Key facts
Algarve at a glance
Areas and places
Algarve area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from Huelva · 2 h
Plan the trip
Algarve, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Algarve
May, June, September and October: calmer sea, water already or still warm and beaches with space. In July and August everything is full and you must book boats, kayaks and accommodation. Winter is mild and sunny, good for walking and for surfing on the west coast.
How you travel
Algarve your way
The ways of travelling that suit Algarve. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
By carBy planeBy campervanCar-freeLuxuryBy bike
Nearby
Near Algarve
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
38.67° N · 9.18° W
Lisbon Metropolitan Area
By carBy planeBackpackingCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
38.80° N · 7.55° W
Alentejo
By carBy planeLuxuryBy motorbike
39.83° N · 8.52° W
Centre
By carBy planeCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
39.20° N · 6.15° W
Extremadura
By carCar-freeLuxuryOn footBy bike
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the sea before booking the kayak
The caves at Ponta da Piedade and Benagil can only be visited when the sea is calm. Book with room to change the day.
- 2Bring shoes for the walkways
The cliffs are explored along walkways and dirt paths. Flip-flops slip.
If you want warmer, calmer water, go east, to Tavira. If you want scenery, go west: Lagos and the Costa Vicentina.
It is the most famous cave and the most crowded, with strict navigation rules. Go first thing, or in bad seas swap the plan for Ponta da Piedade on foot.
Which Algarve to choose?
The Algarve is Portugal's south coast, between the Guadiana, on the border at Ayamonte, and Cape St Vincent, where Portugal turns north. It is not the same coast from end to end: in the east, barrier islands of sand and a lagoon of salt marshes; in the centre and west, ochre cliffs with caves and coves; and on the west coast, the open Atlantic. Choose according to what you are looking for.
- Tavira, the eastern Algarve, about 30 km from the border. A quiet town on the banks of the Gilão, with churches and a seven-arch bridge, facing the islands of the Ria Formosa. You go to Ilha de Tavira by boat and to Barril by a footbridge and a little train. Warmer water and long beaches: the best choice with small children.
- Lagos, the western Algarve. A walled old town, a harbour and, to the south, Ponta da Piedade, with caves and arches you can see by kayak or from wooden walkways. Meia Praia has more than 4 km of sand, and Benagil is about 35 km away. It is the base with the most atmosphere and the most activities.
- Costa Vicentina, the protected coastline of the west coast, between Cape St Vincent and the Alentejo. Slate cliffs, open beaches with almost no building, the Fishermen's Trail right on the edge and surf schools at Arrifana and Amado. For walking and surfing, not for bathing in still water.
With a week, combine two: Tavira and Lagos if you want the beach, or Lagos and the Costa Vicentina if you like walking.
How do you get there from Spain?
By car from Andalusia is the most convenient: you cross the Guadiana by the Ayamonte bridge and carry on along the Algarve motorway. Faro is about 200 km from Seville, a little over two hours, and about 110 km from Huelva; Lagos is a little under an hour further west. The A22, the Algarve motorway, has been toll-free since 1 January 2025 (Lei 37/2024): from Ayamonte to Lagos you pay nothing. If you carry on towards Lisbon on the A2, that one does have toll booths.
By air, the Algarve's airport is Faro. From Lisbon, CP's Intercidades reaches Faro with a ticket of about €25 in second class.
How do you get around?
For the coves, the west coast and the villages of the interior, a car. If you don't have one, CP's regional train runs along the coast from Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António, by the border, stopping at Portimão, Albufeira, Faro, Olhão and Tavira: from Lagos to Faro it costs about €8. The stations are not always next to the centre or the beach, but in Lagos and Tavira they are a few minutes' walk away.
On the Costa Vicentina buses are scarce: for the Fishermen's Trail, leave a car at each end or come back by taxi. Motorhomes may only stay overnight in authorised areas within the natural park.
How much does it cost?
In July and August the Algarve is expensive and you need to book months ahead. In May, June, September and October prices drop quite a lot and the weather is still beach weather. Winter is the cheapest season, with mild days for walking; some beach businesses close.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which part of the Algarve is best with children?
The east, at Tavira: long beaches on islands, warmer water and fewer waves. In Lagos, Meia Praia is calm too.
Do I need a car?
To move around freely, yes. Without a car, you can stay in Lagos or Tavira, which have a train station and a beach nearby.
How long does it take from Seville?
To Tavira, about two hours; to Faro, a little over two; to Lagos, about three.
Can you swim in winter?
The Atlantic water is cold from November to April. Winter is for walking, seeing the coast and surfing in a wetsuit.
Where can you surf?
On the west coast, the Costa Vicentina: Arrifana and Amado have schools. In Lagos there are also lessons on the western beaches.
Where should I stay without a car?
In Lagos or Tavira: both have a train station a few minutes from the centre, a beach nearby and boats or excursions leaving from the town itself.