The Best Guide to Portugal's Coast: A 3 Day Algarve Itinerary
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Portugal’s Algarve Coast
Beaches and Hidden Caves
Have you ever fallen in love with a place after only seeing one photo? Found something so unique about it that you knew you had to see it in person? That was how I felt when I set out to plan the perfect Algarve itinerary, and became inspired to plan our recent trip to Spain and Portugal.
As an East Coast Canadian living on the Atlantic Ocean, I have always had a healthy respect for its power. Eroded cliffs carved by strong tides and harsh storms are familiar scenery to me.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered those cliffs could look so different on the other side of the pond. The stunning rock formations and caves in beautiful, beige colouration really stuck with me. I was determined to see them in person, and compare them to what I knew at home.
After our amazing week in Spain, we travelled by bus from Seville to the Algarve. This was a comfortable and inexpensive way to travel between the two countries as train service is scarce between the South of Spain and Portugal.
We chose to explore the Algarve with Lagos as our home base. It was truly a perfect place for a beach vacation and I can’t wait to share my favourite spots on the coast with you.
Quick Facts About The Algarve
What is the Algarve Coast: The Algarve Coast is the Southernmost region of Portugal which encompasses several towns including Lagos, Faro and Albufeira and all the shoreline in between. It is known for its beautiful beaches.
When to visit: For beach weather, I would recommend June through September. Shoulder season in May and October is less busy with tourists, but also less warm.
Where to stay: We stayed at an absolutely beautiful modern hotel called Lagos Avenida Hotel. I highly recommend them for hospitality, cleanliness and fresh, modern style.
How to get around: I recommend renting a vehicle. The can’t miss stops I will discuss are spread out all along the south coast and are not easily accessible by public transit. A municipal train system does exist but will not get you to the beaches.
Pro Tip: Rental cars can be acquired easily after arriving at your hotel. We found them so convenient as the companies were willing to drop off and pick up our vehicle at our hotel lobby.
Lagos
As I mentioned above, we found Lagos to be a perfect home base for exploring this region. Lagos (or Lagoa in Portuguese) is a small but bustling town whose shops and hotels look out onto a picturesque marina.
There is plenty to do and see within the town itself. The main strip across from the marina is lined with kiosks and is a great place to shop for souvenirs. More shops can be found closer to the town’s main square.
Lagos is an excellent place to take a boat tour of the caves that are so famous in this region. A fun and relaxing boat ride takes you from the marina, along the shore, where you can see the beautiful Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Camilo, two beautiful, secluded beaches, and Ponta da Piedade, a one of a kind lookout.
Where to eat in Lagos: If you are interested in classy, upscale dining, the restaurant in the Lagos Avenida Hotel, Avenida Restaurante, is a Michelin star restaurant that makes for a great date night. Dress up and enjoy fine dining here. You should book your table in advance of your trip.
As per usual, our favourite restaurant in town was a pub called Baffi Bar. We ordered a lot of items from their menu to share as a group and enjoyed absolutely everything. We joked that we wished we could eat every meal of our vacation at this place. Don’t hesitate, just go here.
Ponta da Piedade
Although you can see Ponta da Piedade from the water on a boat tour, don’t use that as an excuse to skip visiting it. Take the time to go down to the point and walk the staircase down into the caves. Prepare to climb a lot of stairs!
For me, visiting here at sunset was the highlight of my time in the Algarve. You won’t be disappointed. You might even meet the neighbourhood cat!
Cape St. Vincent
Cape St. Vincent was once thought to be the edge of the world, or so the story goes. Before the Europeans began to explore the seas, this seemed to them to be where the land ended. It is the southwesternmost point in Europe and home to the Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente (Lighthouse of Cape St. Vincent).
It is an easy drive from Lagos. Head west until you can drive no more.
It is exactly as you might picture a stereotypical edge of the world to be. Tall cliffs and a sheer drop into rough and tumultuous ocean. The winds were fairly high on the day we visited despite it not being windy in town in Lagos.
Praia de Benagil (Benagil Beach)
My next two recommendations will take you east of Lagos (see why you needed that rental car?). The caves at Benagil Beach have become a recently popular stop for anyone visiting the Algarve, and for good reason.
They are a must see.
Accessible only by boat, kayak or swimming, they are located just to the left of Benagil Beach. They are truly fascinating to see as they include one very large open cave with an entrance on either side, a hole through the top, and a sandy beach inside.
I recommend kayaking, as you will be able to land on the beach (most boat tours will not allow you to do so). I also recommend going early, before the place gets crowded. We booked the very first kayak rental of the day.
Praia da Marinha
Perhaps the most popular beach for suntanning and spending an entire day, Praia da Marinha is truly beautiful. It is a long stretch of beach surrounded in caves and rock formations. If you go here, make sure to walk to the far end of the beach and wander through the caves. There’s a lot to explore.
You can also hike along the cliffs above Praia da Marinha, all the way to the point you see in the photo below.
And that’s it, my perfect Algarve itinerary! The Algarve coast has so much to offer with its endless beaches to relax and recharge. I hope you consider adding Portugal to your list of must see beach destinations. You won’t be disappointed if you do!
And for a complete guide for a two week vacation in Iberia, check out my Spain and Portugal itinerary.
Tchao!
Hill XO
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