By Danielle Lockwood.
As you can tell by now, Portugal is one of my very favorite European countries. Each part of the country is so different from the other and after a whirlwind of site seeing in Porto and Lisbon, it was time for Brady and I to relax in the south of Portugal, the Algarve region. Clear turquoise waters and orange limestone cliffs are emblematic of this stunning part of Portugal. The whole coastline is covered with jaw dropping rock formations, hidden caves and grottos to explore. Algarve happened to be our favorite part of Portugal and a place we wished we could have spent more time in. If you’re looking for breathtaking beaches, amazing food, and fun nightlife, you should absolutely add this to your list! Keep reading for our full Southern Portugal itinerary!
Getting to Algarve
To get to Algarve we rented a car in Lisbon and road tripped down the country side to the south of Portugal. The drive is easy and beautiful, it took us about 3 and a half hours with very little traffic and we got to stop for a lovely beachside meal on the way down. You can also take the train from Lisbon which costs about 30 euros and takes about 4 hours. We wanted to have the freedom to drive around the Algarve and explore different beaches so we thought the car would be the best mode of transportation. We took the scenic route along the coast on the N120 which takes longer because it is a 2 lane road. If you take the E1 it’s a faster drive on a toll road but it is further inland so you sacrifice the views. I highly recommend stopping in the town of Sagres for an appetizer and a visit to the Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente. This stop was about half an hour from the hotel we stayed at in Lagos.
Where to Stay in Algarve on a Budget
Carvi Beach Hotel
We absolutely loved the Carvi Beach Hotel that we stayed in located right next to the most beautiful beach in the town of Lagos. We had a HUGE balcony that overlooked the ocean and was perfect for sunset watching. You could do cartwheels on this thing. The sunsets in Lagos are simply breathtaking and having a balcony to pop champagne is crucial! This hotel was more basic but it’s great if you’re on a budget and want an amazing location. It was close to everything so we were able to walk to the beach and downtown for the restaurants and bars. There was an awesome rooftop bar in the hotel that offered the most incredible view of the beach (Praia Dona Ana).
Lemon Tree Stay Hotel
The Lemon Tree Stay Hotel is located in Faro which is about an hour south of Lagos. We stayed here on the last night of our trip because it’s right next to the airport and would make our horrifically early flight more bearable. The service at the hotel was absolutely impeccable. It’s an adorable bed and breakfast that feels just like home and they even gift you a bottle of wine! The owner was so kind and made us feel so comfortable. There is also a rooftop area to watch the sunset which clearly always scores major points with me!
What to Do in Algarve
Relax on the Beach
The Algarve is known for its stunning beaches. Each beach is so unique and like nothing I have seen before. The beaches can be particularly crowded in the summer so it is best if you get there early in the morning to get a good spot. If we had more time there we would’ve been able to explore more of the beaches but we found that the only way to escape the crowds was to sail or swim to a private beach. Make sure to bring some wine, some snacks and post up for the day.
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Take a Boat Ride to Explore the Caves
If I am being perfectly transparent, I really screwed this one up. For one, I was not feeling well after a long night out exploring all of Lagos’ nightlife. Secondly, I get DEATHLY seasick and forgot to bring Dramamine. The combination of the two was lethal but I refused to let my poor decisions stop me from seeing the most stunning caves in the Algarve. Most of the caves you can’t access unless you either swim to them or sail to them. Considering that the tide can be quite aggressive, there are a ton of boats, and the water is freezing, sailing was our best option. If you are someone who gets seasick, make sure you bring Dramamine (non-drowsy) and you will be in much better shape than I was.
We decided to do the full boat tour which took us from Praia de Benagil (praia means “beach” in Portuguese) and hit every single spot. The main cave is Benagil Cave (also called Algar de Benagil). Exhaustion and seasickness aside, the tour was absolutely stunning. Every cave we saw was more beautiful than the last. Every private beach sprinkled along the coast was something out of a postcard. The rock formations in the ocean off of each of these beaches is mesmerizing. I am so glad that we sucked it up and did the tour, I highly recommend you do the same! Word to the wise: make sure you bring a towel because we assumed we could buy a towel at one of the stands and couldn’t find a single one!
Sunset at Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente
Anywhere you go in the Algarve you can find a cliff with a perfect view of the sunset. In Sagres, the town we stopped in on our way to Lagos, there is a stunning lighthouse called the Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente. This lighthouse sits on the cliffs on the southwestern point of Portugal. Grab a bottle of wine, some cheese and bread and go have a picnic on the cliff overlooking the ocean. The sunset views are beyond stunning.
The Best Beaches in the Algarve
Praia Dona Ana
There are so many beaches in the Algarve but here are a few of my favorites that you must add to your Southern Portugal itinerary. This beach is located in Lagos, right next to our hotel. It is the most beautiful sunset spot (pictured above) and never got too crowded while we were there. Stunning limestone cliffs line this beach and the water is crystal clear. Make sure you add this to your beach hopping excursion!
Praia Do Comilo
This beach was also walking distance from our hotel in Lagos (and walking distance from Praia Dona Ana). We had a beautiful lunch at a cliffside restaurant, bought a bottle of vino verdhe and brought it down to the beach with us. Vino verdhe is Portugal’s famous white wine, it is a must have while you are in Portugal! With enough vino verdhe you can handle swimming in the freezing cold water! This beach tends to be more crowded so try to get a spot earlier in the day.
Praia da Marinha
This stunning beach is the most emblematic beach of the Algarve. It was awarded 100 best beaches in the world and top 10 best beaches in Europe. My photos could not dare to ever do it justice. This was my very favorite beach, with formations of rocks to explore and incredibly clear waters that are perfect for snorkeling. This beach is very close to Benagil Cave so you can easily make a day of exploring both beaches. After taking in the views, make your way to the park on the south side where you will find stairs that will lead you down to the sand. They have a restaurant and bar here so you don’t ever need to leave. One of my favorite rock formations is the M rock, also called the Cathedral. When the tide is low you can walk on the beach close to it to take in the view.
Where to Eat in the Algarve
O Camilo
O Camilo is a restaurant that sits right over Praia do Comilo. We walked here from our hotel to stop for some fresh seafood before spending a day at the beach. The wait was absurdly long, it took us about 45 minutes to get a table but the food was delicious and the view was incredible. Make sure you get the oysters and the vino verdhe (they’ll let you take the wine to go to the beach).
Tasca Jota
Tasca Jota is an adorable restaurant in the town of Lagos, walking distance from our hotel. This charming place had the best fish and steak and the house red wine was to DIE FOR. The service was incredible, so incredible that we didn’t leave until the place closed. It is centrally located so we could walk to all of the fun nightlife in downtown. Make sure this restaurant is on your list if you stay in Lagos!
A Tasca Do João
A Tasca Do João is a tapas restaurant in the city of Faro, where we stayed the night before our flight back. This restaurant was recommended to us by our incredible host at the Lemon Tree Stay Hotel. Every single dish was delectable and I would recommend getting around 6 dishes if you are hungry.
That concludes my itinerary for the Algarve, Portugal. There is so much to explore so remember to rent a car to easily get around. No photos can do this place justice so I hope you can go and visit for yourself!
Have you been to the Algarve and have any additional recommendations for us? Comment below!
Xx,
Danielle and Simone
WHAT WE PACKED
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