Your Ultimate 5 Days Algarve Road Trip Itinerary

The Algarve is arguably the most beautiful part of Portugal. Its coastline is bursting with stunning sandy beaches, which are framed by dramatic sandstone cliffs and rock formations. To see as much of it as possible, we decided to rent a vehicle and embark on an epic Algarve road trip around the numerous coves and villages that dot the landscape.

We rocked up to the Algarve in October, which was a great time to visit for less crowds. The temp was in the low 20s Celsius (low 70s Fahrenheit), much cooler than the highs of 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit) in July, but still very pleasant. In fact, October is a much a better time to go if you plan on being active, as the heat is less intense for nature hikes.

Deciding on how many days in Algarve is quite subjective, but our itinerary is spread across 5 days, basically because that’s how long we spent there, and it worked out pretty well! On our trip, we chose to stay in Lagos, basically because it was in the middle of the coastal area that we wanted to explore. There are quite a few attractive towns to choose from though, as we’ll detail in this post.  

Algarve Road Trip: Quick Overview + Map

DAY 1: Estrada da Praia Route + Sagres

We began our Algarve trip on the western coast of the region, journeying down the Estrada da Praia coastal route, before ending up in Sagres. 

You’ll need a car to travel between the Estrada de Praia’s various viewpoints, which are handily marked with letters of the alphabet, from A to J. The road only takes about 20-30 minutes to drive, but since you’ll be stopping in loads of places, we’d budget about an hour, before continuing to Sagres.

Free parking is plentiful, so you can stop pretty much anywhere you want to enjoy the scenery.

📍Bordeira Beach

Start your day at the Praia da Bordeira, which is about 40-45 minutes from Lagos. It’s just north of the village of Carrapateira, where the Estrada da Praia begins. 

No list of what to see in Algarve would be complete without plenty of gorgeous beaches, and Bordeira is one of the most beautiful we visited. A long strip of sand, it feels more remote than it is just because it hasn’t got quite as many services as some of the more popular places along the south coast of Portugal.

There’s a free but small parking area on top of the cliffs, just off the main route. From here, you can hike down to the expansive shore or admire the beach from the viewpoint on the rocks above. The waves here are popular with surfers, who were riding high when we visited in October.

After you’ve relaxed a bit, you can begin the Estrada da Praia, wending your way slowly down the dirt road while taking in views of the Atlantic. Don’t worry, even though it’s not tarmacked, it’s easily accessible for all vehicles. We did it in a Volkswagen Polo!

📍Praia Do Amado

The Estrada de Praia ends in another gorgeous beach, the Praia do Amado, which is famous for beginner surfers. The vibe when we went in October was mellow and laidback, with boardwalks above where you can snap a fab panorama.

We found a great lunch spot here called Amadobar, perched on the cliff overlooking the beach. They also serve cocktails and good coffee if you want a little pick-me-up! 

Parking is free. 

📍 Cabo Sao Vincente

Keep on heading south and you’ll eventually come to Cabo de Sao Vicente, the southwesternmost point of mainland Europe. This locale is particularly popular doing sunset, but the people can be overwhelming. If you’re not big on crowds, come here a little earlier in the day instead to enjoy the rugged landscape.

Parking can be an issue during popular times, but one way to shrug off that hassle is to park in Sagres and hike to the cape along a scenic, well-frequented trail. 

It is about 7.4km (4.6 miles) and takes 2 hours one way, which is why we opted to catch Bus No. 47 back to our car! For people that want a more physically active Algarve itinerary though, this is a great alternative to driving.

📍 Sagres Fortress

Originally built in the 15th century, the Fortress of Sagres was a stronghold commissioned by Henry the Navigator, a Portuguese prince who was super keen on maritime exploration. 

The structure has been substantially rebuilt and renovated since his time, and it’s no longer as impressive as it must once have been. Still, the location is awesome, and you can definitely see why somebody would build a defensive structure right here on this imposing point. 

After snapping some pics of the views from the battlements, finish the first of your 5 days in the Algarve with dinner in Sagres. There are quite a few cute cafes and restaurants scattered about the town to choose from, many of them with a rustic meets boho charm. Must be all the surfers that visit this area!

DAY 2: Lagos

Lagos is one of the most popular towns in the Algarve with tourists. It’s been an important harbour for thousands of years. History buffs might find it interesting to know that it was the HQ for Portuguese naval expeditions in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Lagos is where we decided to stay during our Algarve road trip, but since our place was a bit out of town, we still had to find somewhere to park closer to the centre. We can tell you from first-hand experience that parking can be a headache here, so we recommend arriving relatively early in the morning to find a space.

We found a spot along the N125 road, which was super convenient for exploring the Old Town. If you follow our itinerary, all of your second day will be spent in Lagos anyway, so once you locate a parking space, you can pretty much ditch the car and forget about it until the evening.

You’ll be doing lots of walking, so wear comfortable shoes, carry sunscreen, and take plenty of water. 

📍Old Town Lagos

A highlight on any Algarve itinerary, the Old Town of Lagos is a pretty, cobblestoned area enclosed by what remains of the 16th-century walls. 

