Planning an Algarve itinerary means deciding what to prioritize among some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches, dramatic sea caves, and charming coastal towns.
We spent nine days exploring the Algarve, the finale of a five-week trip through Portugal that also took us through Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Nazaré, Porto, and the Douro Valley. We hiked the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, took boat tours to Benagil Cave and Ponta da Piedade, and worked our way through the region’s beaches and best restaurants.
In this guide, we share what we learned: the top experiences in the Algarve, how to organize them day-by-day, and how to put it all together into your own perfect itinerary, whether you have 3 days, a full week, or more.
We understand that not everyone has the same amount of time, or the same interests, so rather than listing one fixed 3, 5, or 7-day Algarve itinerary, we list multiple daily itineraries you can mix and match. Pick out your favorites and string them together to build the trip that fits your travel style.
You can also see exactly what we did on our own nine days in the Algarve later in this guide.
Let’s get started.
The Essentials
BEST TIME TO VISIT | Late April–early June & September–October
MINIMUM DAYS NEEDED | 3 days
IDEAL LENGTH | 5 to 7 days
HOW TO GET AROUND | Rental car (best for flexibility and reaching remote beaches)
WHERE TO STAY | Albufeira, Lagos, Portimão, or Carvoeiro
ONE AWESOME DAY | Seven Hanging Valleys Trail & Benagil Cave boat tour
GETTING THERE | Fly into Faro, or train from Lisbon/Porto + rental car
Algarve Itinerary Planning Essentials
When is the Best Time to Visit the Algarve?
The Algarve rewards visitors nearly any time of year, but your travel dates will shape almost everything else about your trip. We spent nine days in the Algarve in early-to-mid October, based in Albufeira, and had brilliantly sunny, warm days with noticeably thinner crowds than summer brings. These were ideal conditions for beach-hopping and hiking the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail without fighting for parking or trail space.
- Spring (April to early June): Warm, dry days with cooler mornings and evenings; beaches and restaurants are far less crowded than summer.
- Summer (June through August): Peak season — hot, dry, and busy. Book hotels, boat tours, and restaurants well in advance.
- Fall (September and October): Our pick. Water and air temperatures stay warm well into October, with crowds noticeably thinner than summer.
- Winter (November through March): Mild by northern European standards, but many restaurants and beach bars close for the season, and rain is more likely.
For a deeper dive into one of our favorite shoulder-season months, see our guide to visiting the Algarve in October.
A Quick Geography Lesson
Where you base yourself will determine how much time you spend driving versus exploring. The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal, bordered by the Alentejo to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south, with a small stretch bordering Spain to the east.
For most itineraries, the best move is to stay in one of the Algarve’s central towns: Albufeira, Lagos, Portimão, or Carvoeiro. From a central base, you’re within a reasonable drive of nearly everything in this guide, which is why we recommend it for any stay of 2 to 6 days. See our full guide on where to stay in the Algarve for more on choosing a base.
If you have a week or more, you have the option to split your stay between the eastern and western Algarve, cutting down on daily driving at the cost of packing and unpacking once. For our own 9-day trip, we stayed the entire time in Albufeira and it worked out well. There was minimal travel time to everywhere else in this itinerary, with none of the hassle of switching hotels.
How to Get to the Algarve
The Algarve is easy to reach, whether you’re flying directly or arriving as part of a longer Portugal trip. Faro, the region’s largest town, has an international airport. High-speed trains connect the Algarve to Lisbon and Porto, and if you have a car, driving here is straightforward.
If you’re combining the Algarve with a wider Portugal road trip, here are driving distances and times to Albufeira, a town with a fantastic central location:
- Lisbon: 260 km, 2.5 hours
- Porto: 530 km, 5 hours
- Évora: 205 km, 2.5 hours
- Seville, Spain: 230 km, 2.5 hours
If you’re traveling by train, here are average train times to Faro (you can also take the train directly to Albufeira, Lagos, and other towns):
- Lisbon: 3 to 4 hours
- Porto: 6 to 7 hours
- Évora: 3.5 to 5 hours
- Seville: 2.5 to 3.5 hours
We recommend taking the train to Faro, picking up a rental car there (Faro has the best selection of rental cars in the Algarve), and using it to get around for the rest of your visit. You can return the car in Faro before continuing by train, or drive on to your next destination. Just watch for one-way drop fees.
