Most people come to the Algarve for the beaches. They picture golden sand, glorious sunshine and a week of doing very little. What they don't always expect is everything else: hilltop castles half-hidden among cork oaks, fishing villages where the daily catch still sets the menu, and a rugged western coastline that pulls surfers from across Europe. Portugal's most popular holiday region has far more depth than its beachside reputation suggests.

There are wide sand bays where families spread out for the day, and narrow coves tucked between sandstone cliffs, reached only by boat. Resort towns with busy marinas sit a short drive from quiet old quarters where cobbled lanes wind between whitewashed houses and the loudest sound is a church bell. Head inland and the landscape shifts again, to the wooded hills of Monchique, to small towns built around Moorish-era castles, and to a pace of life that feels a long way from the coast.

This variety is what makes the Algarve suit such different kinds of trip. My cousin with her last-minute break with friends, all beach bars and late-night cocktails in Albufeira. My sister and her young family choosing Alvor for somewhere calm and safe. My parents settling into the slower pace of Tavira, and me falling for Lagos and never really wanting to leave.

 

 

The Algarve has welcomed visitors for decades, and it shows. Not in a tired or overdeveloped way, but in the quiet competence of the place: well-kept accommodation at every price point, service that just works, and the Portuguese trait of making visitors feel at home. It is a region that knows how to look after its guests without making a fuss about it.

I have lived in and explored the Algarve since 2001, and together with my Portuguese wife, have come to know this region intimately. This guide draws on two decades of that firsthand knowledge to help you discover the Algarve and find the right place for your holiday.
Related articles: Algarve Highlights - The best beaches

Ferragudo is a traditional Algarve fishing village

The Algarve stretches for over 200km along Portugal's southern coast, and choosing where to base yourself is probably the biggest decision you'll make when planning your trip. It helps to think of the region in broad terms before narrowing down to individual towns.

Most visitors end up somewhere along the central and western coast, roughly between Lagos in the west and Vale do Lobo in the east. This is where the Algarve's tourist infrastructure is strongest: the beaches are easily reached, the restaurants and bars are plentiful, and there is a reliable choice of accommodation at every budget. If you're coming for a week or two of sun, sea and evenings out, this stretch has you covered.

The beautiful beaches just to the west of Praia da Rocha (which can be seen in the background)

The four largest resort towns in this part of the Algarve are Albufeira, Lagos, Vilamoura and Praia da Rocha. Each has a distinct personality.

Albufeira is the busiest and the most popular for good reason. On one side of town is the Strip, a long road of bars and clubs that draws a younger crowd looking for big nights out. On the other, about two kilometres away, is the Old Town, a cluster of narrow streets and small squares that feels completely different: more Portuguese in character, and popular with families and longer-stay visitors. The two sides of Albufeira barely feel like the same place, which is part of its appeal.

Lagos is the one that tends to win people over, and is my favourite town. It feels more like a working Portuguese city than a purpose-built resort, with a walled old town, a good food scene and some of the most dramatic beach scenery in the region. It attracts a broad mix of visitors, from backpackers to couples to families, and holds its character year round.

Vilamoura is polished and upmarket, built around a large marina lined with restaurants and cocktail bars. It is particularly well known for its golf, with four courses within easy reach, and suits visitors looking for something a little more manicured and high end.

Praia da Rocha sits above a wide sweep of golden sand and has long been one of the Algarve's liveliest resorts. In recent years it has started to reposition itself, with newer hotels and a shift towards a slightly more refined feel, though it still has plenty of energy after dark.

The Forte da Bandeira once guarded the entrance to Lagos harbour

Beyond the big four, the Algarve has a string of smaller towns along the same stretch of coast that suit visitors looking for something quieter. These places don't have the nightlife or the sheer scale of Albufeira or Lagos, but for many people that is exactly the point.

