Algarve Bucket List: 20 Epic Things to Do in Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve is one of the top beach destinations in Europe. Known for its golden cliffs and beaches, flavorful cuisine, luxurious resorts, and array of outdoor activities, this region offers a wide variety of experiences for all types of travelers.

Join us as we explore the top things to do in Algarve, Portugal, from exploring ancient ruins to highlighting the region’s best beaches to savoring fresh seafood.

Overview of the Algarve

The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal. To the north sits the Alentejo region of Portugal and to the west and south sits the Atlantic Ocean. A small portion of the Algarve borders Spain.

This is one of the warmest regions of Europe. The summer is very hot and dry, with temperatures averaging 29°C (85°F) but it can get much warmer than this, with temperatures sometimes soaring past 44°C (110°F). Winters are mild with a higher chance of rainfall.

The best way to get around the Algarve is by car. There is a public transportation network but having a car gives you the freedom to travel on your own schedule and visit some places that are difficult to get to by bus. You can also use Uber or other ride share apps to get around or between towns.

Best Things to Do in Algarve, Portugal

Below is a list of 20 things to do in Algarve, in no particular order. At the end of this list, you can see all of them on a map.

1. Visit the Beautiful Algarve Beaches

The Algarve is home to some of the most stunning beaches in Europe. From hidden coves to long stretches of golden sand, each of these gems offers a unique experience.

Below I list a few of the must-see beaches in the Algarve, but for the full list, take a look at our guide on the Best Beaches in the Algarve.

Marinha Beach

With its golden sands and backdrop of sea pillars and arches, this beach is not to be missed. The Michelin Guide named it one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Europe and CNN called it one of the 20 most beautiful beaches in world.

This beach is located on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail (another top experience in the Algarve). For those who don’t want to hike the full trail, you can park at the parking lot for Marinha Beach, enjoy the view from the terrace that overlooks the beach, and then walk down to the beach and spend the day at this gorgeous spot.

Marinha Beach

Praia da Falésia

This beach’s backdrop of distinctive red and white cliffs makes it one of the most unique Algarve beaches.

Praia da Falésia is a long strip of sand located near Albufeira. It’s one of the most popular beaches in the Algarve, because of its stunning appearance, amenities, and swimming and surfing conditions.

Praia da Falésia

Praia do Camilo (Camilo Beach)

Camilo Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve. It is located just south of Lagos, and just a short walk from Praia Dona Ana, another beautiful Algarve beach.

To get down to the beach, you’ll walk down 227 wooden steps. Once on the beach, there is a beach bar and a sea arch that is a very popular photography spot. Take the tunnel in the cliffs and you’ll pop out on another similar beach surrounded by rock walls.

Camilo Beach | Best Things to Do in Algarve, Portugal

Praia de São Rafael & Praia dos Arrifes

Not far from Albufeira sits two lovely beaches, Praia de São Rafael and Praia dos Arrifes.

Praia de São Rafael is a medium-sized beach that is framed by rocky cliffs and a few small sea arches. The cliffs here aren’t quite as high as at other beaches on this list, but since the beach sits in a sheltered cove, it makes a picturesque spot to spend the day, especially for families.

Praia de São Rafael  

Praia dos Arrifes sits next to Praia de São Rafael. This is a much smaller beach and is surrounded by sea stacks of all sizes. This sheltered cove is a great spot to go snorkeling.

Praia dos Arrifes

Praia dos Três Irmãos (Three Brothers Beach)

Like many of the best Algarve beaches, Praia dos Três Irmãos makes the list for its rocky pillars, sea arches, and caves. This is 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 another neighboring beach, Praia da Prainha. Here there are even more formations and caves to explore.

Cave on Praia dos Três Irmãos

More Beaches to Explore

A few more noteworthy beaches include Praia do Barril (this beach is unique for its anchor cemetery), Praia Dona Ana (a picturesque beach in Lagos), and Albandeira Beach (famous for its sea arch). On the western coast, Praia da Cordoama and Bordeira’s Beach are well worth the drive, and we mention these later in this guide.

For a longer list of beaches, plus practical information such as parking and amenities, take a look at our Best Beaches in the Algarve guide.

Dona Ana Beach

2. Ponta da Piedade

This rocky point, with its sea pillars, arches, and small but gorgeous beaches can be explored both by land and by boat.

A network of boardwalk trails runs from Praia Dona Ana to the tip of Ponta da Piedade. At several points, you have the option to walk down long sets of staircases to Camilo Beach and a sea grotto.

The view from the Ponta da Piedade boardwalk trail

The grotto at Ponta da Piedade

Alternatively, you can visit Ponta da Piedade by boat. There are numerous boat tours and kayaking tours, a good option if you want to get up close with the enormous pillars and drift in and out of sea caves.

