In the comforting warmth of the morning sun it would have been easy to lie back on a shaded poolside sunbed to conjure up a day dream or two.

It was a thought prompted by the knowledge that almost every amenity anyone could imagine was within reach at our splendid Riu Palace hotel in Portugal’s beautiful Algarve. So why get up at an ungodly hour to leave it behind?

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Basically, I couldn’t resist the opportunity of visiting a couple of Portugal’s natural spectaculars.  One came with a garden of Eden tag, and the other has been known for centuries as ‘the end of the world’.

Seeing historic towns, castles, churches and glorious landscapes, were welcome extras that tucked nicely into a Thomson coach excursion along the Algarve’s western coastline.
 
For my wife and I, it was a ticket to ride that was too good to miss.

The place that many regard as an Eden, flourishes amid the Serra de Monchique, a volcanic massif, which rise gently to 2,960ft, forming a natural barrier protecting Algarve resorts from Atlantic winds. 

Thanks to high rainfall, and a micro-climate of its own, the area is home to fertile valleys, orchards, leafy woods, and groves of fruit trees watered by fast flowing streams and springs.

It’s a place where you could easily spend weeks exploring mountain paths, white-washed villages, and hillsides blessed with a harvest ranging from oranges, lemons and grapes to sweet chestnut, figs, cherries, olives and carob.  

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Wild boar, foxes, and rabbits, inhabit the slopes, but they didn’t appear to fancy showing their faces.  Instead, we had to settle for watching storks building their huge nests on the top of electricity poles. Talk about a ‘high wire’ act!

Where Eden was gentle and enchanting, the ‘end of the world’, in the shape of Cape St Vincent, the most south westerly point of mainland Europe, was hauntingly evocative, wild and wonderful.

Few sights could be more spectacular than its 200ft high limestone cliffs that plunge 200ft into the Atlantic, and it wasn’t difficult to understand why people from long ago considered it to be the last place on earth.

When we arrived, in glorious sunshine, the Atlantic was on its best behaviour, but I would hate to see it when storms smash against the headland.  I can imagine it to be pretty scary.

The whole area is cloaked in history.  For the Romans, it was a sacred spot where the sun was thought to sink into the ocean each night…and sizzle.
 
In the 14th century, Prince Henry the Navigator, the founder of a renowned centre devoted to exploration and maritime research, lived and died on the tip of the cape where a lighthouse, one of the most powerful in Europe, now stands.

Fired up by what we had seen, our journey’s end had us wondering what we could do next. Something completely different seemed a good idea. And that’s exactly what we got in another Thomson trip, this time a gentle cruise along the Guadiana river, which forms part of the border between Portugal and Spain.

On dry land, the barometer was hitting 90 degrees, so it was good to sit back on deck and enjoy a cool breeze. After passing under the International road bridge linking the two countries, we sailed past deserted beaches, fertile, cultivated valleys, and river banks lined with reed beds.   

Smooth and relaxed were the watch words. But that was before a lunchtime stop at a riverside village restaurant. Soon, the wine started to flow. And then flow some more. By then, the quiet day out had turned into a fun-filled party.   

Most trippers left their seats to clap, sing, or join a conga chain led by an accordion player, and a drum banging proprietor.  It was crazy…in the nicest possible way.
We could be hardly classed as intrepid explorers, but days later, as holiday time started to run out, we got into a another ‘get up and go’ mood and caught the local bus into Vilamoura.

It’s a dream destination for golfers, and we couldn’t help but admire green and beautiful courses which are big favourites among UK enthusiasts.
The resort’s fabulous marina - lined with luxury hotels, restaurants, bars and shops – is definitely worth a visit.  

Another bus ride took us into Albufeira, the Algarve’s most popular package holiday resort.  It caters for all tastes and budgets, but the main tourist areas can get incredibly busy.  

Instead, we slipped away from the crowds to take a stroll along quiet, back streets lined with whitewashed houses. Best of all, we then caught a lift – yes, a lift - from the clifftop down to the beach.   

There’s no doubting that the Algarve, with its huge range of hotels, villas and apartments, is perfect for families, and rightly deserves its top ranking among European holiday hotspots.

We were especially lucky in choosing the Riu Palace Algarve in Olhos d’Agua.  Still a fishing village at heart, we found it to be warm and friendly, but parking can be a bit of a nightmare.

Bars, restaurants and shops lead downhill to a lovely, sandy beach overlooked by a small promenade, and it was great to sit there and relax in the evening sun.
Exotic gardens and manicured lawns are a feature of the hotel, but it’s also a great place to enjoy fantastic views of the beautiful Praia da Falesia beach.  It’s easily one of the best, and most scenic, in the region, but it can be a testing walk there and back.

We didn’t doubt that the hotel would live up to all of the excellent qualities that Riu customers have come to expect.  From first to last we enjoyed great food, excellent service, facilities, friendly, welcoming staff, and a whole range of facilities.

Customers return again and again, especially one who is known to all as Uncle Josef.  He likes it so much he checks in five times a year. Doesn’t that say it all?
 
Fact File
Thomson flies twice a week from Manchester to Faro. A one week stay at the Riu Palace Algarve with Thomson is available from Manchester at a cost of £743 per person on a half board basis, a saving of £174.  Call Thomson on 0871 2321 4691. Book online at Thomson.co.uk or contact Riu on 0870 099 0935 or at www.riu.com