praia da Falésia taking an impressive fourth place and Benagil ranking 16^th.

The two Algarve favourites are also the only Portuguese beaches to feature in the magazine’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Praia da Falésia, stretching along the coast of Albufeira, scored 94.70 points, putting it just behind Sperlonga in Italy, Malta’s Blue Lagoon and Patara Beach in Turkey.

Its vast sandy beach and unmistakable backdrop of ochre and red cliffs helped make it the highest-ranked Portuguese beach in this year’s selection.

Further west, Praia de Benagil, in Lagoa, also made the cut, placing 16th with 81.67 points. Famous for the dramatic cliffs and sea caves surrounding the small beach, Benagil remains one of the Algarve’s most recognisable coastal locations.

Benagil is one of the Algarve’s most famous beaches (Photo: AHETA)

The ranking was compiled as part of the 29th edition of Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards, based entirely on votes from its UK readership. More than 296,000 responses were submitted to this year’s awards.

Another boost for Algarve beaches

The recognition comes only days after the Algarve was once again named Europe’s Leading Beach Destination at the World Travel Awards, taking the title for the 11th time.

The region is also in the running for the corresponding world title later this year.

For Albufeira Council, Falésia’s latest distinction is another reason to celebrate one of the municipality’s most characteristic landscapes, but also a reminder of the need to protect it. Despite this public acknowledgement, the beach is located near the site for the Algarve’s planned desalination plant, a project which continues to face intense public criticism.

Italy’s Sperlonga topped the European beach ranking with 96.67 points, followed by the Blue Lagoon in Malta with 96 and Turkey’s Patara Beach with 95.