South Portugal Itinerary: How To Explore Algarve In 5, 7 Or 10 Days

The Algarve coast or South Portugal, is renowned for its stunning coastal scenery, characterized by towering limestone cliffs, hidden coves and golden sand beaches. The region boasts a wide variety of beaches, coastal hiking and picturesque small towns, each with its own unique charm.

I’ve been to South Portugal many times, traversing the entire area and getting to know towns like Faro, Carvoeiro and Lagos. Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are here. For me, the affordability when compared to most of Western Europe also makes this region such a great repeat destination. If you’re looking for a beach vacation, Algarve is all you need!

How many days to spend in southern Portugal?

The Algarve region is spread across the entire width of Southern Portugal over a 5000 sq km region with 500,000 people It receives the largest number of tourists in Portugal, attracted to the sun kissed beaches, stunning coast and coves around the area.

How many days to spend in South Portugal depends on how much time you have. You can spend 5, 7, 10 or 14 days exploring this gorgeous coastal region, walking around beautiful small towns, lounging on pristine beaches and enjoying the amazing food. My recommendation is to do 7 or 10 days as that gives you ample time to relax on the beach, enjoy the food and also explore some of the charming towns / villages around the area.

How you spend the time also depends on where you’re flying into. The area is about 3 hours driving time from Lisbon but if you plan to spend time just in Algarve during your Portugal trip, you could opt to fly to Faro, the region’s administrative headquarters.

A 7 day itinerary can be planned in many ways, mostly depending on where you fly to and what you’d like to do first – hit the beach, explore towns, go kayaking or hike around the gorgeous coastal cliffs. I recommend flying to Faro which is the administrative headquarters in Algarve and is the airport you’d need to fly to in the region.

Day 1: Fly to Faro, Drive to Carvoeiro

About an hour west of Faro is the picturesque resort town of Carvoeiro set on gorgeous coastal cliffs. Carvoeiro can serve as a perfect base for your entire Algarve trip, especially if you have a rental car. There are six golden beaches on a long stretch of sand in the town itself with turquoise blue waters and towering rock columns on the beaches. If you’re headed straight to the beach, Praia de Carvalho is the prettiest beach around. However, since it is a small beach, it does get crowded quickly, especially in high tourist season.

Also, depending on how much daylight you have on day 1, you should walk the Carvoeiro boardwalk which is a short, 700m boardwalk which hugs the jagged coastline. The boardwalk offers gorgeous sea views, rock formations, sink holes and natural arches. The best time to do this walk is at sunset. Boneca Bar at one end of the boardwalk near the Algar Seco rocks is a great spot for drink at sunset.

Alternatively, Portimao is another recommended location to use as a base in the area.

Where To Stay In Carvoeiro

📍Tivoli Carvoeiro: Gorgeous luxury hotel on the cliff with amazing sea views and access to a beach. The pool here is probably the most beautiful in Algarve, overlooking the ocean and cliffs. Most rooms have gorgeous balconies and you can opt for hot tubs that overlook the ocean.

📍Monte Santo Resort: A slightly more affordable option and great for families, this resort offers a luxurious experience and has modern luxury suites and townhouses. A great breakfast, spa and pool are the cherry on top.

📍Vale da Lapa Village Resort: Another great option for families, this is a villa only property.

Where To Stay In Portimao

📍Bela Vista Hotel & Spa – Relais & Chateaux: Set in a stately historical building and across 3 houses, Bela Vista offers boutique accommodations on the cliffs of Praia da Rocha. It is a gorgeous hotel right on the beach.

📍NH Marina Portimao Resort: Located in a complex overlooking the sea and Portimão marina, this hotel has 2 seawater pools and offers well decorated apartments, making it perfect for families.

📍RR Hotel da Rocha: Immediate access to Praia Da Rocha with contemporary suites offering beach views.

Day 2: Boat tour to Benagil Caves

My favorite thing to do in Algarve was one of the days I spent in and around Benagil Caves. A boat ride and / or kayaking around the Benagil caves and the cliffs is to die for!