How to Get Around the Algarve
The best way to get around the Algarve is by car, which gives you the freedom to travel on your own schedule and reach places that are difficult to access by public transportation.
A network of buses and trains connects the major towns, and ride share apps like Uber and Bolt work well too, though each comes with limitations on where you can go. Eva runs most of the Algarve’s bus lines. Visit their website for timetables.
Trains connect Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira, Faro, Tavira, Vila Real de Santo António, and more; you can check the train timetable on the official Portugal train website.
If you only have a few days and plan to stick to a couple of popular towns and beaches, you can get by without a car. You’ll spend more time on buses and trains, but save some money.
One of many spectacular views along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Must-Have Experiences in the Algarve
The Algarve has all of the perfect ingredients for a beach holiday. Below we list the top experiences and you can read the more detailed list in our article Best Things to Do in the Algarve.
- Visit Algarve’s best beaches
- Explore Ponta da Piedade
- Hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
- Spend some time in Lagos
- Benagil Cave
- Take a boat tour
- Algar Seco
- Walk the cliff trails at Praia do João d’Arens
- Visit Costa Vicentina
- Visit Cabo de São Vicente and Sagres
- Go surfing
- See the bone church in Faro
- Dine on fresh seafood
How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
How Many Days Do You Need in the Algarve?
At a bare minimum, plan on spending three full days in the Algarve. This gives you just enough time to visit a few beaches, take a boat tour of Benagil Cave, hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, and spend time in one or two towns.
Each additional day lets you experience more of this stretch of coastline, and it never gets repetitive. There are enough beaches, towns, and viewpoints here that you could spend two weeks and still not run out of things to do.
For the best experience, we recommend a full week in the Algarve. With seven days, you can work through all of the daily itineraries below, which is enough time to see the region’s highlights without feeling rushed, plus some downtime to just relax on the beach.
Ready to build your itinerary? Below, we share seven daily itineraries you can mix and match, followed by our recommended combinations for shorter stays.
Praia do Carvalho
Daily Algarve Itineraries (Mix & Match)
Each of the itineraries below is a one day itinerary. From these, pick your favorites and then string them together to create the Algarve itinerary that best fits your travel style.
Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Spend the day visiting some of the Algarve’s prettiest beaches and one of its most scenic towns.
Morning: Ponta da Piedade
Ponta da Piedade is a rocky promontory surrounded by secluded coves and beaches. It is often acclaimed as one of the Portugal’s most beautiful places to visit.
This walk was one of the very first things we did in the Algarve, and it was a great intro to the coastal scenery that this area is so famous for. Just be prepared to walk up and down several long flights of stairs, if you plan to visit the cove and Camilo Beach.
From Praia Dona Ana, you can walk out and back to Ponta da Piedade. This walk is 5 km (3.1 miles) that takes between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. On this walk you can visit Camilo Beach and the Ponta da Piedade grotto, two of the top places to visit in the Algarve.
UPDATE (2026): The staircase down to Camilo Beach is currently closed after part of the cliff collapsed during winter storms, and it remains closed as of the latest update of this post. Authorities are waiting on a safety assessment before deciding when (or if) it will reopen. The viewpoint, parking lot, and restaurant are still open and worth the stop, you just can’t currently walk down to the sand. Check local signage when you visit, since conditions can change.
Ponta da Piedade boardwalk trails
The view along the Ponta da Piedade trail
Camilo Beach
Ponta da Piedade grotto
We cover this walk in detail (with a map and many more photos) in our guide to Ponta da Piedade, but here is brief overview of what to expect.
To do this walk, park at the lot for Dona Ana Beach. The Ponta da Piedade walking trail starts at the top of this parking lot.
You’ll walk a series of boardwalk trails with the option to take the stairs down to Camilo Beach and the grotto. Both are worth the stair climb.
I recommend starting this walk by 8 am in the summer, both because it can be challenging to find parking but also to miss the midday heat.
Midday: Lagos
Spend the mid part of the day in Lagos.
