The Algarve region is one you should definitely not miss when you visit Portugal. When people mention Algarve they often talk about its magnificent beaches. However, there is much more to it. That’s exactly what I’ll show you in this blog post with my 8 days itinerary in Algarve.

Algarve is a huge and diverse region, where you can find some of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal, charming cities, towns and villages, cinematographic waterfalls or even one of the most beautiful trails in Portugal – Seven Hanging Valleys Trail.

So, when I went on an adventure to the Algarve I wanted exactly to explore all the diversity that the region has to offer. I didn’t always stay in the same place, I didn’t just go to the beach and I also tried visiting several beaches 😊

I only knew Algarve during summer, so I was very excited to get to know this other side of this region! That’s why I am sharing with you my complete 8 days itinerary in the Algarve region. Here you’ll find some ideas of what to visit from Sagres to Vila Real de Santo António.

This visit took place in May, which is in fact an excellent time to explore the Algarve region. In addition to the milder temperatures (which often allow you to go to the beach, as was the case), we managed to escape the high season. Additionally, it also allowed us to save some money: accommodation is much cheaper and so are the restaurants.

So, although any time of year is good to visit Algarve due to the mild temperatures of the region, the months of May to October are the warmest and best months!

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you also want to explore Costa Vicentina, I also have a quick guide about its beaches (some of them are also in Algarve).

In my case, this 8-day Algarve itinerary includes a return trip to Porto, located in the North of Portugal. Most likely, this won’t be your case, so you’ll have time to add a point or two to this itinerary 😉

Nevertheless, to be able to visit the Algarve as it deserves, I recommend at least 7 days in the region.

💡 EXTRA TIP: For those coming from Porto (and elsewhere in the North of Portugal) you can stop for a nice lunch in Ourique or Castro Verde. Both are located in Alentejo, so you’ll be eating delicious food for sure. In Ourique I highly recommend Adega do Monte Velho and in Castro Verde the restaurant De Castro.

The Algarve region is served by Faro’s airport, with direct connections to some major European cities, such as:

• Portugal (Porto, Lisbon)
• United Kingdom (London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, …)
• France (Paris, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, …)
• Spain (Bilbao, Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona)
• Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, …)
• Italy (Milan)
• Switzerland (Geneva, Basel, Zurich)

It all depends on what you want to do in the Algarve. If you only want to visit part of the region, you probably only need to arrange transport between Faro airport and your accommodation.

However, and assuming that you will get to know more of the region, the best way to travel between the various locations is by car, as public transport does not always reach everywhere and has a more limited frequency.

The Algarve region is vast and if you want to visit many of the points on this itinerary, the ideal would be to alternate between accommodations. In my case, I chose to stay overnight in Silves for the first four days as it is a good starting point to explore many of the points of interest in the western part of Algarve.

For the remaining nights, I ended up hopping from accommodation to accommodation in the direction of Spain. I leave you, then, my recommendations for accommodation:

• [Silves] Mosaiko Suites: located in the historic centre of Silves, it is an old building completely renovated. The flats are spacious and well-decorated, and the basic rate includes a well-served breakfast in the restaurant right next to the flats.
• [Loulé] Loulé Jardim Hotel: located a few minutes from the historic centre, it is an old hotel, but recently renovated. It is a fairly simple hotel with no great luxuries, but comfortable to spend a night or two.
• [Tavira] Country House Tavira Monte: far from the historical centre of Tavira, but equipped with a swimming pool and very comfortable rooms. Good value for money.
• [Monte Gordo] The Prime Energize Monte Gordo: an extremely modern hotel with simple and spacious rooms. The hotel also has a rooftop pool with a pleasant bar. It is also worth mentioning the breakfast with buffet options as well as hot dishes.

However, I also take this opportunity to leave you other suggestions for accommodation that were on my favourites list, but which ended up not being my final choice:

• Lagos: Uma Casa a Beira Sol | Safari Beach GuestHouse | Suites Inn Lagos | Apartamentos Marvela | Carvi Beach Hotel | Tivoli Lagos
• Lagoa: Lagoa Hotel
• Carvoeiro: Quinta das Andorinhas | Carvoeiro Hotel | Placid Village | O Quintal Guesthouse | Castelo Guest House
• Loulé: Casa Beny 1897 Guesthouse | aleixomor’Aqui 
• Vila Real de Santo António: Pousada Vila Real de Santo António

• Day 1: Porto – Monchique – Silves
• Day 2: Silves – Sagres – Lagos – Silves
• Day 3: Silves – Lagos – Alvor – Silves
• Day 4: Silves – Lagoa – Carvoeiro – Ferragudo – Silves
• Day 5: Silves – Alte – Loulé
• Day 6: Loulé – Estoi – Faro – Olhão – Tavira
• Day 7: Tavira – Pego do Inferno – Cacela Velha – Monte Gordo
• Day 8: Monte Gordo – Vila Real Santo António – Castro Marim – Alcoutim – Porto

Due to the long trip we had, the first day was shorter, but we still managed to explore a bit of Serra de Monchique.