This rocky point is located near Lagos and one of the top places to visit in the Algarve. For more information about the walking trails and the boat tours, read our article about How to Visit Ponta da Piedade: By Land & By Sea.

A view of Camilo Beach on a boat tour of Ponta da Piedade

3. Spend Some Time in Lagos

Lagos is a beautiful seaside town in the Algarve. It’s a favorite town to visit for many travelers, with its charming, colorful streets and array of shops and restaurants.

Top Experiences in Lagos:

• Stroll through the historic old town
• See the castle and city walls
• Visit Museu de Lagos
• Visit the Church of Santo Antonio
• See the fortress
• Lagos Market
• Stroll along the marina
• Take a boat tour to Ponta da Piedade
• Visit the nearby beaches (Praia Dona Ana, Praia dos Estudantes, Praia do Pinhão)

Lagos castle

Church of Santo Antonio

Lagos

4. Hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

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.

On this walk, you will see Marinha Beach, Benagil Cave, some of the most dramatic coastlines of the Algarve, and a handful of other beautiful beaches.

It was one of our favorite experiences in Portugal.

One of many awesome views along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

Praia do Carvalho

5. Benagil Cave

Benagil Cave is one of the most popular places to visit in the Algarve. There are numerous coastal caves but what makes this sea cave special is its multiple entrances from the ocean and large skylight.

Benagil Cave | Best Things to Do in Algarve, Portugal

This cave is now suffering from its popularity. In recent years, more and more people visit the cave, either by boat, kayak, or by swimming to the cave, and with its massive increase in visitors, several dangerous incidents have occurred.

In response to this, the Portuguese government is limiting how people can visit the cave. Starting in September 2023, the only way to enter the cave is on a boat tour. Kayaking and swimming to the cave is no longer allowed. Whether these restrictions remain in 2024 is yet to be seen. But if you want to enter Benagil Cave, the only way to do it is on a boat tour.

We took one of these boat tours in October 2023, right after the restrictions were put into place. Small boats can still enter the cave, which is still great for photography, but visitors are not permitted to disembark the boat and stand on the cave beach.

You can also see Benagil Cave by hiking to it on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. You will only get a view of the cave from its skylight, since you can’t hike or swim to the interior of the cave. Seeing it by boat is well worth it, however.

Looking into Benagil Cave from the skylight

6. Take a Boat Tour

One of the best things to do in Algarve is to take a boat tour. And you have a lot of options.

We took a 2-hour tour of the coast, from Portimão to Benagil Cave and Praia da Marinha that was an amazing experience (it’s also the best way to see Benagil Cave). This tour is in a small boat, so you can enter quite a few sea caves, including Benagil Cave.

This 2.5 hour tour leaves from Albufeira. You’ll spot dolphins, cruise past Praia da Marinha, and see Benagil Cave from the outside.

From Lagos, take a boat tour of Ponta da Piedade or a kayaking tour of Ponta da Piedade.

Go kayaking at Marinha Beach and Benagil Beach or Praia do Vau.

Boat tour of Ponta da Piedade

7. Go Surfing

Portugal is a popular surfing destination (it’s most well-known location may be Nazaré, with its giant waves in the winter months). There are numerous beaches in the Algarve which have excellent surfing conditions.

The western coast of the Algarve is the best place to surf big waves. This is a great spot to go if you are an experienced surfer, but there are surf schools here for beginners as well. Some of the best western beaches for surfing include Tonel Beach, Beliche Beach, Praia da Arrifana, and Praia do Amado. There are also surf schools at Bordeira’s Beach and Praia da Cordoama.

On the southern coast, the waves are generally smaller and calmer, making this a better place for beginners. The beaches around Albufeira, notably Praia da Falésia, is one of the top surfing beaches on the south coast. If you want to take surf lessons, this 2-hour surf lesson on Falésia Beach gets rave reviews.

8. 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.

From the southwestern tip of Portugal (Cabo de São Vicente, mentioned next), you can go on a road trip along this coastline, visiting the beaches and dramatic viewpoints.

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

To the north of Praia da Cordoama is Bordeira’s Beach. This wide beach is famous for its surfing, its boardwalk trail and viewpoint of the beach, and a nearby cove perfect for snorkeling.

Bordeira’s Beach

You can also visit Praia da Arrifana and Praia do Amado, two more popular beaches for surfing.

For the best experience, combine your visit to these beaches with our next entry, Cabo de São Vicente, since they are all located in the same general area.

9. Cabo de São Vicente & Sagres

Cabo de São Vicente (Cape St. Vincent) is frequently referred to as the edge of the world.

This is the southwesternmost 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.

Cabo de São Vicente

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.

Nearby, you have the option to 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.