The views of the sea cliffs from the ocean while rocking on a kayak are mesmerizing. The sea caves, rock formations and arches you go in and out of are just other worldly. Most of these boat tours include kayaks, lunch on the water, a visit to a secluded beach and obviously, the Benagil caves.

The best way to experience this is through a guided tour and there are boat tours that run from Faro, Carvoeiro, Portimao and Albufeira. One thing to point out is that the quality of the tour has a huge impact on your experience. So, I recommend not choosing the cheapest option. If you’re only looking to kayak around the cliffs, there are kayaking only options for the Benagil caves too.

If you are crunched on time, you could catch a skiff from Benagil beach to the caves. Regardless of what you end up doing, do not miss the Benagil caves!

Day 3: Lounge at the beach

After the long day kayaking out on the water, use this day to recoup and recover lounging on one of the many gorgeous beaches near Carvoeiro. Your top options include Benagil beach, Praia de Carvalho and Praia de Marinha. If you’re here in the summer during peak tourist season, keep in mind that these beaches get extremely crowded pretty early in the day. This might mean you don’t get a spot for your towel.

However, there are many pristine lesser known beaches around that offer you a more peaceful, relaxing and adventurous experience (as you need to descend from the cliffs to get to the beaches). If you’re looking for a more secluded beach around the area, head to Praia dos Três Castelos, which involves a slightly precarious walk down a wooden ladder and jagged rocks down to a tiny beach with cliffs on 3 sides. If you’re walking the Seven Valleys Trail, you should probably do Praia de Marinha when you do that.

Day 4: Walk the Seven Valleys trail

The Seven Valleys Trail is a 6km / 3.8 mile long hiking trail that runs along the coastal cliffs. It is consistently regarded as one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Europe. It is relatively flat, unless you descend to the beaches along the trail. The trail runs from Praia de Marinha in the east to Praia do Vale de Centeanes in the west. Thus, if you are planning to head to Praia de Marinha, this trail can be done on the same day. The Carveiro Boardwalk is also a section of this trail.

There are many beaches along the trail in addition to countless stunning viewpoints / miradors along the trail that will leave you refreshed. Towards the western edge of the trail is a little bench, marked as the best lunch bench in Algarve. It has stunning views of the ocean and the coastline and many stop here for lunch.

Day 5: Explore Lagos / Albufeira / Faro / Portimao

While the beaches and coastal cliffs are the main event in the Algarve, it has some beautiful coastal towns and villages. Depending on what floats your boat, you should spend a day exploring the town of Lagos, Albufeira, Faro or Portimao. Depending on if you’re doing Ferragudo, Portimao or Faro would be my recommendations. There are beautiful beaches in all these towns but the architecture of Portimao and Faro is a bit cuter in my opinion.

Where To Stay In Faro (if you end up staying here)

📍3HB Faro: Modern 5-star hotel in the center of Faro with all the amenities.

📍AP Eva Senses: Modern hotel overlooking the Rio Formosa Natural Park.

Day 6: Day trip to Ferragudo or Silves

Head to the village of Ferragudo for a relatively more quiet exploration of a quaint coastal village. There are many quaint beaches in Ferragudo with Praia de Infanta being quite a secluded beach and Praia do Pintadinho being slightly more commercial.

There are a couple of nice beach clubs that temporarily close in the winter at Praia do Pintadinho. You can also visit a lighthouse with coastal views and discover other secluded beaches along the coast if you walk east. Ferragudo is also a great alternate to Carvoeiro or Portimao as a base, which slightly cheaper options, being across the water from Portimao.

Silves is the former capital of the Kingdom of Algarve, a nominal kingdom within the Portuguese crown. It is a 15-20 min drive north of Carvoeiro /Portimao and comprises a low, hilly region. There is a well preserved town hall and the 8th century Silves castle that offers great views. Silves Castle was built by the Moors and is considered the finest example of Moorish military architecture in Portugal. This makes Silves a great option for a lunch and a stroll.

Day 7: Fly out from Faro

Unfortunately, like all good things, vacations come to an end. Depending on the timing of your flight, you might have some time to check out some sights in Faro. Spending a short while walking around Faro old town will refresh you. If you have a bit more time, head to Ilha do Farol which is a little, adjoining island you can walk / take a boat to. The area is part of a national park with a beautful beach, a lighthouse and cute restaurants / cafes.

