Alcoutim
A peaceful riverside town on the Guadiana facing Spain, with a castle, a river beach and quiet hill walks.
Alcoutim is a small town and a large, thinly populated municipality in the far north-east of the Algarve. The town sits on the Guadiana river opposite the Spanish village of Sanlúcar de Guadiana, with a 14th-century castle above whitewashed streets and a small ferry linking the two banks. A zip line also runs across the river from Spain.
Nearby, the Pego Fundo river beach is the safer place to swim, as the Guadiana's current can be strong. The surrounding hills of cork oak and wildflowers suit walking, and boat trips run on the river. The municipality also includes the villages of Martim Longo, Giões, Pereiro and Vaqueiros.