For those short on time, we don’t think visiting the fort is worth it. The views from Cabo de São Vicente are much better and skipping the fort saves you time so you can visit the Costa Vicentina beaches.

The view from Fortaleza de Sagres

10. See the Chapel of Bones in Faro

Faro is the largest town in the Algarve. It lacks the charm that you get in the smaller towns, such as Lagos, Tavira, and Olhão, but it is worth coming here to see the magnificent bone church. Faro is also the starting point for tours of the Ria Formosa, mentioned next.

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, exit the church to the right of the altar. You’ll walk 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.

Faro Bone Church

11. Ria Formosa

This lagoon sits to the south of Faro and is made up of several barrier islands. This protected area is one of Portugal’s seven natural wonders (also on this list is the volcanic landscape of the Azores and Peneda-Geres National Park near Braga).

Ria Formosa | D. Ribeiro/shutterstock.com

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 small towns.

These tours start in Faro and Olhão.

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.

This half-day tour from Olhão includes a visit to three islands plus a traditional home-cooked fisherman’s lunch.

12. Visit Tavira

This lovely town is a great spot to visit for lunch and dinner. With its narrow, hilly streets, castle walls you can walk, gardens, bridges, and churches, Tavira is fun to visit and fun to photograph.

Top Experiences in Tavira:

• Walk the walls and see the gardens at Castelo de Tavira
• Tavira Old Bridge
• Stroll the streets in the town center
• Photograph Torre do Relogio
• Capela de Nossa Senhora da Piedade
• Praça da Republica, the town square

Tavira is located on the eastern end of the Algarve. It can be combined with Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery as well as Vila Real de Santo Antonio.

Tavira

13. Dine on Fresh Seafood

With its seaside location, the seafood in Algarve is ridiculously good. Dining at local restaurants on the fresh seafood that was served was one of our favorite experiences in the Algarve. Prices are relatively inexpensive as well, so you can have a very good dinner without paying a small fortune.

Dine on grilled sardines, cataplana de marisco (seafood stew), conquilhas á Algarvia (clams cooked with sausage, onions, and garlic), and squid Algarve style.

We stayed in Albufeira, so this is where we ate most nights. We have a restaurant guide for Albufeira, but a great place to visit for seafood fresh from the sea is Ferragudo, mentioned next.

14. Visit Ferragudo

Ferragudo is a tiny fishing village that is located near Portimao. One of the best things to do here is to have lunch or dinner at Sueste – Vinhos e Petiscos but you can also stroll the city streets, visit Praia da Angrinha, and see Castelo de Ferragudo.

If you plan to take a boat tour from Portimao to Benagil Cave, you can add on a visit to Ferragudo before or after the boat trip.

Castelo de Ferragudo

15. Explore the Castle of Silves

The Castle of Silves is one of the best-preserved Moorish castles in Portugal. In 716 AD, the Moors defeated the Romans, taking over the citadel and then expanded it, added on walls and other fortifications.

On a visit to the castle, you can walk the castle walls, a must do for panoramic views over the city of Silves. You can also visit the remains of ancient palaces, a cistern, and archeological excavations.

Silves Castle

After your visit, wander through Silves. This is a beautiful town, one of our favorites, with the remnants of the fortress walls running through town, gorgeous architecture, and quite a few great restaurants to choose from.

We had a fantastic lunch at Parsley & Thyme (a vegetarian Indian restaurant) but Mosaiko looks lovely and also gets very good reviews (they serve a fusion of Algarvean and Arab flavors) as does Marisqueira Rui if you prefer seafood.

16. Algar Seco Rocks

Algar Seco is one of the most unique places to visit in the Algarve. It is a wonderland of tunnels, grottos, caves, cliffs, and windows to the sea and is super fun to explore.

A visit here is more than just taking the famous shot of Algar Seco, with the two cave openings and views of the Atlantic Ocean.

You can also walk down to the grotto and go cliff jumping, walk the boardwalk trails that run from Algar Seco Rocks to a viewpoint of Carvoeiro, and (the best part!!) explore the rocky coastline, where you can take some unique photos through cave openings.

Learn more, and see a lot more photos, in our Algar Seco Guide.

Algar Seco | Best Things to Do in Algarve, Portugal

Another cave opening in Algar Seco Rocks

17. Albufeira

Albufeira is one of the main towns in the Algarve. It is centrally located along the coast, so it makes a great place to stay in the Algarve, with its handy location. Albufeira is also filled with restaurants and hotels that range from budget friendly hostels to luxurious 5-star resorts.

Albufeira has a reputation for being a hotspot for young people here to party. It’s not the prettiest town in Algarve (Lagos, Tavira, Silves, and a few others compete for that spot), but it does have its charms.