We started our itinerary at the Ruins of Nossa Senhora do Desterro Convent. Founded in the 17th century, this convent belonged to the friars of the Third Order of St. Francis. Unfortunately, despite some attempts at rehabilitation, the convent is currently in ruins in a rather advanced state.

I do not recommend visiting it as I think the facilities may not be that safe. However, it is always worth going up to the ruins area as this is one of the best views over Monchique.

The walk followed to the lovely village of Monchique. There is not a long list of points of interest to visit in the village, so I suggest letting yourself get lost in the village’s small streets.

After visiting the village, it’s time to go up to Fóia viewpoint. Fóia is the highest point in Serra de Monchique (and also in Algarve) at around 900 metres high.

On clear days, the view is superb, and we can even observe the sea in the background. However, although it was sunny down in the village, when we arrived at the viewpoint it was very foggy, and it was not possible to observe the sea. A little further down the road, we stopped at another viewpoint with similar views.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Monchique also has several waterfalls: Penedo do Buraco Waterfall, Chilrão Waterfall and Barbelote Waterfall. However, during summer the water is scarce, so it is rather preferable to visit these waterfalls in winter, for example. Plus, the roads that lead to the waterfalls are in poor condition. So, if you like trails, the best option to visit these 3 waterfalls is to take Monchique Waterfalls Trail (PR5, 17 km round trip).

Finally, I suggest a more relaxing end to the day in Caldas de Monchique. Monchique Thermal Baths are the only thermal complex in the Algarve region, and the properties of these waters have been exploited since the Roman Empire. If you want to plan your visit, you can click here.

The second day of this road trip through Algarve started in Silves, where we were hosted. Silves is a city with a huge history, and it was even the capital of Algarve for a long time.

Silves was one of my favourite places in Algarve. Although the historic centre is small, it still has some very interesting places.

Silves was once under Muslim rule and was later reconquered by D. Sancho I. Therefore, the visit starts right at Silves Castle, where at the entrance we find a statue in honour of D. Sancho I. The adult ticket costs 2,8€ (3,9€ if you also visit the museum), and the castle is very well-preserved.

Right next to the castle, we find Silves Cathedral, which was once a mosque during the Muslim occupation.

The route continued towards Al-Mutamid Square, where we can see some elements that remind us of the period when Silves belonged to the Moors.

We also took the opportunity to stroll along the banks of the River Arade, appreciate the Roman Bridge over the river, visit the City Market or even take a look at the Rebola Arch.

💡 EXTRA TIP: The best views over the city of Silves are achieved by crossing the bridge to the other side of the Arade river. At night, they are especially magical 😊

This day’s itinerary through the western Algarve continues towards Sagres, the westernmost point of the European continent.

We started with a visit to the Sagres Fortress, one of the most important military monuments in southern Portugal and where we can find Nossa Senhora da Graça Church.

The entrance ticket costs 3€ per adult, and on Sundays and holidays until 14h the entrance is free.

Our visit to Sagres continued with a visit to Santo António de Belixe Fortress and, finally, to the Cape and Lighthouse of São Vicente. The Belixe Fortress is not as well-preserved as the Sagres Fortress, but it is still interesting.

And, despite being usually very windy, it is always possible to take our chances on some of the fantastic beaches in Sagres: Belixe, Mareta, Martinhal or Tonel beaches. For surf or kite surf lovers, certainly, these beaches need no introduction 😊

After having lunch in Sagres (a delicious sea bass), our road trip continued towards Lagos. This is where you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve… but we’ll talk about that later on 😉

In my opinion, Lagos is one of Algarve’s cities with the most interesting historical centre and is therefore perfect for an afternoon well spent.

We started walking along the waterfront in Avenida dos Descobrimentos, where we can visit the City Market, the Governor’s Castle or even Ponta da Bandeira Fort. We also took the opportunity to stop at Infante D. Henrique Square and enjoy Santa Maria de Lagos Church.

The itinerary was followed by the streets and alleys of this city. Lagos is a city full of life (and also of foreigners) and on every corner, there is a little shop or a café/restaurant.