Carvoeiro is built around a small sheltered cove at the foot of a valley, with whitewashed houses climbing the slopes on either side. It has kept a genuine village feel, and its real draw is the coastline just beyond the town: golden limestone cliffs, hidden grottoes and sandy coves, including the much-photographed Benagil Cave.

Alvor sits between a long, sweeping beach and the calm waters of the Ria de Alvor estuary. It still feels like the fishing village it once was, with narrow cobbled streets sloping down to a harbour where boats come in each morning, but it has a surprisingly good choice of restaurants and enough low-key nightlife to keep evenings interesting. It is one of my favourite places in the Algarve, and the town I chose when my sister wanted somewhere safe and relaxed for her young family.

Olhos de Agua is tucked into a cove just east of Albufeira, close enough to reach the bigger town's restaurants and nightlife within minutes, but with a pace of its own. Fishing boats still line the beach and the seafood restaurants along the waterfront are among the best on this stretch of coast.

Praia da Luz further west, is the quietest of the four. There are no waterparks or club strips here, just a sheltered beach, a pleasant promenade and a handful of good restaurants where the staff will know your name by your second visit. Lagos is only six kilometres away when you want more energy, which for many visitors is exactly what makes Luz work so well.

Carvoeiro is a pretty town and popular holiday destination

Beyond the main resort coast
East of Faro, the Algarve changes character. The big resorts thin out and the coastline is shaped by the Ria Formosa, a long stretch of tidal lagoons, salt marshes and barrier islands that runs roughly from Faro to the Spanish border. The beaches here are reached by ferry rather than by footpath, which has kept large-scale development at bay. The towns feel more Portuguese and less geared towards tourism, and the pace drops noticeably.

Tavira is the standout of the eastern Algarve. It is a genuinely handsome town, built along both banks of the River Gilão and filled with churches, tiled facades and small leafy squares. It has enough good restaurants and low-key bars to fill a week without trying, and its beaches, a short ferry ride across the Ria Formosa, are among the quietest and most beautiful in the region. Tavira suits couples and older travellers particularly well, though it is by no means dull.

The western coastline is something else entirely. North of Sagres, the coast turns and faces the open Atlantic, and the landscape becomes wilder and more dramatic. The cliffs are tall and dark, the beaches sit in deep coves or stretch wide and empty, and the sea is rougher and colder than on the south-facing coast.

There is very little development here. Much of it falls within the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, and it has more in common with the rugged coastlines of Ireland or Brittany than with the sheltered bays around Albufeira. If you are a surfer, a walker or someone who just wants wild scenery and not much else, this is where to come.

Inland, the Algarve rises into the low, wooded hills of the Serra de Monchique. It is sparsely populated and quietly beautiful, all cork oaks, eucalyptus and small villages where tourism barely registers. Most visitors see it as a day trip from the coast. The inland towns of Silves and Loulé are also well worth a visit: Silves for its enormous Moorish castle overlooking the river, and Loulé for its covered market and old quarter, which comes alive on Saturday mornings.

The map below shows the main resort towns and villages of the Algarve. Large resorts are marked in green, mid-sized towns in yellow and smaller villages in blue.

The large resorts (green): 1) Lagos 2) Praia da Rocha 3) Albufeira 4) Vilamoura
Medium size resorts (yellow): 1) Alvor 2) Carvoeiro 3) Armação de Pêra 4) Olhos de Água 5) Quarteira 6)Tavira 7) Monte Gordo
Small villages (blue): 1) Praia da Luz 2) Porto de Mós 3) Ferragudo 4) Galé 5) Cabanas

The Algarve is one of the sunniest regions in Europe, with over 300 days of sunshine a year and summers that are reliably hot and dry. Understanding the rhythm of the seasons here will help you choose the right time for your trip and avoid any surprises.

July and August are the peak months. Daytime temperatures regularly reach 28 to 30°C, though it will feel considerably hotter than that if you're lying on the sand in full sun. These are the school holiday months across most of Europe, so the beaches are at their busiest, the resort towns are at full volume, and popular hotels and apartments can sell out weeks in advance.

