Algarve itinerary

1. 1

   Benagil Cave (Algar de Benagil) - The Most Iconic Sea Cave on the Algarve Coast

   Of all the places to visit in Algarve, Algar de Benagil is the one image you've already seen - a vaulted limestone chamber with a circular skylight cut into the cave roof and a small private beach inside. The cave sits…

   Address

   Praia de Benagil, 8400-450 Lagoa, Algarve

   Nearest transit

   Benagil pier (boat tour pickup), car park at Praia de Benagil 5-min walk to beach

2. 2

   Ponta da Piedade - The Algarve's Best Clifftop Walk and Grotto Boat Tour

   Ponta da Piedade is the most concentrated stretch of dramatic coastline in the Algarve - golden sandstone stacks, natural arches, and grottoes rising up to 20 metres straight out of the Atlantic on the headland 2 km…

   Address

   Estrada da Ponta da Piedade, 8600-630 Lagos

   Nearest transit

   Lagos railway station (Linha do Algarve) + Bus 1 to Ponta da Piedade lighthouse, 15 min; or 25-min walk from Lagos centre

3. 3

   Praia da Marinha - Portugal's Most Photographed Beach

   Praia da Marinha consistently ranks among Europe's best beaches and is one of the most rewarding places to visit in Algarve for sheer scenery alone. The setting is a half-moon of pale sand between two ochre limestone…

   Address

   Praia da Marinha, 8400-450 Caramujeira, Lagoa

   Nearest transit

   Linha do Algarve to Lagoa station (5 km), then taxi or rental car; no direct bus

4. 4

   Lagos Old Town - The Algarve's Most Charming Historic Centre

   Lagos was the launchpad of Portuguese maritime exploration in the 15th century, and the walled old town still wears its history visibly. The original Moorish-era walls enclose a knot of cobblestone streets between Praca…

   Address

   Praca Gil Eanes, 8600-668 Lagos

   Nearest transit

   Lagos railway station (Linha do Algarve terminus), 10-min walk to Praca Gil Eanes

5. 5

   Cabo de Sao Vicente and Sagres - Mainland Europe's South-Western Tip

   Cabo de Sao Vicente is the south-westernmost point of mainland Europe and the rawest coastline in the Algarve travel guide circuit - 75-metre cliffs hit by Atlantic swells from three directions, an 1846 lighthouse with…

   Address

   Cabo de Sao Vicente, 8650-360 Vila do Bispo

   Nearest transit

   Vamus bus 22 from Sagres (15 min); no train; 8 km drive from Sagres town

6. 6

   Tavira - The Eastern Algarve's Best-Preserved Historic Town

   Tavira is what people mean when they say they want the Algarve before mass tourism arrived. The town straddles the Gilao River with the elegant seven-arched Roman bridge (Ponte Romana, despite the name actually…

   Address

   Praca da Republica, 8800-329 Tavira

   Nearest transit

   Tavira railway station (Linha do Algarve), 8-min walk across the Roman bridge

7. 7

   Albufeira Old Town - The Algarve's Liveliest Resort Town

   Albufeira gets dismissed as a package-tour cliche, but the older part above the cliffs - Albufeira Velha - is a tightly packed grid of whitewashed houses, Moorish-era arches, and tiled steps tumbling down to Praia dos…

   Address

   Largo Eng. Duarte Pacheco, 8200-093 Albufeira

   Nearest transit

   Ferreiras station (Linha do Algarve, 4 km inland) + Vamus bus to Albufeira Centro Coordenado

8. 8

   Faro Old Town and Ria Formosa Natural Park - The Algarve's Lagoon Capital

   Faro is the Algarve's regional capital and the entry point for most visitors via Faro Airport (FAO), but it's also a genuine destination in its own right. The Cidade Velha (walled old town) is entered through the…

   Address

   Rua do Municipio 2, 8000-167 Faro

   Nearest transit

   Faro railway station (Linha do Algarve), 10-min walk to Cidade Velha entrance at Arco da Vila

9. 9

   Silves - The Medieval Moorish Capital of the Algarve

   Silves was the capital of the Moorish Algarve from the 8th to 13th centuries (the Moors called it Xelb) and was once a city of 30,000 people, larger than Lisbon at the time. The hilltop Castelo de Silves - the largest…

   Address

   Rua do Castelo, 8300-144 Silves

   Nearest transit

   Silves railway station (Linha do Algarve), 10-min walk uphill to the castle

10. 10

    Praia da Falesia - The Long Red-Cliff Beach Between Albufeira and Vilamoura

    Praia da Falesia is the longest continuous beach in the central Algarve - a 6 km strip of golden sand backed by ochre and red sandstone cliffs that rise 30 metres above the shore, topped by umbrella pines. The beach…

    Address

    Estrada da Falesia, 8200-593 Olhos de Agua, Albufeira

    Nearest transit

    Albufeira-Ferreiras station (Linha do Algarve) + 15-min taxi or Vamus bus 56 to Falesia beach access

From the trip1 travel guide “10 Top Places to Visit in Algarve, Portugal” · trip1.com