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How many days in the Algarve? 5 days, west cliffs to eastern lagoons
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
The Algarve is 150 km of coast with two very different halves. The west (Lagos to Sagres) is limestone cliffs, sea caves and Atlantic surf; the east (Faro to Tavira) is flat lagoon, sandbar islands and whitewashed towns. Give it five days and sleep in two bases: Lagos for three nights, Tavira for two. A hire car makes the cliff beaches easy; the coastal train covers the towns but not the coves.
Short answer
Three days in Lagos covers Ponta da Piedade, the Benagil coast and Sagres. Five days adds the slower east: Tavira, the island beaches of the Ria Formosa and Faro's old town.
The 5-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Lagos and Ponta da Piedade
Morning. Walk the old town of Lagos inside its 16th-century walls, from the Praça Infante Dom Henrique to the gilded Igreja de Santo António. Then follow the cliff path south, about 40 minutes, past Praia do Camilo and its 200 wooden steps.
Afternoon. At Ponta da Piedade, take a small boat or kayak tour from the Lagos marina or from the steps below the lighthouse (about €20-35 for 60-90 minutes) to slip between the sea stacks and grottoes. Swim at Praia Dona Ana, 15 minutes' walk back towards town.
Evening. Watch sunset from the Ponta da Piedade lighthouse, then eat grilled fish on Rua 25 de Abril or in the lanes behind it, where a main costs €14-22.
Boat trips to the grottoes only run in calm sea. Book for the morning, when the water is usually flatter and the light falls into the caves.
Day 2: Benagil and the Seven Hanging Valleys
Morning. Drive about 40 minutes east to Praia da Marinha and start the Seven Hanging Valleys trail (Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos), about 6 km one way along the clifftops to Praia de Vale Centianes. Start by 8:30 in summer; there is almost no shade.
Afternoon. From Benagil village, boats and kayaks visit the famous Benagil sea cave with its hole in the roof (about €20-30 by boat). Rules on landing on the cave beach have been tightened, so expect to see it from the water and check what your operator is allowed to do.
Evening. Eat in Carvoeiro, whose beach sits in a cliff amphitheatre, or in the village of Ferragudo across the river from Portimão, known for grilled sardines on the quay.
Park at Praia da Marinha early; the car park fills by 10:00 in July and August. A taxi back from Vale Centianes saves walking the trail twice.
Day 3: Sagres and Cape St Vincent
Morning. Drive 35 minutes west to Sagres and visit the Fortaleza de Sagres (about €3), a windswept headland with a giant stone wind compass linked to Henry the Navigator's era. Allow an hour to walk the circuit.
Afternoon. Swim or watch the surfers at Praia do Beliche or Praia do Tonel, then take the coast road 6 km to Cabo de São Vicente, the south-western tip of mainland Europe, with its red lighthouse and 60-metre cliffs.
Evening. Stay for sunset at the cape, the most popular in the Algarve, and buy a grilled sausage from the van that calls itself the last one before America. Dinner back in Sagres, where fish restaurants line the fishing harbour.
The west coast is several degrees cooler and much windier than Lagos. Bring a jacket for the sunset even in August.
Day 4: Tavira and Ilha de Tavira
Morning. Move east: about 1h15 by car on the A22, or around 2.5-3 hours on the regional train with a change in Faro. In Tavira, cross the seven-arched old bridge over the Gilão River and climb to the castle ruins (free) for views over 30-odd church towers and hipped roofs.
Afternoon. Take the ferry from the Quatro Águas pier (about €2-3 return, 5-10 minutes) to Ilha de Tavira, a sandbar island with kilometres of pale beach and calm, warmer water than the west.
Evening. Eat arroz de lingueirão (razor-clam rice) or octopus in a tasca near the market, then walk the riverside gardens; Tavira is quiet after 22:00.
At Praia do Barril, 5 km west of Tavira, a small train or a 1 km walk over the lagoon leads to a beach with the old tuna-fishing anchor cemetery.
Day 5: Olhão, Ria Formosa and Faro
Morning. Drive 20 minutes to Olhão for its two red-brick riverside market halls, fish on one side and fruit on the other; Saturday mornings add a farmers' market outside. Boats leave from the pier to the car-free islands of Armona and Culatra.
Afternoon. Continue 15 minutes to Faro. Enter the walled Cidade Velha through the Arco da Vila, see the cathedral (climb its tower for the lagoon view), and the bone chapel, Capela dos Ossos, at the Igreja do Carmo (about €2-3).