You can either walk to Lagos from the Dona Ana parking lot (it is another scenic walk on cliff trails overlooking Praia do Pinhao and Estudantes Beach that takes about 30 minutes) or drive and park in Lagos (Lagos Parque de Estacionamento de Lagos is a large parking lot near the train station and marina). If you walk to Lagos, later in the day it will be a long walk to your car, or you could use Uber or Bolt (this is what we did).
In Lagos, have lunch, stroll through the historic town center, see the Lagos castle, visit the Church of Santo Antonio, and visit Museu de Lagos.
Lagos
Afternoon: Boat Tour of Ponta da Piedade
In the afternoon, you have the option to take a boat tour of Ponta da Piedade. It is a much different experience by sea. Your options include a short, one hour boat tour of the area or a more active and longer kayaking tour of Ponta da Piedade. We opted for the shorter boat tour and had a great experience. Make your reservation in advance.
We cover the boat tours in more detail in our guide to Ponta da Piedade ↓
Ponta da Piedade: Which is Better, the Hike or a Boat Tour?
How to visit by Ponta da Piedade: detailed guide for the walking trail to Ponta da Piedade and how to choose a boat tour.
Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail & Marinha Beach
The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is one of the most beautiful walks in Portugal. Most people do this hike point-to-point, which makes it 5.7km/3.5 miles and takes 2 to 3 hours.
We have hiked a lot of trails in Europe, and this one packs a lot of gorgeous views in just a few miles. With dramatic coastal scenery, the chance to beach hop along the way, and its relatively short distance, it’s a great option for almost all ages and ability levels.
Spend the morning on the hiking trail and the afternoon lounging on Marinha Beach.
On this walk, you will see Marinha Beach, Benagil Cave (from the upper cave opening), some of the most dramatic coastlines of the Algarve, and a handful of other beautiful beaches. Here’s how to do it ↓
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail: Step-by-Step Hiking Guide
In this guide, we cover everything you need to know, from a step-by-step trail guide to arranging your transportation.
Marinha Beach, one of the first great views along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
The view into Benagil Cave
Views along the coastline
You should have a lot of free time this afternoon. Relax on Praia do Vale de Centeanes, Marinha Beach, another beach in the Algarve, or at your hotel.
Day #3 Gorgeous Beaches + Benagil Cave Boat Tour
This day starts off with one of our favorite beaches in the Algarve. In the afternoon, take a boat tour to see what is arguably the Algarve’s most famous sight, Benagil Cave. Then spend the afternoon on yet another gorgeous beach.
Morning: Praia João de Arens
This was one of our favorite experiences in the Algarve. In and around Praia João de Arens are cliffside trails that lead out to viewpoints overlooking the nearby beaches and coastline of the Algarve. And what makes it even better is that there were very few people here during our visit, giving this experience an off-the-beaten-path feel to it.
The cliff trails near Praia João de Arens
Praia João de Arens
A visit here lasts 30 minutes to an hour, longer if you spend time at the beach. For us, walking the cliff trails was the highlight. You will get beautiful views in all directions and the red sandy cliffs look different from many other places in the Algarve.
To get here drive down Caminho da Praia do João d’Arens. There is a large parking area on the left (Praia do Submarino Parking on Google Maps). You then walk 300 meters to get to the trails that run along the top of the cliffs. Parking is free.
Mid-Morning: Benagil Boat Tour
Benagil Cave, with its skylight and multiple cave entrances from the sea, is one of the Algarve’s most recognizable sights. The only way you can visit Benagil Cave is on a boat tour (visitors are no longer allowed to swim into Benagil Cave).
On a boat tour to Benagil Cave, not only do you get to visit the cave, but you also get to see the stunning coastlines of the Algarve.
Benagil Cave
Algar Seco from sea
Paradise Cave, another cave you can visit on a boat tour of Benagil Cave from Portimão.
Portimão is the best place to take a Benagil boat tour because of the amazing cliffs you will see between town and Benagil Cave.
Benagil Cave in 2026: New Rules, Best Tours & Is It Worth It?
Everything you need to know to plan your visit to Benagil Cave.Sea conditions tend to be quieter in the morning and sometimes afternoon tours can be cancelled if conditions get too rough. And it’s entirely possible that conditions can be too rough for a few days in row, cancelling all boat tours for consecutive days (we cover this in our Guide to Benagil Cave). By taking a mid-morning tour, you will have great lighting for photos and a better chance that your tour will not be cancelled. We took a boat tour of Benagil Cave at 11 am.
