Discover What’s New In Algarve and Southern Portugal This Winter Season
With its warm, dry climate, the area south of Lisbon has much to offer well-heeled travelers looking for clear blue skies, fewer crowds, and breathtaking nature
There are corners of Europe where summer never really ends. Southern Portugal enjoys 300 days of sunshine per year, and its warm, dry climate—comparable to Southern California’s—extends well into the “off-season” months. At this time of year, the regions south of Lisbon are particularly popular with golfers, cyclists, and hikers, who enjoy the blue skies, cooler yet pleasant temperatures, and fewer crowds than in July or August.
The landscape here is comparable to SoCal, too. Close to the Spanish border, the Eastern Algarve’s pine forests and white sands give way to barrier islands and shellfish farms around the regional capital, Faro. Farther west, the dramatic coastline between Albufeira and Lagos includes the spectacular Benagil Caves, while to the north, along the Atlantic, a seemingly endless stretch of sand sweeps from Sines up to Comporta—the “Hamptons of Portugal.”
In recent years, the area has experienced a swell of local and international investment and, as a result, attracted a broader demographic of visitors from beyond Western Europe. Here’s a selection of the most exciting updates for the luxury traveler this season.
Octant Praia Verde
Just a few miles from the border with Spain, Octant Praia Verde sits beneath the pine canopy in a quiet, rustic corner of the Algarve. The hotel recently inaugurated the Praia Collection, a new wing comprising 19 rooms and suites; a spa, gym, and wellness area; and two new pools—including a dedicated adults-only outdoor pool. The timber-wrapped building was designed by architect Miguel Saraiva of Saraiva + Associados, with interiors by Pureza Magalhães of Pureza Design and landscape architecture by Teresa Barão of Topiaris. First- and second-floor suites open onto spacious terraces, while those on the top floor enjoy private rooftop plunge pools with views of the ocean, just a short distance away. Also part of the renovation has been a complete rethink of the hotel’s restaurant, À Terra, where a menu curated around local ingredients and a wine list handpicked from Portugal’s finest vineyards await guests.
Octant Vila Monte
Another resort in Octant’s portfolio, but offering a completely different vibe, Vila Monte occupies a sprawling estate that was originally the home of German artist Adolf Holtschlag. The property now offers a tranquil, Mediterranean-flavored escape tucked away in the Algarve’s rolling hills close to Moncarapacho. Among this year’s additions is Villa Alegria, a new three-bedroom private accommodation with a pool, garden, and personal assistant service, ideal for families seeking extra privacy. In the past few weeks, the property has also opened a new wing among the olive groves and citrus orchards, Casas do Olival, adding 24 guest rooms and suites. Designed by architect Jorge Guimarães, interior design studio Batik, and Topiaris, the expansion incorporates motifs from the region’s Moorish heritage, along with local lime plaster, terracotta flooring, and sculptural light fixtures modeled on the Algarve’s iconic chimney pots. What’s more, a new spa and pool are also expected to be ready by early 2027.
W Algarve
W Algarve commands a prominent clifftop vantage outside Albufeira, along a dramatic stretch of coastline that hides beaches and coves well worth the short hike to reach. The resort has just unveiled new multipurpose courts for padel and tennis, expanding its outdoor activity options, and launched a series of culinary masterclasses with chefs from its restaurants, Market Kitchen and Paper Moon. The latter dining destination has also undergone a makeover courtesy of Studio Fortini; here, guests can take in the picturesque sunsets from the two updated rooftop terraces or savor the Italian cuisine while perched in newly installed dining chairs upholstered in tropical textiles. For the hotel’s overall design concept, AB Concept paid homage to the architecture, landscape, and crafts found throughout the Algarve region, an aesthetic reflected in the lace patterns applied across guest room walls to the infinity mirrors installed in the W Lounge that reference the oculus-like openings in the Benagil Caves.
Sublime Sand
Shaded by giant umbrella pines, Sublime Comporta has more than tripled in size this year, adding a vast new complex called Sublime Sand across the road from the original hotel, now known as Sublime Terracotta. Designed as a village-style resort by Lisbon-based studio Fragmentos, Sand offers 43 architecturally striking private villas scattered across the site, a spa with a gym and indoor-outdoor pool, and a dedicated area for meetings and events. The villas are typified by clusters of minimalist, wood-clad gabled volumes that house multiple bedrooms and share a spacious living area and private outdoor pool. New dining options include an outpost of French Riviera favorite Beefbar and a fresh take on Sublime Lisbon’s Italian concept, Davvero. Guests also have full access to Terracotta’s amenities, which include fine-dining Portuguese restaurant Sem Porta, relaxed eatery Canalha, and the intimate farm-to-table Food Circle experience. The Sublime Beach Club is also just a short drive away via a complimentary shuttle service.
Vila Vita Parc
Perfectly situated between the picturesque seaside town of Armação de Pêra and the striking Benagil Caves, Vila Vita Parc retained its coveted three Michelin Keys this year, ahead of its 35th anniversary in 2027. The resort recently opened a Pilates reformer studio outfitted by Technogym, which sits alongside the existing Sisley spa and offers a program of visiting practitioners. Vila Vita Parc has also opened Ciro, a 120-seat restaurant in Guia, the Algarve village best known for piri-piri chicken. Chef Francisco Barbosa is updating the famous dish and cooking everything from cured fish to tomahawk steak and veal kebabs with guanciale over fire.
Na Praia
On the horizon is the eagerly anticipated opening of Na Praia, which was delayed due to a fire earlier this year. Already a member of Leading Hotels of the World, the new property from the team behind the beloved São Lourenço do Barrocal resort will include a total of 113 accommodations, comprising rooms and suites for guests ages 16 and over, as well as family houses and private-pool villas. With architecture and design led by Studio KO in collaboration with Estúdio Lisboa, and landscaping by Doxiadis+, the destination’s sculptural buildings will emerge from Comporta’s dunes and feature raw earth, local clay, and timber. Five distinct dining spaces across the property will each be influenced by the cultural traditions of southern Portugal. Reservations are now open for the scheduled May 1, 2027, opening.