What to pack for The Algarve in April

UV index of 8.8 burns exposed skin fast, even on cloudy days.

Glare off the coast and water reflects hard light into your eyes.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Rural terrain and coastal rocks cause cuts and scrapes that need care.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters, skipping the checked-bag line.

Rural terrain demands a bag that sits close to your body on uneven ground.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Coastal wind cuts through a t-shirt fast.

Nine rain days mean damp air; moisture-wicking keeps skin from staying clammy.

UV hits 8.8 here. Long sleeves beat reapplying sunscreen every hour.

For temples, mosques, and churches that check at the door.

Thirteen hours of daylight means long hours with the sun overhead.

Hands touch everything on the route, so a bottle keeps water clean without single-use plastic.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel and rural areas mean fewer secure places for cash.

Multiple handlers at international airports and guesthouses create theft risk for luggage.

Nine rain days compress damp clothes into one bag, so cubes separate wet from dry.

Rural guesthouses lack soundproofing and coastal wind carries noise through thin walls.

Wind at 22 km/h dries lips raw; SPF prevents cracking and peeling.

Tap water is safe, but hands touch everything on the route.

One outlet per room forces you to charge devices in sequence.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

International border means your passport gets checked and handled constantly.

Luggage passes through multiple hands at international airports and guesthouses.

Long flights to international destinations feel shorter with neck support.