Kayaks navigate through the crystal waters of Praia Dona Ana, Lagos.

©Juampiter/Getty Images

The Algarve

Soaring cliffs, sea caves, golden beaches, scalloped bays and sandy islands draw over four million visitors to the Algarve each year. Surrounded on two sides by the Atlantic, it's a paradise for surfers, especially along the refreshingly undeveloped west coast.

Best Time to Visit

Best Places to Visit

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Downtown of Faro with Se Cathedral in the morning with orange tree in the foreground, Algarve, Portugal 1472097846 building, view, orange, portuguese, historical, faro

    Sé

    Faro

    The centrepiece of the Cidade Velha, the sé was completed in 1251 but heavily damaged in the 1755 earthquake. What you see now is a variety of Renaissance…

  • View to Ria Formosa Natural Park, Algarve, Portugal 1889985748

    Parque Natural da Ria Formosa

    Faro

    Encompassing 18,000 hectares, this sizeable system of lagoons and islands stretches for 60km along the Algarve coastline from west of Faro to Cacela Velha…

  • Algarve coastline

    Ponta da Piedade

    Lagos

    Protruding 2.5km south of Lagos, Ponta da Piedade is a dramatic wedge of headland with contorted, polychrome sandstone cliffs and towers, complete with a…

  • Castelo

    Castelo

    Silves

    This russet-coloured, Lego-like castle – originally occupied in the Visigothic period – has great views over the town and surrounding countryside. What…

  • Benagil Caves

    Benagil Caves

    Carvoeiro

    One of the Algarve's – and Portugal's – most emblematic sights, this huge natural seaside cave has a hole in its ceiling through which streaming sunlit…

  • Sé

    Sé

    Silves

    Just below the castle is the sé, built in 1189 on the site of an earlier mosque, then rebuilt after the 1249 Reconquista and subsequently restored several…

  • Museu de Portimão

    Museu de Portimão

    Portimão

    Housed in a 19th-century fish cannery, the ultramodern, award-winning Museu de Portimão is the city's number-one draw. The museum focuses on three areas:…

View more attractions
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/top
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "The-Algarve",
  "region": "Western-Europe",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "country": "Portugal"
}

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Fill up your senses in the Algarve. Incredible beaches, world-class restaurants and scenic walks are among our top things to do in the Algarve.

Read article

Things to Know

Make the most of your visit to Portugal’s Algarve with these local tips, ideal for first-timers.

Read article

Best Road Trips

If you’re looking for the best road trips through the Algarve, don’t miss these five top drives, taking in hilltop villages and stunning coastal scenery.

Read article

Plan with a local

Articles

Latest stories from The Algarve

Filter by interest:

es Vedra - The South - IBIZA Lonely Planet Magazine, Issue 117, September 2018, Ibiza A young couple watch the sunset over the island of Es Vedra.

Beaches

10 amazing places in Europe for a dose of winter sun

Sep 11, 2024 • 7 min read

Read more articles

Go Beyond

The Algarve and beyond

Beyond The Algarve
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/bottom
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "The-Algarve",
  "region": "Western-Europe",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "country": "Portugal"
}