Praia da Culatra

You anchor off this car-free barrier island in the Ria Formosa, then dinghy ashore to find wide, fine-sand beaches, a handful of snack bars, and one of the Algarve's most laid-back fishing communities. It's the kind of place where time slows down — fresh seafood, the old Farol lighthouse nearby, and none of the crowds you'd expect from a beach this good.