Portugal is the hidden gem of Europe and the Algarve is the hidden gem of Portugal. It’s seriously an absolute dream. Between the breathtaking coastline and majestic coves and grottos to the deep blue waters and stunning beaches, the Algarve is truly unlike anywhere else and an absolute must if you’re planning a trip to Portugal. Whether you’re a surfer, beach lover, or adventurer, the charming beach towns of the Algarve will absolutely steal your heart. They’ve definitely stolen ours.
The best way to get to the Algarve is by car. We rented a car in Lisbon and it took about three hours to drive to Sagres. You can also get to Faro from Lisbon by train pretty easily, but the public transportation/bus situation once you’re in the Algarve region is pretty limited. So if you’re wanting to hop around between the different towns and beaches, we wouldn’t suggest relying on public transportation, because it will really limit what you are able to see and do. If you rent a car, it’s a straight shot on the highway to the Algarve and it’s pretty easy to drive around Portugal (be prepared for a lot of roundabouts though). You can also fly straight into the Faro airport.
There are so many different adorable towns and beach cities in the Algarve, but here are our top three:
Sagres
Sagres is the westernmost point of Portugal and used to be thought of as the end of the World. It’s a total laid-back surfer town and a great place to escape and unwind. If you’re a surfer, definitely spend some time here are there are some beaches with great breaks.
What to do:
Cabo de São Vicente: Cabo de São Vicente, or the End of the World, is the south-westernmost point of continental Europe. It’s also where Europeans believed the earth ended back when they thought the world was flat. It’s majestic and powerful and one of those places you could sit and stare into the nothingness in total awe for hours. It reminds us a lot of Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. Be sure to bring a jacket, because it can get really windy. There’s a beautiful lighthouse you can go inside of as well.
Ceramics Shop: Portugal is known for it’s pottery and unique designs. Almost all the plates and cups we have from Anthropolgie were made actually made in Portugal. There are the cutest little ceramics shops in Sagres that have their store front walls full of plates, so they’re hard to miss. Go inside and pick up a new mug or plate as a souvenier.
Where to Eat:
Three Little Birds: This adorably trendy restaurant is perfect for any foodie and Instagram lover. If you’re looking for a break from traditional Portuguese food, this is the perfect place. The house lemonade has fresh mint from the garden in the backyard, and it’s absolutely delicious. Their tacos, burgers, and chocolate cake are all to die for.
Where to Stay:
We stayed at Memmo Baleeira Hotel and it was so beautiful. It’s right in the heart of Sagres, and tucked in the harbor, so you have a beautiful ocean view and it’s super easy to walk into town. The town is pretty small, but definitely worth spending some the time in. At Memmo Baleeira, you can take surfing lessons, go on a bike ride, practice morning yoga, or relax with a massage at the spa. The pool is absolutely beautiful and they have their own private beach, but it’s within walking distance to other beautiful beaches as well.
The breakfast is absolutely delicious with tons of different options ranging from traditional Portuguese breakfast foods to more American breakfast options and there is an entire section dedicated to a more health-conscious breakfast. There were a lot of people staying there who were avid surfers or spending their time cycling the coast, and it’s definitely an amazing hotel that caters to all different types of lifestyles.
book your stay at memmo baleeira here
Lagos
Lagos is personally my favorite town in the Algarve. Probably because I lived there for about six months, so I might be a bit biased, but it’s honestly so beautiful and no matter how many times I go back, it’s literally just as breathtaking as the last. From the adorable white buildings in town center to the amazing rock formations sitting in the middle of the ocean, I’ll just never get over how pretty it is.
What to do:
Play in the sun on Praia Dona Ana: “Praia” means beach in Portugal, so if you see anywhere that says Praia, it’s probably worth checking out. Praia Dona Ana is one of the most picturesque beaches in Lagos. It’s surrounded by beautiful rock formations, but it can also get pretty crowded, so get there early to claim your spot.
Hang out at Praia da Batata: Potato Beach is a great place to hang out and start your day of exploring the beaches of Lagos. It’s a quick walk from town center and the water is crystal clear, so it’s the perfect place to spend the day in the sun. When you want to hop over to the next beach and explore a bit more, you can climb through the rocks and head over to Praia dos Estudantes, another more secluded little beach.
