Vila Joya Restaurant

Top choice in Albufeira


Helmed by Austrian chef Dieter Koschina, this fine-dining restaurant in the Vila Joya resort was Portugal's first to gain two Michelin stars. Koschina draws on a variety of culinary influences and premium Portuguese produce to create exquisite dishes such as confit bacalhau with goat's-milk yoghurt and beetroot coulis, or roast goose liver with smoked eel and caviar.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Albufeira attractions

1. Praia da Galé

0.36 MILES

Beginning 9km west of Albufeira, Praia da Galé is long (5km), sandy and less crowded than many other beaches in the area.

2. Museu de Arte Sacra

3.32 MILES

This tiny museum is housed in the beautifully restored 18th-century Chapel of San Sebastian and exhibits sacred art from surrounding churches that…

3. Museu Municipal de Arqueologia

3.41 MILES

Excavated from the municipality and its surrounds (such as the castle in the village of Paderne), pieces dating from the prehistoric era to the 16th…

4. Fiesa

3.54 MILES

Fiesa is the world's biggest sand-sculpture contest. Artists are given 45,000 tonnes of sand to sculpt, and their truly amazing creations (up to 12m high…

5. Praia da Marinha

5.54 MILES

One of a few nearby beaches with karst rock stacks, Praia da Marinha is among the most beautiful. It's 7.5km east of Carvoeiro; the nicest way to reach it…

6. Benagil Caves

6.12 MILES

One of the Algarve's – and Portugal's – most emblematic sights, this huge natural seaside cave has a hole in its ceiling through which streaming sunlit…

7. Praia da Falésia

8.53 MILES

One of the Algarve's most impressive beaches is this 6km-long strip of sand backed by stunning cliffs in several shades of ochre. Starting 8.5km east of…

8. Praia do Carvoeiro

8.82 MILES

Right in the town, this diminutive arc of sandy beach gets very busy in summer.