Forget Lisbon! Americans can fly non-stop to Portugal’s trendiest destination

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If you’re thinking of visiting Portugal on your next Euro trip, and Lisbon is your top priority right now, as you know, it’s the capital and all, don’t wait to book those flights right away.

I understand, you may be thinking that this is the place to start things since it is the self-proclaimed cultural heart and administrative center of the country.

And to be honest, as someone who has been to Lisbon myself more times than I can count, I would never downplay its historic appeal and amazing food scene.

That said, There is one region in Portugal that I love morewhere prices are generally lower, the beaches are sunnier and wider and the seafood is on a whole different level.

And what are the chances? It’s the top destination in the country at the moment, with no less than 20.8 million overnight stays. With an average length of stay of almost four nights (3.9) and room occupancy on average a stable 58.4% all year roundit leaves Lisbon in the rear view mirror.

Did I mention that Americans can fly there non-stop this spring?

Welcome to the sunnier side of Europe

The southernmost region of Portugalthe Algarveis a coastal strip of about 96 miles along the Atlantic coast, from the Spanish border to the westernmost point of the country at the lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente.

It’s a sun-drenched area that has provided Northern Europeans with their much-needed winter vacation for decades, but has somehow remained under the radar in American circles… until quite recently.

The Algarve competes against the island of Madeira The warmest destination in Portugal all year roundwith temperatures hovering between 62 and 68°F in winter and spring and rising to the mid-80s during peak season.

After perhaps Mexico, Europe is without a doubt the best choice for Americans craving a cultural getaway and soaking up a bit of Old World charm. The catch? Most of Europe is freezing or downright rainy in the low season.

Not in the Algarve, where the sun shines more than 300 days a year.

Fly direct to the Algarve from Newark

Well, I have good news for you. If you live in the United States, from May 15, 2026you no longer have to resort to long layovers to get there.

You don’t have to land in Lisbon or Porto first: you can fly directly to Faro (FAO), the capital of the Algarve, and the main gateway to all those beaches ready for a postcard:

Fly non-stop from Newark (EWR) → Faro (FAO)

Top 5 Destinations in the Algarve to Visit in 2026 (PLUS A QUIZ AT THE END TO FIND YOUR PERFECT MATCH!)

Faro

Faro, the unassuming capital of the Algarve, is a place most people only pass briefly on their way to the world-class beaches to the west, but it happens to be one of the most historically rich places along the coast.

The old city surrounded by walls, with its cobbled streets and the Reconquista-era cathedral It’s an absolute pleasure to walk, and if you want to see something you won’t forget in 5 minutes, visit the late medieval Chapel of Bones: a church-style ossuary decorated with human skulls.

Carvoeiro

The ‘Portuguese Santorini’, Carvoeiro, is one of the Algarve’s many traditional coastal towns, with chalk-white, cube-shaped houses atop coastal cliffs, and cobbled paths leading to a picturesque harbor area and beach.

The beach here is hands down one of the most beautiful I have ever seen in Europe, personal. Think soft, warm golden sand, the kind you can bury your feet a few inches in, and clear blue water.

A tad too cold for my taste, it’s still the North Atlantic, but beautiful to look at anyway.

Ferragudo

Ferragudo, a quaint Portuguese fishing village near the much more popular Portimão, resembles an Iberian storybook town come to life: winding alleys flanked by centuries-old whitewashed housespicturesque, public praças lined with orange trees, and a beautiful baroque church on a hilltop to top it off.

It’s also one of the best foodie spots in the entire Algarve: for bacalhau (the Portuguese-style cod, with lots of olive oil) and a cold beer, then head to O Praia Grande, a seaside eatery right on Ferragudo’s main beach. You know, the one that leads to the beautiful reddish stone fortress of São João do Arade.

Loulé

A little further inland from the Atlantic coast is Loulé, a medieval town in the district of Faro, dominated by a well-preserved castle and home to a maze-like historic center crossed by cobbled paths and arcades decorated with arches.

It’s often dismissed by tourists who come to the Algarve just for the beaches, so you can enjoy all this Old World charm: historic sites, family-run padarias and leafy squares where Portuguese vovôs gather around a bench to play chess, all to yourself.

Lagos

Lagos, the trendiest place in the entire Algarve, combines all the charm of the region into one little gem on the coast. It has the coastal forts, the walled old town dotted with aZulejo-covered buildings and picturesque squares, and of course endless sandy beaches to top it all off.

From the town you can walk about 2.4 km to the characteristic lighthouse of Ponta da Piedade, passing golden sandy beaches with their own peculiarities, such as Praia do Estudante, famous for its ‘Roman bridge’and Praia do Camilo, which you reach via those picturesque wooden stairs.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior head writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60 countries to his name (and is currently weaving stories from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.