Take a Boat Tour through the Grottos: This was one of our favorite things we did. We took a boat tours with BlueFleet Portugal and loved getting to see the coastline from the water. The boat drivers are also insanely skilled and take you through the smallest openings in the rocks to see these amazing caves and most beautiful shades of blue water. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can also take a kayaking tour through the grottos.
Explore Praia do Camilo: Praia do Camilo has amazing hiking trails at the top, so you can see all the cliffs and coastline into the next town over, Portimão. It is 200 stairs down to the beach, so be prepared for the leg workout on the way back up, but the beach is absolutely beautiful and surrounded by the most breathtaking rocks.
Hike Around Ponta da Piedade: Ponta da Piedade is my favorite spot in all of Lagos. From the top, it’s absolutely breathtaking and it’s so fun to hike around and explore. There are so many different views and angles you can walk around and see. It’s a photographer’s dream. You can also hop in a boat from here to take a tour through the grottos.
Where to Eat:
Maharaja Tasty Indian: If you like Indian food, you have to go here. It’s really authentic and seriously delicious. The Chicken Tikka Masala and garlic naan are our favorites.
Harley’s Cafe: Harley’s Cafe is right in the heart of town with outdoor seating, so you can enjoy the small beach town environment. They have delicious salads and açai bowls, so it’s the perfect after-beach lunch spot.
And don’t forget to treat yourself to some ice cream from the town square.
Carvoeiro
The Best Beaches:
Praia da Marinha: Praia da Marinha is the most epic and beautiful beach in Carvoeiro. There is a giant stretch of classic beach, so there’s plenty of room to spread out. But then there is a whole area that’s basically like a giant natural playground. There are tons of rocks to walk around and climb on and various caves and coves to walk into. There’s also lots of crabs around, so if you like sea life, be sure to spend some time over on the rocky side.
Algar Seco: Algar Seco is another incredible coastline drop off and the perfect place for cliff jumping. Even if you don’t jump in the water, it’s absolutely beautiful and definitely worth spending some time checking it out.
Praia da Benagil: Praia da Benagil is the most magical natural cave. You can hike around the top of the hole and look down onto the beach or take a boat tour and see the cave from the water. You can also swim or kayak there, but if you do, we suggest going very early in the morning before the boats start their tours, because it gets very busy later in the day, and it’d be very dangerous to be swimming in that area with all the boats driving around.
Where to Eat:
Earth Shop & Cafe: For smoothies, avocado toast, salads and all things healthy, Earth Shop & Cafe is the best spot to eat after a long morning of cliff jumping or beach hopping. It also has the cutest little shop with different salts and spices, soaps, ceramics, and traditional Portuguese goods. It’s the perfect place to pick up a souvenir that’s not a “trinket.”
Where to Stay:
We stayed at Monte Santo Resort and it has so much to offer. The resort itself is beautiful and has a variety of options for accommodations from traditional hotel rooms to suites to two-story townhouses. There is a beautiful outdoor pool with Balibeds and a pool bar, so you can spend the day fully relaxing by the pool. There are also jacuzzis, an indoor pool, a fitness center, and spa. The staff is super helpful and very accommodating and made sure all of our needs were taken care of.
Whether you’re a family traveling through the Algarve or a couple looking for a romantic getaway, Monte Santo Resort is a great place to stay and has options for everyone.
book your stay at monte santo resort here
If you’re looking for other things to do and places to visit in Portugal, check out our Ultimate Guide to Portugal and our Three Day Guide to Lisbon! Thank you Monte Santo Resort and Memmo Baleeira Hotel for hosting us during our time in the Algarve!
What to Pack:
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beautiful love it want to come spend some time there soon w someone special
It’s an amazing place!! Hope you make it there soon!
Is the mante Sanyo resort right on the beach or in town!? And is the Bengali free to just go check out? Thanks!
It’s on the hill right above the town and the beach! You can swim early in the morning to Bengali for free. If you want to take a boat or kayak tour there during the day, it costs money. If you do choose to swim, make sure you go really early in the morning, because there are tons of boats going in and out during the day and it’d be super dangerous to be swimming in the water there. You can also hike and see it from the top for free!