These defensive fortifications are known as the Castle of Lagos, though there’s no actual castle to see exactly. The most impressive part still exists today is the Porta de São Gonçalo, a well-preserved arch flanked by two bulky towers that functioned as one of the main entranceways into the historic quarter.

Beyond this gatehouse, there are number of old buildings to explore, including a couple of churches with attractively simple, bright white facades. Our favourite was the Church of Saint Anthony, which contains some elaborately carved woodwork that’s been covered in golden paint. Talk about bling bling!

The church is attached to the municipal museum, where you can check out all kinds of exhibits related to the region’s past.

Just to the south of the Old Town, at the mouth of the river, is one of the Algarve’s best-preserved forts. Although the Forte da Ponta da Bandeira isn’t particularly large, it’s definitely worth taking a peek at this 17th-century building, which was constructed to protect against pirates.

📍Ponta da Piedade Hike

Once you’ve finished wandering the streets of the Old Town and had a little refreshment, head about 20 minutes south to the starting point of the Ponda da Piedade hike, near Dona Ana Beach. It’s also super easy to drive down, since there’s parking right at the beginning of the boardwalk.

There are lots of viewpoints and stunning beaches hidden in the coves along the trail, which was one of the highlights of our 5 day Itinerary for the Algarve. The standout attraction was the Praia do Camilo, an iconic Algarve beach that’s reached by descending 200 wooden steps. 

On the way back, stop at O Camilo for a well-deserved glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, then continue on to Miradouro do Abismo with its views of the spectacular Ponta da Piedade rock formations.

There are toilets and a small café near the Ponta da Piedade where you can freshen up, before making the return journey back to the Praia Dona Ana.

📍Praia Dona Ana 

Dona Ana Beach is a great little sandy cove to chill for a bit after all the walking. There’s a reasonably priced restaurant called Marisol built into the rock overlooking the beach where you can get simple fare like grilled fish, burgers, and calamari.

When we came in October, all the facilities were still open, including umbrellas for rent, showers, and toilets. We were feeling mellow by this point, so spent most of the afternoon just enjoying the mild weather here. After all, it’s important to build in some downtime on your Algarve itinerary!

📍Dinner At O Charco

We finished our day back in the Old Town of Lagos, where there are lots of charming-looking restaurants scattered through the historic streets. We picked one at random called O Charco, which turned out to have a succulent peri peri chicken.

DAY 3: Benagil + Carvoeiro + Ferragudo

Next up on our 5 days in Algarve, we went a bit further east, checking out some of the prettiest towns along the coast, as well as the iconic Benagil Cave. 

📍Benagil Cave By Kayak

No list of what to see in Algarve would be complete without the Benagil Cave. About halfway between Lagos and Faro, it’s a small, picturesque rock cavern with a sandy floor and a circular hole in the ceiling that lets in blue sky. 

The Benagil Cave is only reachable by water, but that doesn’t deter a steady stream of visitors from making the journey. We recommend coming on a morning tour to avoid the worst of the crowds. 

There are a several ways to get here, but we opted for a kayak, since it has a bit more of an adventure feel than just hopping in a motorboat. It’s also possible to paddleboard, but don’t try and swim! We were told that a few people drown every year making the attempt because the current is surprisingly strong.

📍Carvoeiro

A 15-minute drive away, the small resort town of Carvoeiro looks postcard perfect. Its sandy beach is hemmed in by orange cliffs and backs onto white-washed houses.

There’s not a lot to do in the town, but it’s worth spending a half hour or so just checking out the shops and soaking in the vibe.

After grabbing a bite to eat, you can walk off your meal on the Carvoeiro boardwalk, which wends its way past caves and rock formations that are begging to be explored! 

📍Ferragudo

Colourful houses line the narrow alleyways of Ferragudo, another must-see village on our Algarve itinerary.

Across the way from Portimao, it’s home to a pretty church and a laidback beach that’s overlooked by the picturesque Castelo de Ferragudo. You can’t visit this 19th-century castle, unfortunately, since it’s privately owned, but it makes for a striking backdrop to the sandy shoreline.

While we were strolling in the jumble of streets, we stumbled upon Benjamim Bistro – and it’s now forever engraved in our memory as somewhere to recommend for great sweet treat! Nab a table outside and enjoy the people watching while tucking into a slice of carrot cake.

Tip: Make sure you put the old village of Ferragudo into your navigation app. If you just Google Ferragudo, like we initially did, you end up in the middle of attractive but unremarkable modern housing.

DAY 4: Percurso Dos Sete Vales Suspensos + Marinha Beach

If you only do one hike on your Algarve road trip, the Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos is the one to do! It’s a fabulous route along some of the Algarve’s most gorgeous coastal scenery, ending with a stunning little beach.

📍The Hike

The trail for the Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos starts above Marinha Beach and goes all the way down to the Vale de Centeanes Beach. It’s roughly 12km (7.5 miles) there and back, which took us about 4 hours to complete, including plenty of stops for pics.

