Recharge in the ALGARVE

Restore body and soul with a break at Vale do Lobo resort in Portugal

- CHRIS MORLEY

A two-hour flight from the UK and a 30-minute taxi ride from Faro, and you can feel your shoulders drop as you arrive at the emerald-lawned entrance to Vale do Lobo, a high-end resort on the surf-tickled Atlantic coast. Famous for its championship golf courses and tennis academy, it's also a haven of natural beauty, set in 1,000 acres of gorgeous greenery and fringed by a ribbon of caramel sands.

Beach and beyond

The 2km, sugar-sand beach invites you to lounge, surf and stroll, or seek out a convivial bar for an aperitif or coffee. For a sunset spectacular, go in the evening and watch the ochrehued limestone cliffs blaze red in the dipping rays.

Away from the beach, a day trip to Faro offers a twin hit of culture and immersion in nature. Enter the thick, vaulted walls of the old town and climb the 13th-century cathedral (Sé) tower for views across the rooftops and estuary. The nearby Municipal Museum, housed in an ancient convent, has an array of interesting local artefacts, like the Roman mosaic of Oceana, god of the sea. It also runs Fado sessions (Portuguese guitar, viola, and voice concerts) in one of the softly lit monastic rooms.