When to go
Algarve is a year round destination- even in Winter, it can hit 18C during the day. Summer temperatures can reach 30C in July/ August. April-June and September-October are perfect with less crowds and nice temperatures.
How to get there
Fly to Faro airport with Ryanair, TAP Air, Aer Lingus, EasyJet and others. Sidenote: Faro airport is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful landings in Europe
By car, most towns in Coastal Algarve are 20-45 mins from Faro by car or 3hrs from Lisbon
Get the train from Lisbon (3hrs)
Get the bus from Lisbon (Oriente) with Flixbus/ Renex/ Rede Expressos for €10-€20
Where to stay
🌊 Lagos for seaside surf town/ small city vibes – also a perfect digital nomad setting
🏞️Alvor for a seaside town with loads of restaurants, bars, seafood and lots of tourists
🌄Carvoeiro for incredible cliff side beach views and lots of access to activities such as boat trips to the caves
🌅Ferragudo for authentic vibes, white-washed houses and less hills, easy access to the beach
🏨Albufeira for party vibes, a cute old town, 6km of accessible beach and likely a lot of bachelor(ette) parties
Here’s some recommendations of what to do in each:
Lagos – what to see
Lagos old town (stay near here if you’re staying overnight)
Lagos Marina
Ponta da Piedade – famous rock formations and caves: kayak, drive or take a boat tour here
Praia dos Estudantes a famous nearby beach with a dramatic Roman arch connecting the cliffs – amazing photo spot but come early for low sun and less crowds
Spend a day surfing at Praia Porto Mós or Praia Duna
Alvor – what to see
Alvor is located on a hill overlooking a river estuary near the sea so the sun sets over the water – I t’s one of my favourite places in the Algarve for an evening meal and drink out, with so many bars and restaurants on offer. A great base for a week’s holiday if you like good nightlife and a buzz.
The promenade offers these incredible sunset views, and also a variety of bars and restaurants to grab a bite or have a sundowner.
The nearby beach Praia de Alvor is kilometres long and absolutely beautiful.
If you fancy a walk, the Alvor Boardwalk (Passadiços de Alvor) is amazing for an evening stroll alongside the river and on to the beach.
Grab a drink at the end at Dunas to refresh
Spend a half day on the water by boat
The famous beaches of Praia dos Tres Irmãos and Praia da Prainha are nearby and worth a visit too.
Grab a mojito at Cafe Na Ria to enjoy the sunset.
Book dinner O Arco da Velha
Ferragudo – what to see
Ferragudo is a hidden gem in the Algarve, which remains quiet enough throughout Summer as there aren’t a huge amount of hotels there and it’s not on a train line – so day trippers come and leave and the town is left with a handful of locals and those in the know. You might recognise is from Instagram:
The white washed and colourful trimmed houses on narrow streets, bursting with cherry blossoms- an Instagrammers dream. Don’t miss this spot if you’re visiting Algarve- and read on for recommendations.
Here’s what not to miss in Ferragudo:
Wander the old streets full of colourful houses and cherry blossoms, head to Rua Dr Luiz Antonio de Santos for this epic view
Enjoy an iced coffee and people watch in the town square
Stroll along the beach and see the castle between Praia da Angrinha and Praia Grande
Enjoy some live music and good food in the evening at Club Nau on the beach
Go on a boat trip to Silves or the caves
Catch the sunset from Amigos while enjoying some tapas
Head to Tres Macacos Ferragudo for some live music and a late bar buzz at the weekend
Don’t miss the Castelo de São João do Arade (castle) on the beach
Carvoeiro – what to see
Carvoeiro is aesthetically one of my favourite places in the Algarve to visit: with its stunning white washed cliff side houses, overlooking a beautiful beach
Have a beach day at Praia de Carvoeiro
Get a boat tour from here for €20-25 to visit the caves
Take in the view of the town over the beach from Miradouro da Senhora da Encarnação
Take a lovely walk from the town to the caves via Carvoeiro Boardwalk
Admire the view from Miradouro da Falésia do Carvoeiro
Visit Boneca’s Cave and Algar Seco- famous waterside caves
Galé
Galé is a little seaside town up from Albufeira that attracts water sports enthusiasts and has easy access to the beach (unlike many parts of the Algarve, you don’t have to walk down 100s of steps to get from cliff top to beach) and it also offers absolutely beautiful sunsets 🌅 Take a walk along the low “cliff” overlooking the beach (a good option if you have doggos which aren’t allowed on most Portuguese beaches June-Sept).
Grab a bite or drink in two of the beachside cafes: Praia de Galé and O Galeão
Head to Zimzala Surf Culture Cafe in the square for some healthy and vegan food options
Fancy something fancier with a beach view? Check out Pedras Amarelas.
Albufeira – what to see
Check out the old town, take it all in from above at Miradouro do Pau da Bandeira
Take a morning walk along the amazing beaches from Praia do Peneco to Praia dos Pescadores and on to Praia de Albufeira
A beach day on one of Albufeira’s beaches is a must. The water is freezing (it’s the Atlantic after all) but super refreshing on a hot day. Grab a cheap salad or toasty for lunch at The Waterfront
Watch the sun set from the end of the beach at Leixão dos Alhos
Enjoy the best coffee in Portugal and amazing brunch at Algharb Coffee Roasters – everything from breakfast burritos to açai bowls, French toast and pancakes
Make sure to check out Albufeira Old Town at sunset from this spot at the top of the escalators: Miradouro do Pau da Bandeira.
Olhos de Agua- Praia de Falesia
Olhos de Agua is somewhere I would only recommend staying if you don’t really wanna leave your hotel except for the beach and want an all inclusive/ half board/ most meals in the hotel scenario. That said, the Cliff views over the beach there are absolutely insane, and the beach is absolutely stunning with dramatic red stone cliffs dropping away to kilometre of perfect sand.
Don’t miss Miradouro da Falésia. The viewpoint is accessed via a dirt path beside the Hotel Portobay Falesia and is called Miradouro da Falésia.
Praia do Barranco das Belharucas: The beach is incredible for sunset walks (and morning walks too) – you can walk down 100+ steps or drive down and park (marked “parking on the beach” on Google Maps). Also: if the timing is right, grab a sunset drink on the beach at Maré at Pine Cliffs. Afterwards, head to the super local Tavertino’s Restaurant near the town for amazing and cheap local food and wine.