This 2-hour tour from Portimão is our top pick. You will see the beaches, sea arches, and sea caves along the coastline, plus a visit to Benagil Cave.
This 1.5-hour tour from Portimão is similar to the one above, but you can pick a sunset option (your best chance to have the cave to yourself, just switch the order of today’s sights) or a sunset option.
Midday: Late Lunch
After the boat tour, have lunch. One option is to have lunch right in Portimão.
Another option is to have lunch at Caniço Restaurant at Three Brothers Beach, where you will be going next. It has a very nice setting on the beach but gets mediocre reviews for its food and service.
Afternoon: Praia dos Três Irmãos (Three Brothers Beach)
This beach is a short drive from Portimão and not far from Praia João de Arens, where you were earlier today. Park at Parking Praia dos Três Irmãos.
Praia dos Três Irmãos (photo taken from the cliff trail above the beach…Miradoura da Prainha)
This is another one of our favorite beaches in the Algarve since it ticks all the boxes: dramatic sea pillars and cliffs, lots of parking, several restaurants, and many more amenities.
On the east end of the beach, there are rock formations that are fun to explore. If you pass through the rocky tunnels, you’ll enter two neighboring beaches, Praia da Prainha and Praia do Ferta.
For a view over Praia dos Três Irmãos and Praia da Prainha, walk up the stairs at Praia da Prainha and follow the trails for aerial views of the beaches. You can return using those same steps or take the elevator to Caniço restaurant.
Dinner
One option is to visit nearby Ferragudo, a small fishing village, for dinner. Or have dinner in town where you are staying.
Day #4 Algar Seco, Carvoeiro & Silves
On this low-key day, you will visit just a few places in the Algarve. This itinerary gives you time to spend part of your day relaxing at your hotel or a beach. Alternatively, you can visit one or two of these sights on the afternoon you arrive in the Algarve or the morning of your last day in the Algarve.
Morning: Hotel or Beach Time
Spend the morning getting some R&R at your hotel or on the beach.
Midday: Silves
Silves is a small, hilltop town in the Algarve. It has a cool castle to explore and is a great place to have lunch. A visit here, including lunch and the castle visit, takes an hour and a half to two hours. This is a very hilly town, so you’ll get your exercise as you visit the city center.
We had a fantastic, healthy lunch at Parsley & Thyme, a small Indian restaurant with home cooked food and Vegan options. Just down the street, Mosaiko is a beautiful restaurant serving a fusion of Algarvean and Arab flavors.
Silves Castle
Afternoon: Algar Seco & Carvoeiro
Algar Seco is a wonderland of tunnels, grottos, caves, cliffs, and windows to the sea. It’s one of the most photographed places in the Algarve, with its two cave openings and views of the Atlantic Ocean.
However, there is more to do at Algar Seco than photograph this picturesque cave. You can also walk down to the grotto and go cliff jumping, walk the boardwalk trails that run from Algar Seco to a viewpoint of Carvoeiro, and (the best part!!) explore the rocky coastline, where you can take some unique photos through cave openings.
A visit here takes about an hour. It is located near Carvoeiro. Learn how to plan your visit with our guide How to Visit Algar Seco.
After your visit, you can stroll through the picturesque town of Carvoeiro or spend some time on its lovely beach.
Algar Seco
Another cave at Algar Seco
Boardwalk trail that runs from Algar Seco to a viewpoint of Carvoeiro Beach
Carvoeiro Beach
Day #5 Western Algarve: Sagres & Costa Vicentina
Today, journey out to the western end of the Algarve. This is one of the biggest driving days in our Algarve itinerary, taking anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half to get here, depending on where you are staying.
Morning: Costa Vicentina
Costa Vicentina is often called the last wild coast in Europe.
Here, giant cliffs meet wide beaches. The waves are a lot larger than what you’ll see on the southern coast of the Algarve, since this coastline gets the full force of the Atlantic Ocean.
The beaches also look a lot different from the southern coast of the Algarve.
Bordeira’s Beach is a wide beach that is famous for its surfing, its boardwalk trail and viewpoint of the beach, and a nearby cove perfect for snorkeling.