Hi! Do you how the weather is like end of march/beginning of april? Is it too cold to go the algarve?
It will still be a little chilly, but there should still be sunny and beautiful days! The water will be pretty cold, so I don’t know that you’d want to swim in it, but you could definitely still go to the beaches!
Thank you for replying so quick! Might just go for it because it looks so beautiful and that’s the only time I can go! Love all your pictures from there! How many days do you think I should stay in the algarve area?
Aw thanks so much! It depends how long you’ll be in Portugal, but I’d definitely suggest at least 2-3 days, because there’s so much to do and so many beautiful towns to explore!
Was there in the fall of 2017 and it was amazing!
That’s so fun! Fall would be the perfect time to go! It really is such a beautiful place! Glad you got to experience it for yourself!
If we’ve only got time to stay in one place in The Algarve for a couple of days where would you recommend? Lagos? Have any hotel recommendations for Lagos? TIA!
Yeah I’d recommend Lagos, because it’s pretty central to all our favorite places and the beaches there are some of our favorites! We’ve never stayed in a hotel in Lagos, so I don’t have a personal recommendation, but we’ve heard good things about the Tivoli brand and there’s one in Lagos!
What is the best time of year to visit Portugal’s Algarve? We are in the early stages of planning our 15th anniversary trip next year and we need to nail down dates. After reading this article, Algarve is definitely on my list to visit while in Europe. 😉
We love visiting in May or September, because those are "shoulder seasons." It’s not as busy and hotels are cheaper, but you still get beautiful weather. The water is really cold in May, and it’s probably a little warmer in September, but any time between May and September would be beautiful I’m sure! That’s so exciting! Congrats on 15 years!
I spend February in Portugal this year. About 3 weeks, I was based in Albufeira and stayed at a hotel at Praia da Oura. It was very cheap under $30 a night. I took tours throughout the Algarve. I especially liked Sagres. I found going in February that it is cheaper and the weather is still good. It rained one day while I was there. Not all the tourists then either. I had a car also and needed if you go to the Algarve. I found the chocolate festival in Loule outstanding. Then, I flew into Lisbon and spend three nights there going on a tour every day. I especially like going to Nazare where the tallest waves in the world are for the surfers. But, you should bring a light jacket as it is very windy. Next February, I am flying from San Francisco non stop to Barcelona. It is cheaper on Iberia direct under $400 roundtrip. I am spending a week in Barcelona, driving to Madrid for a week, and the onto Albufeira for another week. Then, I will drive back to Barcelona for my trip home.
Hey! We’re a couple who plans to go to portugal this October but we only have 4fulldays.. i have some questions i hope you can help me 🙂 is October a good month to go to the algarve? should we just fly straight to faro and rent a car there? Lastly, will we be able to go around the 3 cities or atleast 2? Thanks
I think October would be a good month in the Algarve, but it might be starting to get colder. You can definitely fly into Faro and rent a car. You could also fly into Lisbon and it’s only about a three hour drive to the Algarve from there. You could definitely do 2 or 3 cities in 4 days, but it would depend on how much time you want to spend in each area. We’d probably suggest visiting 2 cities in 4 days. Hope you have a great time!
Hi Achao,
I’ve only been to the Algarve in February and May. I prefer the low season with less tourists. The Algarve has approx 300 days a year of sunshine. You can look up the temperatures for the Algarve for the month of October. I base myself in Albufeira. I flew into Faro this last February and rented a car from there. I took several tours throughout the Algarve. I also drove to several of the sites. In my opinion, it is best to rent a car as the other transportation might be lacking. You can see several cities in that 3 day period. Good luck and have fun!
Hi, I have 4 nights/ 5 days in the Algarve in August and was originally going to base in Lagos but none of the hotels left are really jumping out at me. The hotels in Sagres look really nice, but wondering what it’s like in the evening and if it will be buzzy enough in August to make this our base and still visit Lagos and Carvoeiro on day trips?
Hi Gabrielle! I would save Carvoeiro and Portimao probably have the buziest nightlife if that’s what you’re looking for! It might be worth it to spend 1-2 nights in Sagres and then 2 nights in Carvoeiro so you can have a mix of both!
