Better LATE

This clifftop fishing village overlooks a spectacular beach and there are steps down to the sand where you can catch brilliant sunsets. No surprise it is popular in summer, especially with a music festival at the end of August. But come September and October, peace descends.

If the weather fails, there is great coastal walking along the Fisherman’s Trail, Rota Vicentina. The local fish restaurants are also excellent and with the pound’s buying power failing elsewhere in Europe, it is all good value. GO: Fly into Faro – Jet2 has good deals from several airports. Hire a car and stay in the family-run Casa da Seiceira, with a mix of rooms and apartments, plus a pool. The hotel is half way between Zambujeira and Odeceixe, which has a superb beach. Doubles with breakfast cost from £65. See casadaseiceira.com.

Vintage lover Ribadesella, Spain

Spain’s north coast is a well-kept secret, with some of the country’s most immaculate stretches of sand. In particular the resort of Ribadesella, in Asturias, is a vintage gem.

The long strand at the back of a bay is lined with Casas de Indianos. These flashy early 20th century mansions were built by original emigrants who returned from the New World as wealthy men and wanted to show off their success. Today some of those mansions are still private houses and some are hotels.

The main part of the town is across a bridge over the river Sella, which is busy with salmon and rises in the Picos de Europa mountains 20 miles inland. GO: Fly into Asturias Oviedo airport, served by Vueling and Easyjet, rent a car and stay in the Hotel Villa Rosario, which has an old part by the sea and a cheaper new part over the road. Stay in the old part, where doubles with breakfast cost from £85. See hotelvillarosario.com.

Single traveller Oludeniz, Turkey