The name says it all. Boca do Rio. Mouth of the River.

A lovely little river meets the Atlantic here. Tucked between golden cliffs, somewhere between Salema and Burgau. No bar. No lifeguard. No crowds. Just the ocean doing what it always does.

But look a little closer at the shoreline.

The Romans were here long before any tourist ever was. Boca do Rio was once home to the Romans. There was a settlement with bathhouses, warehouses, mosaics and even a fish salting factory.

On the eastern cliffs also sits a ruined fort from. Destroyed by the 1755 earthquake. Never fully rebuilt.

History tends to accumulate in places like these, where rivers meet the sea.

One of the Algarve's last truly unhurried corners. And a hidden gem for those who enjoy a bit of nature on their beaches.