The best way is to really experience this city at a slower pace. On the way, we also stopped at Gil Eanes Square (where you can see a sculpture by João Cutileiro) and at Santo António Church.

But Lagos is also known for its incredible beaches. It will be hard to choose from so many, but these are definitely worth a visit:

• Dona Ana Beach
• Batata Beach
• Estudantes Beach (and its Roman Bridge)
• Pinhão Beach
• Camilo Beach

Except for Pinhão beach, all beaches have parking facilities quite close by. However, the car parks are relatively small, so during high season, it can be difficult to find a parking space.

Since Lagos has so many jaw-dropping beaches, we returned the next day to experience another beach and also visit Ponta da Piedade. Ponta da Piedade is one of the most amazing places in Algarve and you can easily understand why.

Ponta da Piedade is a geographical accident with rock formations that are the result of sea and wind erosion. In addition to the crystal clear seawater, the beauty of this place also comes from the many natural caves and arches that exist there.

To visit these rock formations, we can opt for one of the companies that can be found at the several stalls on Avenida dos Descobrimentos in Lagos.

There are boat and kayak tours available, so you only have to choose the one that suits you best. Alternatively, we can also book one of these services online.

In this area, it is also possible to walk along the Ponta da Piedade Walkways, which are 5 km long (round trip). Here is some useful information about these walkways:

• Start of the Trail: Ponta da Piedade Lighthouse
• End of the Trail: Canavial Beach
• One-way trail
• Distance: 5km (return trip)
• Difficulty: easy

This is one of the most relaxed days on this itinerary through the Algarve, but also the one where we visited some of the best beaches in the region.

So, during the afternoon, we visited Alvor. The centre of Alvor is like a miniature version of Albufeira, with streets full of restaurants and bars.

The key to exploring Alvor is to let yourself get lost in its streets. However, here are some of Alvor’s main points of interest: Municipal Market, Misericórdia Church and Alvor’s Ria. 

One of the best ways to enjoy Alvor’s Ria is through Alvor Walkways, which connect the ria to Alvor Beach (also worth a visit). The walkways start at Três Irmãos Beach and end at Alvor’s Ria, passing through Alvor beach. The route is 6 km long (one-way), but it is perfectly possible to walk only parts of the route according to one’s preferences.

And, finally, a visit to Alvor is not complete without stopping at Três Irmãos Beach. It is also considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Algarve and you can easily see why. No need for words, am I right? 😊

After a more relaxed day, the next day would be more adventurous, but also the one that would surprise me the most.

We left Silves heading towards Marinha Beach to start the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail – one of the most amazing trails in Algarve.

The route is almost 6 km long (one way only) and passes through emblematic places such as Marinha Beach, Mesquita Beach, Cabo Carvoeiro, Vale de Centeanes Beach and the famous Benagil Cave.

To find out everything you need to know to walk this trail, as well as to visit the Benagil Cave, I recommend you read my post about the trail.

After a jaw-dropping trail in the morning and early afternoon, followed a visit to a lesser-known place in Algarve – Ferragudo.

Part of Lagoa municipality, the fishing village of Ferragudo looks like something out of a fairytale. The village became known on Instagram for its flowery streets and colourful houses that make for cute photos. It may seem cliché or not, but the truth is that I really enjoyed walking through those streets.

Still not to be missed in Ferragudo, there is São João de Arade Castle, right by the mouth of the Arade river. If the weather is nice, you can also enjoy a swim at Angrinha beach.

Just when I thought the day couldn’t be more surprising, I arrived in Carvoeiro. We started by glimpsing the sun setting behind Carvoeiro beach from Nossa Senhora da Encarnação viewpoint. Definitely one of the best moments of the day 😊

We continued towards Nossa Senhora de Encarnação Chapel, where the Carvoeiro Walkways begin. This route is quite short (about 600 meters one way) and is nothing more to it than a wooden walkway by the sea. After a tiring and hot day, the warm breeze at the end of the day was just perfect!

At the end of the trail is another of the most popular attractions in Algarve (although I never heard of it before) – Algar Seco. Algar Seco is another rock formation where there are natural pools with crystal clear water.

Right next to it, you can also visit Boneca Cave, which is the perfect place to watch a sunset. 

This Algarve itinerary continues in a lesser-known area, even though it is becoming more popular due to Instagram – Alte village.

This small village has come to be known because of “Queda do Vigário” – a 24-metre-high waterfall that results from Alte’s creek. The waterfall forms a natural pool that, on hotter days, is simply irresistible.