Hi Gabrielle,
Sagres is very nice. Henry the Navigator had a school there and there is a large sundial that you must see. I have been to the supposedly the western point of Portugal and it gets a bit windy there. The scenery is quite breathtaking. I prefer staying in the middle of the Algarve in Albufeira and branch out from there. You would be in close proximity to the Spanish border and would be a shorter drive from there east or west. There is so much to see on the Algarve. It depends what you are most interested in. In February, I stayed at Praia da Oura beach. It was quite breathtaking right on the beach. One can hear the surf breaking at night. I am going back in January instead of February next year. I want to check out the caves along the coast. I may drive up to Sesimbra and the Costa Azul and check out that area. It is just short drive from the Algarve. Have fun!
Hi,
Thank you for all the great information! We will be visiting Portugal in a couple of weeks and are staying in Algarve for a couple of days before heading to Lisbon. We plan to rent a car and drive from Lisbon to Algarve, do you have an suggestions of sightseeing or things to do along the drive?
Thanks!
-Christine
Hi Christine,
There isn’t much along the toll road, but you can take alternate highways and find some great towns. First, make sure you make time for Sintra, outside of Lisbon. That can be done during your Lisbon stay too though! Apart from that, check out you can check out Evora, Sesimbra, and Beja. We haven’t been to all of those towns, but have heard good things!
The Alentejo region is gorgeous!
In May we drove from Lisbon to Lagos following nearby the coast and skipping the toll road. It was a wonderful drive, not really a lot of ocean views, more wooded, hilly, windy roads. Until you reach the Algarve. And then you have to go down the tiny windy road to Praia do Castelejo and Castelejo Restaurante for the catalplana! Oh my goodness, so very tasty!!
I’m not sure if you will driving round trip, but if you are then you can always take the toll road northbound. And its not too far out of the way to go through Evora on the way as Sam mentions. And yes, Sintra is a must see, especially Pena Palace and the Quinta da Regaleira (with a guide/driver).
Hi Samantha!
Your pictures are beautiful! Can I ask where that picture of the rail staircase leading to the water is? I’d love to see it too! I’m visiting Portugal next week~
Thanks!
Fiona
Hi Fiona!
Thank you so much! Yes, that’s at Ponta da Piedade! You can’t really "swim" there. It’s very rocky and there’s a lot of boats coming and going, but it’s absolutely beautiful and definitely worth visiting! Have a blast!
Hi!!! Loved your post!!! So many great suggestions. I was wondering what town your looking over from a rock cliff in one of the pictures. I’m going to Algarve this month and wanted to included a few charming towns to my itinerary.
Thanks:) Maria
So glad you found it helpful! That town is called Carvoeiro. Both Carvoeiro and Lagos have beautiful cliff views! The Algarve is such a beautiful place! We hope you have the best time there!
Great post and beautiful photos. I arrived at Faro airport and travel to a town called Lagos, and visit Sagres with a private transfers company called https://www.algarvefamilytransfers.com Friendly and good price. I Love Algarve.
Hi, love your blog very informative! We are following a similar itinerary as you driving from Lisbon to the Algarve for six nights in Septmeber. Do you have a hotel recommendation for Lagos or prefer staying in the hotels you recommended in Sagres and Carvoeiro?
Thanks,
Brenda
There aren’t a ton of hotels in Lagos that we would recommend, so we generally suggest staying in Sagres or Carvoeiro!
Hi, love this blog post! I was wondering where exactly is the photo taken where you’re in the pink one-piece swimsuit from Madewell? Thank you!! x
Aw thanks so much! That photo is from Ponta da Piedade!
Also, what lens did you use for the landscape shots?
We use a 16-35 mm lens for most of our photos!
Love this post! Did you use your drone at all for some of these shots? I’m looking to bring mine, but I was wondering if you felt okay using yours in these areas, especially Lagos? Thanks!
Thanks so much! Yes, we did use our drone for some of these shots! We felt fine flying ours, but as always, we recommend checking out knowbeforeyoufly.org and your app to make sure you’re well informed on the area and the restrictions before flying. Have a blast in Lagos!