This very charming country house is the perfect getaway for a family or a group of friends, cocooned in delightful gardens, vibrant with bougainvillea, geraniums, palm trees and lush lawns. The gardens surrounding the house are completely enclosed, which means a great play space for the kids and privacy for the adults, all just a few minutes’ drive from lovely Loulé town.

Cabana do Tomas feels like a real home, decorated in traditional Algarve style with terracotta floors, colourful rugs and a couple of different comfy seating areas inside so everyone can find their peaceful corner when they need to. There’s a bath or shower room for each bedroom and whoever is lucky enough land the master suite on the first floor also gets access to a large, covered balcony with views over the countryside, all the way to the Atlantic ocean in the distance.

Our favourite place at this house has to be the garden however, with its two shady terraces that face the pool and the countryside beyond. This is the hub of the home in the summer months, from coffee and deliciously addictive Portuguese pastries for breakfast to a quiet drink or a family game of cards in the golden glow of evening. And when you feel like getting to know your surroundings a bit more, we recommend a five-minute drive to Loulé, home to one of the best covered markets on the entire coast and an excellent place to try authentic Algarvian cooking in the restaurants tucked away along its narrow cobblestone streets. For a change of pace (and often price!) the coastal resorts of Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura are also within easy reach.