A stone arch in the ocean seen from the Seven Hanging Valleys trail in the Algarve Portugal.

9 Excellent Things To Do In The Algarve

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Are you planning your Algarve holiday? Here are some great options for things to do in the Algarve!

The Algarve region of Portugal is on the southern coast. You’ll find a stunning coastline with cliffs and caves, gorgeous water, outdoor activities, charming towns, delicious food, history, and more!

Let’s dive into things to do in the Portugal Algarve!

Must-do activities Two must-do activities for your Algarve holiday are spending time at the gorgeous beaches and taking a boat tour of incredible sights like Benagil cave, other caves, and the rocky coastline!

Take in the gorgeous Algarve beaches

Visiting the beach should be high on your list of things to do in Portugal Algarve! I’d recommend seeing several of them.

Golden sand, turquoise water, rocky cliffs, and caves are common to so many Algarve beaches. Yes, please!

The coastline is dotted with seemingly endless beaches, so look for some that are convenient for your stay. “Praia” means beach in Portuguese. So if you see “Praia …​” on Google Maps, that’s what you’re after!

A cliff-lined beach with golden sand and rocks in the Algarve Portugal

Praia da Marinha is a famous one I was excited to visit. You’ll descend stairs from the top of the rocks to the golden sand beach! The sand is surrounded by rocky cliffs. More rock formations emerge from the water in front of you!

I had a great time despite some seaweed and rougher water. The rougher water is one of the considerations for visiting the Algarve in October as I did.

Some other famous beaches to consider include Praia da Falésia, Praia Da Rocha, Tavira Island, Praia do Camilo, and Praia Dona Ana. Look at Google Maps to see which are convenient and appealing to you!

If you’re staying in Albufeira, Praia dos Arrifes is a gorgeous, less busy beach nearby that I absolutely loved!

Note that beach parking and the beaches can fill up during the busy season. So plan accordingly.

Explore the coastal caves and rock formations on a boat tour

Taking a boat tour of the unique coastline, caves, and rock formations should also be at the top of your things to do in the Algarve!

The coastline is among the most unique I’ve seen. Golden-striped cliffs and rocks decorate the coast. Stunning caves punctuate the views.

There are several places to see the coastline, cliffs, rocks, and caves from land. The views from the water on the boat tour were even more spectacular! The perspective let us see details we never would have from the water.

The boat captain also took us into several caves. Our guide told us about their history and pointed out interesting details like birds nesting and stories of smugglers. We even got to go inside the famous Benagil Cave!

This tour gave me unforgettable views. I highly recommend doing a similar tour! You’ll find short tours of a couple of hours, longer more relaxed tours, and even half-day and full-day private charters.

There are also coastal kayaking trips where you’ll explore the coastline and caves!

Seeing the Algarve coast from the water is not to be missed on your Algarve vacation!

Visit Benagil Cave

Of all of the Algarve caves, Benagil Cave is the most famous and most photographed. If you’ve seen anything written about the Algarve, you’ve seen a picture of it.

Yep, that one 😁

Wow, is it stunning!

The large majority of boat tours will include a visit to the Algarve Benagil cave. Depending on the water conditions and time of year, the tours will even enter the Benagil Cave.

I highly recommend including a Benagil Cave tour in your Algarve itinerary! Many Benagil caves tours explore other caves and include time looking for dolphins.

Doing a Benagil Cave kayak tour is a way to explore the cave even more closely. Check with the tour operator to see if you’ll be allowed to enter the cave!

Note that you will also pass the top opening of the Benagil Cave Portugal on the 7 Hanging Valleys Trail. So you’ll have another vantage point of this marvel.

Explore the many Algarve towns

Exploring the many Algarve towns ranks among my recommended things to do in the Algarve Portugal. The Algarve is about 155 km (100 mi) wide. So, a variety of cities and towns line the coast for you to explore!

From Faro to Albufeira, to Lagos, to Portimao, to Sagres, and more, take time to explore the local culture and different ambiance of the towns.

From my week in the Algarve, here’s what I observed. Albufeira is a tourist center with activities, tourist restaurants, and a bustling nightlife.

Lagos had gorgeous coastal areas with beaches and cliffs. Old town Lagos was quaint and beautiful.

Black and tan Portuguese pavement in Lagos in the Algarve Portugal

Faro has the only option for airports in the Algarve. So if you fly in, you’ll land there.