Getting to the waterfall is quite simple and you just need to park the car next to Alte’s cemetery. From there you have to walk a short trail (there is a shortcut version) of about 1 km – in less than 15 minutes we arrived at the waterfall.

There is also some grass near the waterfall where you can lie down a bit after a dip in the water.

Visiting Queda do Vigário was an excellent excuse to take a walk through the centre of Alte village. As you might expect, there is not a huge list of places to visit, but these are some of the main ones: Mother Church | São Luís Chapel | Fonte Grande River Beach.

This day ended in Loulé, a much busier city with some points of interest.

We started the itinerary near City Park, a green and pleasant space to walk around. Right at the entrance, it’s impossible not to notice the statue in honour of Duarte Pachecho, Portuguese statesman that worked for Salazar’s government (Portuguese dictatorship) and a Loulé native.

We headed for the City Market, which is clearly one of the most distinctive images when we think of Loulé.

Walking just a few metres, we come across Republic Square and Clock Tower. A little further, we can find Nossa Senhora da Conceição chapel, with its interior covered in tiles.

Next is Loulé Castle, which dates back to the time of the Arab occupation of Portugal. Don’t miss Dom Pedro I square, Bicas Velhas Fountain, where I saw several locals filling up bottles with water, and Pinto Arch.

We also visited Amuados Garden (where we found one of the best views of Nossa Senhora da Piedade Sanctuary), Church of São Clemente and Nossa Senhora do Pilar Chapel.

The day ended with a visit to Cadoiço Creek waterfall. Access couldn’t have been easier, but perhaps because of that, the water was unsuitable for bathing due to accumulated rubbish. Even so, the place is still beautiful to take some pictures.

Before planning this trip, I had never even heard of Estoi. But if you visit Faro, this small diversion is well worth it.

Estoi has just a few things to visit, but those few things are more than enough. Firstly, there is the Rococo Palace of Estoi, which also contains some beautiful gardens.

In addition, it is also possible to visit the Roman ruins of Milreu, where it is possible to see an ancient Roman villa discovered during archaeological excavations. The ticket costs 2€ (2021) for adults.

After time travel in Estoi, it was time to visit the capital of Algarve. Most tourists start their trip in Algarve here, but probably do not take the time to visit the city of Faro.

However, Faro is worth a visit, and it was even one of the cities that most positively surprised me on this trip.

After a quick stroll around the Faro harbour, we entered the historical centre through Porta Nova (New Gate). We started by visiting Faro’s Cathedral, from where the old City Walls and two more arches (the “Vila” arch and “Repouso” arch) followed.

Then, we stopped here and there to take some photographs of cute small houses and flowery streets that we found along the way.

Other must-see places in Faro include Santo António dos Capuchos Convent, Carmo Church and St Peter’s Church.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you are visiting Faro by car, one of the best places to park your car is in São Francisco square, which has plenty of places, and it is also free.

In Faro you can also visit Deserta island (Desert Island), only accessible by boat. We tried to go, but unfortunately, we had less time than required and the prices were much higher than expected.

There are several companies offering this service (next to Faro harbour) but you can also check out beforehand the several boat trips available in Ria Formosa here.

Finally, we headed to Olhão, a city known for its richness when it comes to fish and seafood. The brand image of this city is its market, and it is easy to understand why. Besides its architecture that stands out, here we can find the freshest fish, fruit, vegetables and even some cafés. The market is open every day from 7h to 13h, except on Sundays…

The streets of Olhão are also another must-see on an itinerary through the city. Therefore, we took the opportunity to walk the Olhão Legends Route (Caminho das Lendas de Olhão in Portuguese). This path connects five of the main squares in the historic centre of Olhão and it is an excellent way to get to know a little bit of the city’s history.

Finally, Olhão rhymes with Ria Formosa Natural Park, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal. Tickets for the ferries to the various islands can be bought near the promenade and are very affordable.

In our case, we chose to visit Armona island and, more specifically, Armona Beach. The ferry trip lasted about 15 minutes and cost less than 5€ (round trip per person).

The trip is beautiful and quite peaceful. I found it very interesting to see some inhabitants of Armona island returning home after a shopping trip in the centre of Olhão.

It is also possible to take longer excursions that stop at different points of interest on the various islands. Although I haven’t tried it, it is a nice option to maximize your time and get to visit more of the incredible Ria Formosa. Next time I visit, I think I will opt for this to visit other islands.

The city of Tavira has a charm of its own, different from all the other cities and towns in the Algarve. You can easily spend a whole day exploring the town, but it is also possible to put together the main points of interest in an afternoon or morning.