In addition to the recommendations from the 7-Day itinerary, these are things you could consider adding to your Algarve itinerary if you’re looking to spend 10 days in the area.

Day 1: Fly to Faro, Drive to Carvoeiro

As suggested earlier, day 1 would be a travel day, flying either to Faro or Lisbon and heading to Carvoeiro, which can be used as the first base for your trip. Alternatively, you can also stay at Portimao.

Where To Stay In Carvoeiro

📍Tivoli Carvoeiro: Gorgeous luxury hotel on the cliff with amazing sea views and access to a beach. The pool here is probably the most beautiful in Algarve, overlooking the ocean and cliffs. Most rooms have gorgeous balconies and you can opt for hot tubs that overlook the ocean.

📍Monte Santo Resort: A slightly more affordable option and great for families, this resort offers a luxurious experience and has modern luxury suites and townhouses. A great breakfast, spa and pool are the cherry on top.

📍Vale da Lapa Village Resort: Another great option for families, this is a villa only property.

Where To Stay In Portimao

📍Bela Vista Hotel & Spa – Relais & Chateaux: Set in a stately historical building and across 3 houses, Bela Vista offers boutique accommodations on the cliffs of Praia da Rocha. It is a gorgeous hotel right on the beach.

📍NH Marina Portimao Resort: Located in a complex overlooking the sea and Portimão marina, this hotel has 2 seawater pools and offers well decorated apartments, making it perfect for families.

📍RR Hotel da Rocha: Immediate access to Praia Da Rocha with contemporary suites offering beach views.

Day 2: Boat tour to Benagil Caves

This is the top thing to do in the Algarve. Choose from the many boat tours that run from Faro, Carvoeiro, Portimao and Albufeira. As mentioned earlier, the quality of the tour makes all the difference. So, not slumming it would be recommended!

Day 3: Lounge at the beach

Be spoilt for choice and choose a beach near where you are staying. Your top options include Benagil beach, Praia de Carvalho and Praia de Marinha. If you’re here in the summer during peak tourist season, these beaches get extremely crowded pretty early in the day.

Day 4: Walk the Seven Valleys Trail

The Seven Valleys Trail is a 6km / 3.8 mile long hiking trail that runs along the coastal cliffs. It is consistently regarded as one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Europe. Walk this trail and enjoy the coastal cliff views and the pristine beaches along it.

Day 5: Day trip to Ferragudo or Silves

The village of Ferragudo, across the water from Portimao, offers a relatively more quiet exploration of a quaint coastal village. There are many quaint beaches in Ferragudo with Praia de Infanta and Praia do Pintadinho being top choices.

Silves is about 15 minutes north, a low hilly region with a cute old town that was the former capital of the Kingdom of Algarve. It has a beautiful 8th century Moorish hilltop castle with great views!

Day 6: Drive to Sagres – ‘the end of Portugal’

Sagres, a little town located at the Southwestern edge of Portugal about an hour’s drive west of Carveoiro, offering spectacular cliff views, untouched beaches and gorgeous drives through rural Portugal. Sagres itself is a cute little town with some nice restaurants and a fine, long beach. It also has a lighthouse that can be visited.

If you’re heading to this area, it would be recommended you have a rental car. Driving here will enable you to explore some beaches around the area. My favorites beaches around here were Castelejo and Ponta Ruiva, about 20 minutes further west of Sagres. There are trains that you could take to Sagres but are slow, infrequent and inefficient. A train journey from Carvoeiro to Sagres would take you over 2h30m.

Day 7: Explore Portimao or Faro

Both towns have a cute old town, great views and gorgeous beaches. Pick one of the two to explore. My recommendation would be Portimao if you’re exploring a town. If you want to check out a more unique beach on an island, Ilha da Farol in Faro is an area with a great beach, restaurants and a light house.

