The Algarve is a long coast, not a single town. From Sagres at the south-western tip to the Ria Formosa lagoon near Faro, it stretches roughly 150 kilometres, and the headline sights are spread along it. The good news is that the best of them cluster in three bases, Lagos in the west, Albufeira in the middle and Faro in the east, so a first trip works best when you choose a base and plan day trips around it.
What to book ahead
Book boat trips first. Benagil Cave is now entered only on organised tours by licensed operators, so there is no turning up with a kayak and paddling in. The rules introduced in 2025 and in force for the 2026 season ban swimming into the cave, ban paddleboards and inflatables as a way in, ban landing on the beach inside, cap guided kayak groups and limit both the number of boats and the time each can spend inside. Entry also depends on the sea and the port authorities, so choose a flexible booking and expect only a few minutes in the cave itself. Book a Benagil boat or guided kayak tour ahead from May to October. Next, book the other boat trips you want, such as a dolphin cruise from Albufeira, a Ponta da Piedade grotto trip from Lagos or a Ria Formosa island cruise from Faro, and a Sagres half-day tour if you do not have a car. Finally, if you plan a family day, check the open days for Zoomarine, which runs a reduced calendar in the low season.
Getting around
You can do a lot without a car. The regional train runs along the south coast between Lagos, Portimão, Albufeira area stations and Faro, and Faro has the airport, so a Lagos-to-Faro trip is straightforward. Taxis are inexpensive for short hops. But a car makes the clifftop sights, such as Praia da Marinha, the Seven Hanging Valleys trail and Sagres, much easier, and parking at the busiest beaches fills up early in summer. Many people hire a car for part of the trip, or use tours for the western coast and rely on trains for the rest.
How many days
Five to seven days is the sweet spot. Allow two days for boats and caves, one for the Seven Hanging Valleys trail and the central beaches, one for Sagres and Cape St. Vincent, one for Faro old town and the Ria Formosa, and a spare day for weather, because boat trips are cancelled in rough seas. A long weekend works if you base in one town and choose two or three headline sights.
Where the sights fit
In the west, Lagos is the base for Ponta da Piedade, a clifftop walk and boat or kayak trip into the grottoes, and for Sagres and Cape St. Vincent, about forty minutes away. In the middle, Albufeira is the base for the dolphin cruise and Zoomarine, with Benagil, Praia da Marinha and the Seven Hanging Valleys trail a short drive to the west; Silves and its Moorish castle are inland. In the east, Faro has a walled old town, the Ria Formosa lagoon and its car-free islands, and the airport.
When to go
May, June, September and October combine warm weather with fewer crowds, and the sea is calmest in summer. November to March is quieter and cheaper, with mild days, but boat trips can be cancelled more often, the Atlantic can be rough and some seasonal attractions run reduced calendars. Midday in July and August is hot, so plan clifftop walks for early morning or evening.
Honest advice
Do not try to see the whole coast. Pick a base, book the boat trips first, walk one clifftop path properly, and leave a day with no plan. Take water, sunscreen and a hat on every outing, keep well back from unfenced cliff edges, and treat swim-in-the-cave stories you read online as out of date.