Bordeira’s Beach
Praia da Cordoama is one of the largest beaches in this area. For the best view of the beach, visit the Cordoama Viewpoint (aka Miradouro da Cordoama). From this vantage point, you get 360° views of the beach and surrounding hillsides.
Cordoama Beach
Spend the morning driving out to these two beaches. Those with an interest in surfing can go surfing at either of these beaches or take a surfing lesson.
Midday: Sagres
Have lunch in Sagres and then visit Fortaleza de Sagres. This fort sits on a promontory jutting out into the sea. It takes about 30 minutes to walk the full perimeter of the fort and along the way you get views of Praia do Tonel, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Graça, and Cabo de São Vicente in the distance.
The walk around the fort is nice, but not an absolute must-do. We enjoyed the views, but they don’t quite compare to the two beaches you visited earlier today.
The view from Sagres Fort
Afternoon: Cabo de São Vicente
Cabo de São Vicente (Cape St. Vincent) is the southwestern most point of mainland Portugal and mainland Europe. Since this is where the sun sunk into the sea at the end of the day, many people believed this to be the edge of the world.
Sitting on the tip of Cabo de São Vicente is a lighthouse. On a visit here, you get stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and coastal waters. This in one of the best places in the Algarve to watch the sunset. You can time your visit such that you are here for sunset. If that doesn’t interest you, return to your hotel/town for dinner.
Day #6 Eastern Algarve: Tavira, Anchor Cemetery, and VRSA
This is yet another big driving day. Explore the eastern end of the Algarve, going a bit off the beaten path.
Morning: Praia do Barril & the Anchor Cemetery
Praia do Barril is a long, white sandy beach that is home to an anchor cemetery, where you can see the old anchors used in the tuna fishing industry. It is located near Tavira.
Park at ‘Parking Praia do Barril,’ a large paid parking lot, or you can opt for the free parallel parking along the same street the parking lot is located.
To get to the beach, walk across the white pedestrian bridge. Once across the bridge you have two choices for getting to the beach. You can pay a fee and take the small train or follow the pedestrian path that runs alongside the train track.
It is 1 mile from the parking lot to the beach, and the train shaves off 70% of that distance.
We chose to walk the path, rather than taking the train. It’s a flat, easy walk, a bit on the boring side, but it does save a little money and we liked the extra exercise.
The beach is a nice fine sand, there is a restaurant and a cafe, sun lounger and umbrella rentals, and you can rent kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and surf boards.
The anchor cemetery, Cemitério das âncoras, is located on the sand dunes behind the beach. There is a boardwalk you can follow that circles the anchors.
We found this beach to be interesting, but there is a lot of time invested to get here, with the drive plus the train/walk to the beach. From a photography standpoint, it’s worth it, but the beach is a little underwhelming, compared to those in central and western Algarve. However, adding on the lovely town of Tavira does help make the drive out this way worth it.
The Anchor Cemetery
Praia do Barril
Midday: Tavira
Have lunch in the lovely town of Tavira. Other things to do here include seeing the Tavira Old Bridge, visiting Castelo de Tavira, strolling through the old town, photographing Torre de Relogio, and seeing Capela de Nossa Senhora da Piedade.
Afternoon: Vila Real de Santo Antonio
This small town is just about as far east as you can go in the Algarve. Going this far east is optional (alternatively, you can return to your hotel or spend time on one of the Algarve’s beaches).
The list of things to do in Vila Real de Santo Antonio (also called VRSA) is short. Basically, strolling through the town center and seeing the marina top the list of things to do in town.
Vila Real de Santo Antonio
There is a nearby beach, but after seeing Praia do Barril and the other Algarve beaches, it is not worth going out to this beach, in our opinion.
Just outside of town is Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim. This medieval castle is interesting to see, however, we liked Silves Castle more. This castle feels a bit more rustic, but it also has the feel of an open air museum, with small museums, stables, and walls you can walk. Each August, a 5-day medieval festival is held here which draws well over 100,000 visitors.
Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim
Day #7 Ria Formosa & Faro
Today, visit Faro, the largest city in the Algarve, and take a boat tour of Ria Formosa, a protected lagoon and one of the seven wonders of Portugal.
