A REGION in Portugal has beaches so beautiful that it has been compared to California in the US.
Along with amazing beaches it is also one of the most affordable holiday hotspots in Europe.
In recent years, the Algarve has been dubbed the "California of Europe" by travel experts and locals alike.
An article at Travel + Leisure said: "It's obvious that California and the Algarve have similarities."
VivEurope, a company that helps people move to Portugal, also compared the two, they said: "You will find plants and hills that are almost identical in both places.
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"While California is relatively larger than Portugal as a country, there are so many similarities that they share."
The two places have been likened because of their sunny weather conditions, sandy beaches, and their top surf spots
The Algarve can be easily accessed by touching down at Faro Airport, which is around a 50-minute drive from the region's best beaches.
For four miles of sandy shores head to Praia da Falésia, but if it's surf you're after, make a beeline for Praia da Rocha.
Along most of the coastline, holidaymakers can go dolphin spotting or take to the water for some deep-sea fishing.
Beyond the sea, the region's capital city of Faro bares its own resemblance to America's Golden State.
Because many of Faro's buildings have been designed to keep out the heat, they look very similar to those found in the Palm Springs of California.
As well as buildings and beaches, one local believes the Portuguese locals have a lot in common with Americans.
Michael Stock, who owns a vineyard in Portugal, told Travel + Leisure that Americans are "flocking to the Algarve for a similar laid-back lifestyle with a lower cost of living and no divisive politics,"
Further outside of the Algarve and the comparisons between the two continue.
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Portugal's capital city of Lisbon has its very own Golden Gate Bridge, the 25 de Abril Bridge is a red-painted Bridge that crosses the Tagus river.
The Sun Online Travel team recently visited the small, uninhabited, island of Barreta just off the coast of the Algarve for a taste of the Caribbean in Portugal.
Closer to home there are plenty of towns in the UK that have been compared to cities overseas.
The traditional seaside town of Skegness has also been likened to another American city for several years.
Dubbed "Skeg Vegas" by locals, the town of Skegness in Lincolnshire has slot machines and a busy nightlife with cabaret performances.
Meanwhile, a tiny UK town has been compared to a village on the Italian Riveria because of its colourful buildings, a subtropical forest with a Chinese Lake, and incredible wildlife.