Day 8: Kayak around the cliffs or shift base to Santa Luzia

Having some extra days enables to be flexible with what you want to do. if you’re looking for a bit more effort and adventure, while soaking in the views, kayaking around the cliffs in Algarve is an immensely relaxing experience. In addition to the boat tour to Benagil, I spent an afternoon kayaking around these cliffs and experiencing them at our own leisurely pace.

If you want to spend some more time at the beach and are looking for another town to visit, you could drive an hour or so east from Carvoeiro / Portimao to Santa Luzia or Tavira. While the towns themselves are nothing special, the Tavira island, being part of the Ria Formosa Natural park offers unending fine sand beaches, fishing lagoons and hiking trails. It even has a little tourist train that takes you across the lagoon to Praia do Barril, one of the most popular beaches in the area.

Day 9: Lounge at the Beach or explore Faro

Regardless of your itinerary, it is a great idea to end your time in the Algarve on the beach, just relaxing here for a whole day. If you chose to head to Santa Luzia spend some more time at Barril beach. Or just look up any beach around you. Most are stunning!

You can also choose to head to Faro, where you should spend the night and explore the old town, then heading to Ilha do Farol to lounge at the beach. This will ensure you have the most amount of time to relax before heading out the next day.

Where To Stay In Faro (if you end up staying here)

📍3HB Faro: Modern 5-star hotel in the center of Faro with all the amenities.

📍AP Eva Senses: Modern hotel overlooking the Rio Formosa Natural Park.

Day 10: Fly out from Faro

Be well rested, relaxed and rejuvenated after 10 days in the sun in the Algarve! Enjoy your flight out of Faro!

How To Get Around South Portugal

🚗 CAR: Our top recommendation is rent a car and drive yourself! Renting a car gives you the flexibility to explore as little or as much as you’d like. With so many beautiful beaches in the area, a car will give you the option of checking out more.

IMPORTANT INFO ON PAYING TOLLS IN PORTUGAL:

1. Get a transponder from your rental car company and make sure you use the lane with the logo on your transponder. This is my recommendation as tolls in Portugal are a bit complicated otherwise!

2. Pay in cash lanes wherever available. Unfortunately cash lanes are not always available on electronic toll roads and there is no way to know this ahead of time.

3. Without a transponder, you can pay electronic tolls at the post office, which is foreigners can’t do. You can also use these websites for tolls, depending on which company operates the highway you used – CTT.pt, Ascendi, Globalvia. Because knowing this is challenging, use a transponder from your rental car!

4. Avoid using toll roads. We did this a couple times when we had a rental car from Spain without a transponder by selecting “Avoid Toll Roads” option in Google Maps. It usually adds time to your trip so if you are short on time, it’s not a great option. We like taking scenic routes and didn’t mind it.

🚆 TRAIN: Trains are convenient but slow, with just a few express options available to the region. I took a 4 hour train ride once from Lisbon to Faro. The fastest train takes 2h52m. Tickets are between $16 to $23 and can be bought online. The local trains within the region are more infrequent.

🚌 BUS: Buses are another affordable and convenient option to get to the region, especially if you’re traveling just to one destination. Buses between Lisbon and Faro take about 3 hours to complete the journey. Tickets can be bought online and costs between $8 to $25. The local buses within the region are more infrequent.

🚕 TAXIS: The region is served by local taxis which will take you between towns as well. However, they usually do not accept cards and are your most expensive option at a ballpark of €1 per km.

The Best Time To Visit South Portugal

There is never really a bad time to visit Portugal. Being so far south means that the weather here never really gets too extreme. I’ve been to Portugal in the spring, summer, fall and winter and never needed more than a coat. The summer is obviously a gorgeous time in the area with temperatures averaging 29C / 84F but the winters are mild too with average temperatures of 16C / 61F. However, winters are slightly wetter.

My favorite time to visit South Portugal is the shoulder tourist season in the months of April, May or September, October. The temperatures are still good to lounge at the beach and you escape the hordes of summer tourists.

TLDR: South Portugal Itinerary

South Portugal or Algarve is a destination where you could spend 5, 7, 10, 14 days or many more exploring its mesmerizing coastal scenery, lounging at the infinite beaches, exploring its coastal coves and gouging on delicious food. I hope these recommendations help you plan an epic trip.