A visit to Tavira is not complete without passing its iconic Roman Bridge and taking a few photos of the Gilão River.

In addition, you should climb up to the Castle for panoramic views of the city and also take the opportunity to visit Santiago Church.

You should also include a visit to Ribeira Market, Coreto Garden and Republic Square, where you can enjoy some ice cream.

You can find out more details on what to visit in Tavira here, including some useful information about the beaches in Tavira belonging to Ria Formosa.

Tavira was followed by a visit to another waterfall – Pego do Inferno Waterfall. Although a larger natural pool than the Queda do Vigário, the waterfall is not as high.

To get there, we just have to follow the directions on Google Maps, and we easily find some places where it is possible to park.

From the car park, you have to walk for about 10 minutes to reach one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Algarve region. The path is not always well-marked, but the final location is easily reached.

However, next to the waterfall there are no infrastructures and there is almost no space to lie down or even sit down.

Cacela Velha village offers one of the best views of Ria Formosa and, for this reason, could not be missing from this Algarve itinerary.

Built on a fossil cliff, the best views over Ria Formosa are from the village’s fort. The truth is that, apart from the Mother Church, there is little else to see in Cacela Velha. But, at least for me, what really matters here is the simply breathtaking landscape.

The beach is reached through the Fábrica village, where there is a small car park. At low tide, you can even walk to the beach. Otherwise, there are constantly small boats making the round trip to the beach (the price is about 1,5€ per person).

The last day of this trip began in Vila Real de Santo António, which always brings back great memories of when I was a child returning from southern Spain in the summer.

In my opinion, Vila Real de Santo António looks like a different, more organized Algarve. It is easy to imagine why… Marquês de Pombal was responsible for building the city after the 1755 earthquake, just like Lisbon.

The city centre is small, but these are some of the points that should not be missed:

• Marquês de Pombal Square
• Aleixo Cultural Centre
• Nossa Senhora da Encarnação Mother Church
• Stroll along the banks of the Guadiana river overlooking Spain

The itinerary continued towards Castro Marim, a town near Spain that makes us clearly understand that Algarve is way more than its beautiful beaches.

The town’s ex-libris is its castle, where every summer there is the Castro Marim Medieval Festival. The entrance price per adult is only 1,1€. There are clearly not many excuses not to visit one of the most important monuments in Castro Marim.

From inside the Castle, we have one of the best possible viewpoints over Castro Marim’s Nature Reserve and also São Sebastião Fort.

To finish our itinerary, we also passed by the Old Town Market or the Mother Church of Nossa Senhora dos Mártires.

Last, but not least, we ended this road trip in Alcoutim. In fact, Alcoutim reminded me of Alentejo (more specifically Mértola). The image that got stuck in my mind is clearly of the white houses on the other side of the river (Sanlúcar de Guadiana in Spain).

However, besides these landscapes that make us want to stay there watching for a long time, Alcoutim has other points of interest:

• Medieval Castle (2,5€ for each adult)
• São Salvador Church
• Santo António Chapel
• Misericórdia Church
• Ermida Nossa Senhora da Conceição

💡 EXTRA TIP: During summer, the weather is quite hot in Alcoutim. Don’t think that just because it is further from the sea, it is not possible to take a swim. Prego Fundo River Beach is an excellent option to cool down a bit on hot summer days.

• A Sereia (€): very simple and basic restaurant, attached to the Sagres fish dock. The fish we had there was just the best.
• Others I have not tried but have been recommended: Retiro do Pescador

• A Barrigada (€€): traditional fish restaurant where the speciality is “mistas de peixe” (a combination of many grilled fishes).
• Casa do Prego (€€): restaurant that serves “prego” (traditionally portuguese steak served inside bread or on a plate).

• Marisqueira Rui (€€€): traditional seafood restaurant with very friendly service. Reservations are not accepted, so it’s best to go early.

• Pizzeria Casavostra (€€): cute and spacious restaurant with very tasty and affordable Italian food. Extremely efficient service.

• À do Pinto (€€): located right in the centre of Faro, this family restaurant offers traditional Algarve food at very affordable prices.

• Ti Maria (€€): tapas with an Algarve twist. I recommend the octopus tempura, the goat’s cheese and spinach puff pastry and the fig pudding.
• Casa do Polvo Tasquinha (€€€): located in Santa Luzia, here the speciality is the octopus. With a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere, it is impossible to leave disappointed.
• Noélia & Jerónimo (€€€): fish and seafood dishes of incredible quality and taste. The restaurant is well known and award-winning, so booking is a must.
• Others I have not tried, but have been recommended: Marisqueira Fialho

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