Evening. Watch storks nesting on the old-town towers at dusk, then eat in the lanes off Rua do Prior. Faro airport is 15 minutes away for a morning flight.
Faro's old town is small enough for two hours; if you have more time, take a boat from the old-town jetty to Ilha Deserta for a nature walk.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, stay in Lagos and do Days 1 to 3. You see the cliff coast at its best but miss the lagoon side and Faro's old town; fly out through Faro, about 1 hour from Lagos by car.
Got extra days?
Extra days fit the hill town of Silves, with its red sandstone castle (about €3), and Monchique, where the summit of Fóia at 902 metres looks over the whole coast. The wild Costa Vicentina north of Sagres, with beaches such as Arrifana and Odeceixe, deserves another two.
Where to stay in Algarve
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Lagos old town (hostels and guesthouses) | Walk to beaches, boat tours and the train and bus stations. | €60-110 |
| Mid-range | Lagos / Praia da Luz | Best base for the west: cliffs, Sagres and Benagil within 40 minutes. | €110-190 |
| Mid-range | Tavira | Calm, pretty town for the eastern lagoon and island beaches. | €100-170 |
| Comfort | Carvoeiro / Porches cliff resorts | Clifftop hotels with pools, central for both halves of the coast. | €220-450 |
Getting around
A hire car is the easy way to reach the cliff beaches, and the A22 motorway crosses the region in about 1h30; its electronic tolls are paid through a device or a plate-linked account, so ask the rental company. The regional train runs from Lagos to Vila Real de Santo António via Faro and Tavira; Lagos-Faro takes about 1h45 for roughly €7-8. Vamus Algarve buses fill the gaps. From Faro airport, a taxi to Faro centre is about €15, to Lagos about €100.
What to eat in Algarve
The Algarve eats from the sea. Order cataplana, a copper-pan stew of clams, fish or pork, usually for two at €35-50; grilled sardinhas in summer (best in Portimão and Ferragudo); and polvo (octopus) in the east. Guia, near Albufeira, is known for frango piri-piri, chilli-grilled chicken at about €10 for a half. In tascas, ask for the prato do dia at lunch, often €9-12 with a drink. Try Dom Rodrigo egg-and-almond sweets, fig and carob desserts, and a small glass of medronho, the local arbutus-berry spirit.
Best time to visit
May, June and September are best: sea warm enough to swim, highs of 24-28°C, and roads half as busy as in August. July and August bring 30°C-plus and the most crowded beaches. The sea stays cool (around 19-22°C) all summer, colder on the west coast. October is often still beach weather; winter is mild at 15-17°C but windy and wetter.
Month-by-month weather for Algarve →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €35 | €75 | €160 |
| Food & drink | €25 | €45 | €85 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €10 | €30 | €50 |
| Total per person, per day | about €80 | about €180 | about €355 |
Approximate 2026 prices; mid-range and comfort transport assumes a shared hire car with fuel. Several Algarve municipalities, including Lagos, Faro and Albufeira, charge a tourist tax of roughly €1-2 per person per night, usually capped at 7 nights and lower or waived in winter.
Before you go
Common questions
Do I need a car in the Algarve?
Not strictly, but it helps a lot. The train links Lagos, Portimão, Faro and Tavira, and buses reach Sagres and Carvoeiro, yet the cliff beaches, the Seven Hanging Valleys trailhead and the coves between them are awkward without a car. A good compromise is a car for the western days only, then the train east to Tavira.
Can you still go inside the Benagil cave?
Boats and kayaks still visit the cave, but authorities have tightened rules on landing on its beach and on how many vessels can enter at once. Swimming in from Benagil beach is discouraged because of currents and boat traffic. Book a licensed operator, ask what the current rules allow, and expect to view the cave from the water.
Which is better as a base, Lagos or Albufeira?
Lagos for most travellers: a real old town, walkable beaches and the best cliff scenery close by. Albufeira is larger and more built-up, with a nightlife strip that suits groups and package holidays. Families who want a resort pool and short drives in both directions often choose Carvoeiro instead.
Is the sea warm enough to swim?
From June to October, yes, though it is the Atlantic: around 19-22°C in summer in the centre and east, cooler and with bigger waves around Sagres. The lagoon-side beaches near Tavira and on the Ria Formosa islands are the warmest and calmest, which makes them easiest for children.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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