June and September offer what many visitors consider the best balance: warm, settled weather without the intensity of high summer. Both months are particularly popular with couples and anyone not tied to school calendars. September, perhaps surprisingly, is one of the busiest months in the Algarve, as visitors without children take advantage of the warm sea temperatures and quieter beaches. If you're planning a late summer trip, don't assume availability will be easy.

The weather is generally warm enough for comfortable beach days from May through to mid-October, though the sea takes until June to lose its chill and stays at its warmest well into October.

Spring and autumn are my favourite times in the Algarve. April, May and October bring pleasant temperatures in the low twenties, perfect for walking the coastal trails, exploring inland towns like Silves and Loulé, or simply enjoying the region without the heat and crowds of summer.

From November onwards, the smaller resort towns wind down noticeably. Restaurants reduce their hours or close for the season, and some of the quieter villages can feel very empty. The winter months are mild by northern European standards, with daytime temperatures around 15 to 17°C, but the weather becomes unpredictable: you might get a week of bright sunshine followed by several days of rain. If you're visiting in winter, it's worth basing yourself in one of the larger towns such as Albufeira, Lagos or Tavira, where there is a year-round population and enough stays open to keep things comfortable.

The daytime maximum temperature (measured in the shade) and night-time minimum

The average hours of sunshine per day and amount of rain

Below is a quick summary of the main resorts within the Algarve. (Note: links open new tabs)
Our favourite places in the Algarve - Tavira, Carvoeiro and Lagos
Best large resort town - Lagos, Albufeira or Vilamoura.
Best smaller resort town - Carvoeiro, Praia da Luz or Alvor
For young children - Almost all of the central Algarve (excluding the Strip in Albufeira)
For teenagers - Albufeira to Olhos de Agua, and Praia da Rocha,
Where to party - Albufeira, Praia da Rocha or Lagos
For a mature and relaxing holiday - Tavira, Alvor, Praia da Luz, Carvoeiro or Olhos de Agua
Expats favourite - Olhos de Agua and Albufeira
Exclusive and stylish - Vilamoura or Vale do Lobo Region
Historic and cultural - Lagos, Tavira, Faro or Vila Real de Santo António
Stag or hen do's - The Strip in Albufeira (Stag do guide here)
Somewhere different - Faro, Tavira, Carvoeiro or Monte Gordo
Golfing Holiday - Vilamoura, Albufeira or Quarteira
Surfing Holiday - Sagres
In winter - Albufeira, Lagos or Olhos de Agua (the Algarve is not a winter sun destination)
Escape package tourists – Vila Nova de Milfontes, Burgau, Vila Real de Santo António
If the Algarve is sold out or is too expensive in the summer - Lisbon or Porto
(Lisbon and Porto both have great beaches, cheap flights and lots of accommodation, ideal for families and couples)

One of the advantages of the Algarve is how much it changes over a relatively short distance. The calm, tile-fronted streets of Tavira feel nothing like the marina buzz of Vilamoura, and neither has much in common with the wild cliffs north of Sagres. Because the distances are small, rarely more than an hour's drive between any two towns, it is easy to split your holiday across two or three bases and experience quite different sides of the region.

A common route works from east to west: a few days in Tavira for the Ria Formosa and a slower pace, then moving to somewhere in the central Algarve such as Albufeira or Lagos for beaches and evening life, and finishing on the west coast around Sagres for dramatic scenery and quieter days. But it works just as well in reverse, or with different combinations depending on what you're after. A week split between Lagos and Tavira, for example, gives you two of the Algarve's best towns with completely different characters.
Related articles: Touring holiday ideas

The Algarve is an excellent destination for a family holiday, suitable for both young children and teenagers. For young families, there are calm, smaller resorts (Alvor, Praia da Luz, Carvoeiro) with pristine beaches and safe sea waters.