It isn’t a super challenging hike, as most of it is well maintained. Having said that, it is a sheer drop in some places, without any barrier to stop you going over the edge, so you need to take a little bit of care where you’re walking!

It’s apparently blisteringly hot in the height of summer, so we were quite happy that we were doing the route in October. Obviously, make sure you have a comfy backpack with sunscreen and water, plus a few snacks to keep you going. 

We suggest starting off early, which makes parking a bit easier and means you’ll have the trail all to yourself – well, almost anyway. The hike gets its name from the seven ‘hanging valleys’ that it passes through.

Honestly, this was one of the most fun things we did on our 5 days in the Algarve, scrambling along the cliffs and darting into caves along the way. 

📍Marinha Beach

You pass quite a few sandy beaches on the hike, which you can climb down to if you like – just don’t forget that you’ll need to clamber up again after! 

We saved our beach time for the very end, finishing the day at Marinha Beach. It’s the classic Algarve seaside vista, concealed by cliffs and boasting photogenic rock formations. Although it’s relatively small, we managed to nab a great spot to while away the afternoon, before heading back to Lagos for dinner. 

DAY 5: Albufeira

Albufeira has a bit of a rep as party hotspot, but for us, it was one of the best places to visit in the Algarve. We’re not saying it isn’t filled with plentiful bars that are propped up by boozy Brits, but there’s a lot more to the town than just cocktails and clubs.

📍Albufeira Old Town

For starters, the Old Town is as attractive a place as anywhere that we visited on our Algarve road trip. 

Begin at Miradouro do Pau da Bandeira, which gives you a bird’s-eye view of the whole town, from its sandy beach to its white-washed houses. One of the most unusual things here is the escalator that connects the viewpoint to the Old Town, so that you don’t need to climb any stairs!

There’s a small but rather interesting museum here that was probably one of the biggest surprises of our trip. The diverse collection briskly runs through the region’s prehistory, Roman settlers, Islamic occupation, and the modern age – all for just over 1 euro (the price was some weird amount like €1.07 or €1.14, no idea why).

Leisurely make your way to Largo Engenheiro Duarte Pacheco, Albufeira’s main square. At night, this area turns into a bit a buzzing party spot, with people flooding the streets outside the numerous bars. During the day, it’s a bit quieter, and you can enjoy the architecture of the area with minimal fuss.

📍Lunch At Alfredo

As you can imagine, there are a lot of places to eat in Albufeira – and the quality varies wildly. In some other places on our 5 day Itinerary for the Algarve, we’ve not been specific about where to eat because, ultimately, we’re not worried about you getting an abysmal meal. In Albufeira, that’s a real risk!

Somewhere we tried and loved, Alfredo is a friendly joint that does some tasty Italian dishes If you’re a seafood fan, definitely order the prawn linguine, but the rustic pizzas are awesome too.

📍Praia dos Pescadores

Where else would you end an Algarve road trip but at one of the area’s superb seaside spots? Albufeira’s Praia dos Pescadores was one of the busier beaches we visited, but there was still plenty of space to sit down on the sand and enjoy a little paddle in the gentle waves. 

It’s right off the main town, so super convenient to get to for a scenic coda to your holiday.

Algarve Road Trip: FAQs

How many days do you need for the Algarve?

For a complete Algarve itinerary, 5 days is about right. You could definitely spin it out into a week, especially if the weather is fine and you’re a beach/nature lover. For people who are more activity-oriented, you’ll probably still need at least 3 days to get a taste of the local villages.

Where to stay in the Algarve?

We stayed in Lagos, which felt like a good midway point between all the places we wanted to visit in the Algarve. If you’re more of a party person, Albufeira is an excellent base for nightlife. Sagres is also a nice town to base yourself, especially if you like surfing, although it is a longer drive from Faro. 

Is it easy to drive around Algarve, Portugal?

Yes, it’s super easy to drive around the Algarve. The roads are in good condition, and the locals are pretty chill behind the wheel. It wasn’t very busy on the roads either when we visited in October, although parking can be a real nightmare if you don’t plan ahead.

What is the prettiest town on the Algarve coast?

For us, Albufeira had a lot of charm in terms of architecture and a stunning, wide beach. Some people don’t rate it because of its reputation for partying, but that doesn’t really detract from its beautiful location. If you want to avoid the livelier aspects of the town, just leave before evening!

What is the best month to visit the Algarve?

The summer months are of course when you get the most amazing weather, but that comes with inflated prices and plenty of holidaymakers. We enjoyed our trip in October, when the temperature was nice and mild and the traffic on the roads was almost non-existent.

Do you need a car to get around Algarve?

You don’t NEED a car, but having a car means you can fit more into your schedule with minimal stress. Similarly, a Lisbon to Algarve road trip is more convenient than relying on trains, although it’s totally possible to organise an itinerary that relies on public transport.

Final Word

Our Algarve road trip was definitely up there as one of the most relaxing holidays where we’ve rented a car. It’s just such a pleasure to drift along the coastal roads, which are all in top-notch shape and often have the most incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean. What more could you want for a destressing vacation?