The old town is worth a quick wander, but it is filled with sports bars and touristy restaurants and tacky souvenir shops, so don’t spend much time here. But the beaches are lovely and well worth the visit if you are staying in the area.

Albufeira’s real charms are in its restaurants and in the resorts and beaches that sit on the outskirts of the main town. You can dine in a windmill (check out the Windmill restaurant in our Albufeira restaurant guide), indulge in tapas and seafood at a long list of fantastic restaurants, and spend some time at Praia da Falesia.

Top Experiences in Albufeira:

• Stroll through the Old Town
• Praia da Falésia
• Praia do Peneco
• Visit the colorful marina
• Praia de São Rafael
• Praia dos Arrifes
• Dine in a windmill

Albufeira

Praia do Peneco, Albufeira

18. Explore the Milreu Roman Ruins

The Milreu ruins are the best-preserved Roman ruins in the Algarve. These ruins are the remains of a luxurious Roman villa along with a mausoleum and temple. You can still see centuries old mosaics that depict maritime motifs.

A visit here is relatively quick, taking about 30 minutes. There is a small fee to visit and a parking area next to the main entrance. It is located in Estoi.

Milreu Roman Ruins

19. Attend the Medieval Festival at Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim

Sitting on the far eastern end of the Algarve, just a stone’s throw from the border with Spain, sits a small but very picturesque city, Vila Real de Santo Antonio (sometimes called VRSA).

Vila Real de Santo Antonio

Marina at Vila Real de Santo Antonio

The landscapes out this way are much different than those near Albufeira, Lagos, and Sagres. Gone are the dramatic rocky coastal cliffs. Instead, you’ll see marshes, an enormous wide, sandy beach, and the Guadiana River, which separates Portugal from Spain.

Sitting on a hill overlooking Vila Real de Santo Antonio is a medieval castle. Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim hosts a 5-day medieval festival each August, In 2023, this festival drew 150,000 visitors!

Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim

Walking the castle walls

To visit the castle, park at ‘Parking Castro Marim’ on Google Maps, a free parking lot. Then it is a short uphill walk to the castle. There is a small fee to enter the castle, cash only.

This castle feels a bit more rustic and worn than the castles in Silves and Tavira. But it also has the feel of an open-air museum, with small museums, stables, and walls you can walk.

Top Experiences in Vila Real de Santo Antonio:

• Visit Castelo da Vila de Castro Marim
• Praca Marques de Pombal, the main square
• Walk the Promenade along the marina
• See the Marques de Pombal statue
• Have lunch at the Green Buddha
• Praia de Santo Antonio

We enjoyed our visit to VRSA and the castle, but I only think it’s worth it if you have a lot of time in your schedule (about a week in the Algarve) or if you want to attend the medieval festival.

20. Explore the Seaside Cliffs at Praia João de Arens

This was one of our favorite experiences in the Algarve. Visiting Praia João de Arens is more about hiking the cliff trails than visiting the beach, which is why it wasn’t mentioned earlier as one of the best beaches to visit.

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.

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.

The red cliffs and walking trails 

Praia João de Arens | Best Things to Do in Algarve, Portugal

Praia João de Arens is a tiny, clothing-optional beach in a picturesque cove surrounded by cliff walls. From the cliff trails, there is a steep trail that leads down to the beach.

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.

Our Favorite Experiences in the Algarve

20 things to do in Algarve is a lot to choose from, so, to narrow it down, here are our top 10 favorite experiences.

• Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
• Visiting the beaches, especially Marinha Beach, Camilo Beach, and Praia dos Três Irmãos
• Boat tour of the Algarve Coast
• Benagil Cave
• Costa Vicentina
• Dining on fresh seafood
• Algar Seco
• The cliff trails at Praia do João d’Arens
• Lagos
• Ponta da Piedade

Best Things to Do in Algarve: On a Map

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Algarve best known for?

The Algarve is best known for its golden beaches, dramatic coastal cliffs and sea pillars, Benagil Cave, and its long list of resorts. The Algarve is one of Europe’s top beach destinations and with its warm, sunny weather and mild winters, can be visited all year.

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.

What are the best beaches 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.

If you have any questions about the best things to do in Algarve, Portugal, let us know in the comment section below.

More Algarve & Portugal Travel Guides

ALGARVE ITINERARY: How to Plan a Dream Trip to the Algarve
ALGARVE HOTEL GUIDE: Where to Stay in the Algarve: The Ultimate Hotel Guide
SPAIN AND PORTUGAL ITINERARY: 14 Day Southern Spain & Portugal Itinerary: Andalusia & the Algarve
BEST OF PORTUGAL: Portugal Bucket List: 25 Best Things to Do in Portugal
PORTUGAL ITINERARY: 10 Days in Portugal: Lisbon, Porto & the Algarve

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