Teenagers will love the energy of the central Algarve, with its theme parks, water parks and numerous thrill activities (although parents may find the entrance fees expensive).

Overall, the Algarve is a hassle-free family destination. English is widely spoken, children will be welcomed in all restaurants, shops, and cafes, and supermarkets stock all common goods and brands.

Many families visit the Algarve repeatedly, and often the main complaint is that they did not discover the region sooner! Related articles: The Algarve for families
Related articles: The Algarve for families

If it is finally the end of college, university, or a break from work, and you and your group of friends need a dose of summer sun and fun, then the Algarve is the destination for you.

It is perfect for days lounging on the beach and fun-packed nights with a variety of holiday activities. The Algarve is vibrant and social but is not as extreme as Bulgaria, Ibiza or Cyprus. Also, the Algarve does not have the high prices of the Balearic Islands.

To get the most from the Algarve, always be within walking distance of the larger resort towns (Albufeira, Praia da Rocha and Lagos), and visit between June and September. Most importantly, do not forget travel insurance.

Portugal is rightfully becoming one of the most popular destinations for US tourists; there’s history, culture, and diversity, while still being one of Europe’s least expensive countries to visit.

The Algarve is one of the most beautiful regions of the country, but it cannot be fully seen in just an extremely short excursion from Lisbon. If you’re planning to visit the Algarve, allow sufficient time (five or more days) and embrace the relaxed pace of life of the region.

As indicated before, hotels need to be booked well in advance during the summer. For a cultural trip head to Lagos or Tavira, while for 5-star/golfing break visit Vilamoura. Public transport does not have the same social stigmas as in the US, and buses and trains are widely used by everyone.

There have been a number of sham residential letting websites, which have appeared on the internet, with bogus or copied listings (often of real apartments).

These websites look professional (guarantees, refund polices etc) and often the comparative prices are significantly cheaper.

Only ever book an apartment through a trusted website (booking.com, homeaway.co.uk etc) and never pay for accommodation by bank transfer.
Note: This type of scam is not just limited to the Algarve but is found in all major tourist destinations. The Algarve is just ripe for it, as demand for accommodation outstrips supply.

The Algarve is served by Faro airport, and this airport is conveniently positioned in the middle of the Algarve.

The majority of tourists who visit the Algarve will be based in the section of coastline that extends from the Praia da Rocha to Vilamoura, all of which are located to the west of Faro airport.

Outside of this area more traditional and quieter Portuguese towns can be found.

Tavira is a delightful town that is situated on the banks of the slow flowing Gilão River.

The town of Tavira has reminded unchanged despite the advent of mass tourism, and provides the visitors with a charming town centre of cobbled streets, lined with traditional houses, which lead all the way up to the ancient castle.

The glorious beaches on the Ilha de Tavira are reached by ferry and the route passes through the protected series of mudflats and salt water lagoons of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Tavira is laid-back, traditional and our personal favourite town in the Algarve.
For a guide to Tavira please visit Tavira-Algarve-Portugal.com (link opens new window)

Tavira Quick Summary
Ideal For - Couples who wish to discover the unaltered side of Portugal, or any visitor looking for a peaceful relaxing holiday in a wonderful town.
Not suited For - Party goers, since Tavira is a traditional and calm town. Families with older children, as Tavira is a long way from the water parks, zoos and adventure that most children want to visit during a holiday.

The river front of Tavira

Albufeira is the most popular resort town of the Algarve, and this is because it excels at everything wanted for a holiday destination. The beach is massive, there are great holiday activities and the pretty old town is crammed full of restaurants, shops and bars.

For groups and party goers there is “the Strip”, a road full of themed bars and outrageous clubs, which is just far enough (2km away) from the Old Town not to annoy other tourists.

As Albufeira is the largest resort, the summer season is much longer, and there are still things going on during the low or off season. There are many enjoyable day trips from Albufeira for those visitors who wish more than just a beach, while the massive all-inclusive hotels are great for tourists who simply wish to relax.

