The distinction was made by the National Geographic magazine, with the Algarve city one of only a handful of European towns to make the ranking.

National Geographic, while singling out Lagos, said the Algarve as a whole is blessed with waves to the west and the south, plus a pulsing party scene in the summer, and is ever ripe for adventure.

Other venues on the list include Bali, Cape Town, Waikiki and Cornwall.