Beyond those towns that I visited, see what else is close and interests you! Silves has an old castle to tour. Tavira is on an island with long sandy beaches. Sagres is a major surfing destination in the Algarve.

Scuba dive, snorkel, surf, watch dolphins

Being right on the coast yields many opportunities for other water activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, dolphin watching, and surfing. You can find many options for such activities on Viator or by Googling.

Surfing is particularly famous in Portugal. The western coast has world-renowned surf spots and legendary waves. It seemed like Sagres was the surf spot in the Algarve. Check out surf lessons!

Go hiking

I also spent a lot of time outdoors walking around in the Algarve. There is some gorgeous hiking to be had.

The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is a famous, gorgeous trail (view on AllTrails). The trail runs over 12 km (8 mi) from Praia da Marinha, past Benagil Cave, and through many other gorgeous outlooks, beaches, and sights.

The golden rocky cliffs with a large cave along the Algarve Portugal coastline

We did the trail from Farol de Alfanzina to Praia da Marinha. I loved the 7 Hanging Valleys Trail! Ending at the beach was a great way to relax and cool off after all that work.

The hike was of moderate difficulty with some steep sections and rocks. Sturdy shoes or at least hiking sandals are recommended.

The scenery was incredible the whole way! The Algarve coastline continues to amaze me even when I think about it now. I hope you’ll feel the same way.

Another great place to walk and hike along the coast is Ponta da Piedade in Lagos. The rock formations, cliffs, towers, arches, and caves here are utterly incredible! You’ll be amazed at their variety and beauty.

Walk Algarve is a good resource for finding more hiking.

Try Algarve restaurants and bars

I was delighted with all the cafes, restaurants, and bars we found throughout our trip. Nearly every beach had at least a snack bar where you can grab a coffee, drink, and sandwich (baguete de atum was my go-to for a quick affordable meal).

You’ll find traditional Portuguese foods with an emphasis on seafood like seafood stews with rice and grilled sardines. We also found some tasty Indian food! The options are plentiful and varied depending on your location. So check reviews.

One note was that restaurants in busy sections of Albufeira are very tourist-centric. That’s something to consider depending on what you’re looking for.

During my visit in October, some restaurants were starting to close for the season. The staff at others seemed a bit tired from the long tourist season.

Portuguese coffee, pastries, and bread were also delicious in the region!

Enjoy the Algarve nightlife

Nightlife recommendations are not my specialty. So you’ll find better recommendations elsewhere. I will say that I saw a bustling late-night scene while walking around Albufeira and heard about possible other locales that are great for bars, clubs, dancing, and more.

Sample the local Algarve food

Exploring locations via their cuisine is a love of mine!

Food in the Algarve blends broader Portuguese cuisine with the rich bounty of the sea. You’ll find many seafood dishes like stews, clams, sardines, and squid. Everything I tried was flavorful and delicious.

You may see dishes named “cataplana de …​”. These are stews cooked in a vessel of the same name. Fish, clams, seafood, and sausage were common ingredients that I saw.

Metal pot containing shrimp and rice stew from Lagos in the Algarve Portugal.

The fresh grilled sardines I had were delicious with a sprinkle of lemon juice! Be prepared that they’re served whole. Peel off the fillets leaving the rest behind and enjoy this Portuguese treat!

Piri-piri chicken (frango da Guia or frango piri-piri) is a spicy chicken dish that originated near Albufeira if you need a spicy kick!

The Algarve produces a large number of oranges. All the markets I visited had delicious oranges and places to juice them!

Dom Rodrigos is a local sweet made of strands of egg yolks with almonds, cinnamon, and sugar. Queijo de figo is a cake made from almonds and figs (figos) mixed with other ingredients like cinnamon and chocolate.

I also found other Portuguese bakery staples like delicious bread, croissants, and of course pastel de nata throughout the region.

As in the rest of Portugal, wine was abundant. I don’t drink so I can’t give specific recommendations there. I’m sure you’ll find delicious options to suit your tastes.

Want to dive into the cuisine? Check out food tours and cooking classes!

Wrapping up

Now that you’ve read about things to do the Algarve, are you ready to plan your trip? Have you already visited? Did I miss something? Tell us below!

Disclaimer: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you when you make purchases via links on this site. Thanks for supporting me in creating content like this! See the privacy policy.

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