Ria Formosa
Tours of Ria Formosa are done by boat. These eco-tours take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours and consist of a scenic cruise or a tour with several stops, that allow you to go hiking, visit the remote beaches, or have lunch in one of the tiny towns. It’s also possible to book the hop on hop off ferry and spend all day exploring the islands and beaches.
Ria Formosa | D. Ribeiro/shutterstock.com
You can take a cruise in the morning and then spend a few hours in the afternoon in Faro, or do this in the opposite order, depending on the cruise that you book. Some are only offered in the afternoon.
This one hour eco tour includes a scenic cruise through the Ria Formosa, starting in Faro. It’s one of the quickest, cheapest tours of the Ria Formosa.
If you want to visit Ilha Deserta (one of the top beaches to visit in Ria Formosa), you can book a ferry or boat shuttle as your round trip transportation. While in Ilha Deserta, have lunch at Restaurante Estamine.
This 3-hour tour from Faro visits several islands in Ria Formosa. This tour is on a catamaran.
Faro
Faro lacks the charm that you get in the smaller towns, such as Lagos and Tavira, but it is worth coming here to see the magnificent bone church. And since it is also a great access point to visit the Ria Formosa, you’ll be here anyway.
The Chapel of Bones, also called the Capela dos Ossos, is a small chapel located in the Igreja do Carmo church.
On a visit here, you will first enter the church. It is beautiful, with gold leaf covering the altar and side chapels.
To get to the chapel of bones, we exited the church to the right of the altar. We then walked through a small outdoor courtyard to get to the chapel.
In this ossuary are the bones of 1,245 monks. The bones were moved from cemetery plots to this chapel, a common practice in Europe until recently. There are several other bone churches in Portugal, the one of Évora being the most famous.
Visiting the bone church will take about 30 minutes. You can also stroll through the city center of Faro and have lunch or dinner here, depending on your Ria Formosa plans.
One Day in the Algarve
If we only had one day in the Algarve, here’s what we would do.
Hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail in the morning, when the light and temperatures are best, then spend the afternoon on a boat tour, either to Benagil Cave from Portimão or out to Ponta da Piedade from Lagos.
In the evening, have dinner in Lagos or the small fishing village of Ferragudo. If you’re staying overnight, Carvoeiro, Portimão, and Lagos are all well-positioned bases for this day.
A couple of notes: since the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is a point-to-point hike, you’ll need to arrange transportation between the two ends (our trail guide covers the easiest way to do this). And book your boat tour in advance. Both Benagil and Ponta da Piedade tours can sell out, especially in summer.
2 Days in the Algarve
If you only have a few days, here are what we think are the best experiences in the Algarve, especially for first timers.
Day One: Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Day Two: Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail OR Day #3 Praia João de Arens, Three Brothers Beach, and Benagil Cave boat tour
3 Days in the Algarve
Day One: Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Day Two: Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Day Three: Day #3 Praia João de Arens, Three Brothers Beach, and Benagil Cave boat tour
4 Days in the Algarve
Day One: Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Day Two: Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Day Three: Day #3 Praia João de Arens, Three Brothers Beach, and Benagil Cave boat tour
Day Four: Day #5 Western Algarve (Sagres, Cabo de São Vicente, west coach beaches) OR Day # 4 Algar Seco, Carvoeiro, and Silves
5 Days in the Algarve
Day One: Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Day Two: Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Day Three: Day #3 Praia João de Arens, Three Brothers Beach, and Benagil Cave boat tour
Day Four: Day #4 Algar Seco, Carvoeiro, and Silves
Day Five: Day #5 Western Algarve (Sagres, Cabo de São Vicente, west coach beaches)
6 Days in the Algarve
Day One: Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Day Two: Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Day Three: Day #3 Praia João de Arens, Three Brothers Beach, and Benagil Cave boat tour
Day Four: Day #4 Algar Seco, Carvoeiro, and Silves
Day Five: Day #5 Western Algarve (Sagres, Cabo de São Vicente, west coach beaches)
Day Six: Day #6 Eastern Algarve (Anchor Cemetery, Tavira, VRSA) OR Day #7 Faro and Ria Formosa
7 Days in the Algarve
Day One: Day #1 Lagos & Ponta da Piedade
Day Two: Day #2 Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Day Three: Day #3 Praia João de Arens, Three Brothers Beach, and Benagil Cave boat tour
Day Four: Day #4 Algar Seco, Carvoeiro, and Silves
Day Five: Day #5 Western Algarve (Sagres, Cabo de São Vicente, west coach beaches)
Day Six: Day #6 Eastern Algarve (Anchor Cemetery, Tavira, VRSA)
Day Seven: Day #7 Faro and Ria Formosa
SPAIN & PORTUGAL ITINERARY: On this 14-day Andalusia (Spain) and Algarve Itinerary, visit Seville, Córdoba, Granada, Ronda, and the Algarve on one epic trip.