Albufeira Quick Summary

Ideal for – Generally most visitors. There are great facilities, fantastic hotels and well over a 100 different places to eat out at.
Not suited for – Visitors who wish to escape the summer crowds, Albufeira is very busy in the summer and prices sometimes reflect this.

The massive beach of Albufeira

Lagos is on the very western edge of the Algarve and is one of the region’s most fascinating and interesting towns.

Lagos is set on a stunning coastline of massive sandstone cliffs, wide beaches and crystal clear waters. Within the vicinity of Lagos is the Dona Ana beach, which is considered to be the finest in the Algarve, while further along the coast are the stunning cliff formations of the Ponta da Piedade.

Lagos has an important history as a major trading town, a rich history that is reflected in the varied sights throughout the town, which include the fort, a selection of pretty churches and even an ex-slave market.

From Lagos there are enjoyable day trips to the small fishing village of Sagres, or north into the Algarve hills. For a guide to Lagos please click here (opens new window)

Lagos Quick Summary

Ideal for – Visitors who want more than just sun, cheap food and drink. Active couples who want to visit and experience a lot during their holiday.
Not suited for – Party animals; the night life is more restaurant and food based.

Vilamoura is the super-rich’s playground in the Algarve. The whole town was purpose-built as an exclusive destination that is focused around the larger marina and is filled with million dollar yachts.

The town boasts six championship-grade golf courses and is the location to be based for a golfing holiday, just expect expensive green fees. Vilamoura is smart, stylish and trendy, and completely without the signs of neglect found on the edges of many other Portuguese towns.

Vilamoura Quick Summary

Ideal for – Golf holidays, an upmarket holiday in a very exclusive area
Not suited for – Bargains or visitors on a tight budget.

Faro is often over looked as a tourist destination, being primary used as a transport hub for the airport, train or bus services, but this beautiful city has a lot to offer.

Faro boasts a charming historic centre, which is circled by ancient Moorish walls, and a pleasant pedestrianised shopping zone. Departing from the marina there are boat tours which explore the Ria Formosa National Park and visit some of the quietest beach in the Algarve.

Faro’s main beach, the Praia de Faro, is surprisingly low-key considering it is just a 5 minute bus journey from the airport. For a guide to Faro please click here.

Faro Quick Summary

Ideal for – Short stays (1-2 nights) or as the first destination due to the close proximity to the airport. The great transport links means that Faro is a good base from which to explore the Algarve.
Not suited for – Sun worshipers, the main beach is a 15 minute bus ride away.

Praia da Rocha is a large and hectic summer resort, that crams in visitors during the summer season. There is a massive beach (larger than Albufeira’s beach), which on following the coastline changes into little coves hidden behind giant sandstone cliffs.

The resort has countless bars, restaurants and shops but has a much more modern appearance than Albufeira. 2km north of Praia da Rocha is the large but sleepy town of Portimão; for beaches and nightlife it's better to be based in Praia da Rocha, and not Portimão. Praia da Rocha is suitable for families as well.

Praia da Rocha Quick Summary

Ideal for – Families and young couples wishing a fun and social holiday
Not suited for – Visitors seeking cultural or historic sights.

Quarteira is where the non-millionaires of Vilamoura live and work, but it is just a 10-minute walk from Quarteira along the coast to it’s exclusive neighbour Vilamoura.

Quarteira has a much better beach than Vilamoura and a pleasant promenade extends for the length of the beach. Quarteira offers great value accommodation, food and drink but the town has very bland appearance with large apartments, hotels and none of the Portuguese charm found in other locations.

Quarteira is much quieter and smaller than Albufeira or Praia da Rocha.

Quarteira Quick Summary

Ideal for – Great value and golf holidays
Not suited for – Visitors seeking culture, history or a pretty Portuguese town.