Dining at the Windmill Restaurant in Albufeira
Our Itinerary (What We Did)
We spent nine days in the Algarve, the conclusion of a five-week trip through Portugal, which included Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Nazare, Porto, the Douro Valley, and a long list of small towns in between. We stayed in Albufeira and most evenings, we visited the restaurants in and around Albufeira.
Our visit took us to more places than we list in the itineraries above and this is simply what we did. For this guide, we picked out our favorite experiences from the trip and organized them into the daily itineraries you’ll find earlier in this post.
Day 1: Arrive in Algarve from Évora
Day 2: VRSA (Vila Real de Santo António), Estoi, Albufeira
Day 3: Ponta da Piedade hike and Lagos
Day 4: Seven Hanging Valleys
Day 5: Beaches along the south coast, Algar Seco
Day 6: Portimão, Ferragudo, and boat tour to Benagil Cave
Day 7: Beaches along the south coast, boat tour of Ponta Piedade
Day 8: Sagres and western Algarve
Day 9: Faro, Tavira, and Praia do Barril
Algar Seco
Where to Stay
This is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your Algarve itinerary. Where you stay has a huge impact on how much driving you will do, how close you are located to the beach, where you will have dinner, and if you are traveling by public transportation, how easy it will be to get around the Algarve.
We stayed at Vila Balaia on the northern side of Albufeira for our entire visit to the Algarve (9 days) and loved it. We highly recommend this lovely, boutique property but for more suggestions, take a look at our guide on Where to Stay in the Algarve.
Vila Balaia
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need in the Algarve?
At a bare minimum, plan on spending at least three days in the Algarve. This gives you just enough time to visit a few beaches, take a boat tour to Benagil Cave, walk the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, and visit one or two towns. For the best experience, a week or longer makes a great holiday, and you’ll be able to see and do a lot in the Algarve, plus have some downtime.
When is the best time to visit the Algarve?
Peak season is July and August. During this time, the Algarve is at is busiest. The beaches, hotels, and restaurants will be packed with visitors. For warm weather and lower crowds, the best time to visit the Algarve is shoulder season, the months of May, June, September, and October.
Are 3 days enough for the Algarve?
3 days is the bare minimum we recommend in the Algarve. This gives you just enough time to visit a few essential places (Ponta da Piedade, Benagil Cave, the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, Lagos, and Marinha Beach) all make this list. Each additional day you can add allows you to explore this long stretch of gorgeous coastline (you can easily spend a week in the Algarve and never run out of things to do).
What are the best beaches to visit in the Algarve?
The most popular beaches to visit in the Algarve are Camilo Beach, Marinha Beach, Praia Dona Ana, and Praia da Falésia. If you want to visit lesser known or beaches with fewer crowds, visit the beaches on the far eastern and western ends of the Algarve.
Plan Your Trip to the Algarve & Portugal
- Discover more of the Algarve’s best experiences → Our Best Things to Do in the Algarve guide rounds up 20 top experiences across the region.
- Explore more of Portugal → Our Portugal Travel Guide covers everything from the best time to visit to how to get around the country.
- Deciding where to base yourself → Our Where to Stay in the Algarve guide covers the best towns and hotels for every travel style.
- Combining the Algarve with a trip to Spain → Our Southern Spain & Portugal Itinerary covers a 14-day route through Seville, Córdoba, Granada, Ronda, and the Algarve.
- Planning a broader Portugal trip → Our 10 Days in Portugal guide offers five different itinerary ideas for your trip.
- Rounding out your Portugal bucket list → Our Best Things to Do in Portugal guide covers 25 top experiences across the country.
If you have any questions about how to plan your Algarve itinerary, let us know in the comment section below and we’d be happy to help!
More Information about Portugal
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