Algarve Travel Guide

mcoelho813
Oct 8, 2025
5 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Algarve travel

What are the must-see attractions in Albufiera?

Albufeira is a hilly beach town, not handicap friendly. It is packed with restaurants, bars, and bars. Our favorite hotel is the MGM, aka Praia do Ouro Hotel. This is a party town.

Algarve travel

What are the must-see attractions in Faro?

Faro is for locals and people who live or work in the airport or the University. It has a few tourist areas. Parking at the beach is limited but free. The beach is long and not overcrowded. Faro has a busy downtown. I don’t like crossing the small river to get to the beach. Lots of Portuguese history.

Quarteira

It is a family-friendly beach town with a large promenade walkway. There are plenty of restaurants and hotels. All beaches are crowded in August in the Algarve. The parking is a problem. The restaurants are fabulous, with a variety of food at low prices. Shopping is plentiful and reasonably priced. Our favorite hotels are Hotel Jose and Zodiaco. Lots of new construction and handicap friendly. We saw lots of families riding bikes on the promenade. Has a huge festival from July into September with food, rides, and shopping.

Portimao is an amazing beach town with shops, restaurants, and hotels. Praia da Rocha is a pleasant beach with room to spread out. The town is clean and well-maintained.

algarve-tourist.com/portimao-portugal-algarve.html

NOVEMBER

The Feira de São Martinho is the oldest popular event held in Portimão and dates back to 1662, taking place annually in November, always marking and taking place in the period that includes the date that gives it its name, Saint Martin's Day, on November 11th.

11/11

Location: Portimão Fair and Exhibition Park, Caldeira do Moinho, 8500-726 Portimão

Benagali Cave is known for its large, circular opening in the ceiling, which provides natural light, illuminating an interior beach. It's accessible by boat, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard and is considered one of the must-see attractions in the Algarve region.

This is a tourist attraction. This area is always busy. The cave is located in Lagoa

Vila Mora

It is a beach toy with a marina, shopping, golf, restaurants, and lots of areas to walk.

This is mostly tourists and people with money to spend. Everything is priced at a higher rate. Has a huge golf club. Algarve travel is a touristy area.

October Events

Algarve

At the beginning of October, you can visit the Birdwatching Festival in Sagres. This is one of the most popular birdwatching festivals in the Algarve. In addition to birdwatching, there are boat tours and other activities. If you like being in nature, don't miss this festival.

https://www.birdwatchingsagres.com/en/

November

Algarve Classic Festival (Portimão)

The Algarve Classic Festival is the largest classic car event in Portugal. The festival is being hosted at the circuit Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA) in Portimão. More than 300 teams and 500 drivers from all over the world come here to race old sports cars.

https://autodromodoalgarve.com/

Major Annual Festivals

Festival Med (Loulé): JUNE JULY
A popular summer festival of world music, dance, and street art held in June and July
Sand City (FIESA) (Lagoa):
A multi-month exhibition of impressive sand sculptures, running from April to November.
Silves Medieval Fair (Silves): AUGUST
An immersive event in August that transforms the town into the Middle Ages, featuring traditional music, food, and street performance
https://feiramedievaldesilves.pt/menu/3148/xx-feira-medieval-de-silves
Olhão Seafood Festival (Olhão): August
A celebration of seafood held in August, offering various dishes and a chance to experience local gastronomy
https://www.amoteolhao.com/pt/festival-do-marisco-olhao-2025-cartaz/
Algarve International Music Festival: JUNE JULY
Takes place in June and July, showcasing diverse musical genres like jazz, Fado, and ballet.
https://festivalmed.cm-loule.pt/o-festival/conceito/
Algarve Carnival (Loulé):
A well-known event in the winter, featuring satirical parades with floats and elaborate costumes.
https://www.cm-loule.pt/pt/agenda/51783/carnaval-de-loule-2025.aspx
Algarve Classic Festival (Portimão):
The largest classic car event in Portugal, held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
Al-Buhera Festival, July, Fisherman's Square, Albufiera Free JULY
https://www.sulinformacao.pt/en/2014/07/festival-al-buhera-volta-a-praca-dos-pescadores/

Sagres

Sagres is a low-key town with inspiring beaches. Visitors are drawn to Sagres for surfing, the outdoors, and their love for the sea. You are able to rent equipment to surf. This area has multiple hiking trails, quiet roads for cycling, and deep-sea fishing trips leave the Sagres harbour daily.

Notable sites to visit include: Cabo de São Vicente, Fortaleza de Sagres

The light from Sao Vicente can be seen from over 45 meters away. The walls are white with a bright red roof. The lighthouse fort is referred to as the "End of the World". It has been a Portuguese landmark for navigators and the Portuguese culture for centuries. It was built in the early 19th century.

The history of Sagres would not be complete without discussing Prince Henry the Navigator. Henry the Navigator established his base of operations for Portugal's Age of Discovery in the Algarve, particularly Sagres and Lagos, He founded a navigational school and used his wealth and position as governor to fund expeditions that mapped the African coast, developed the caravel ship, and laid the groundwork for the Portuguese expansion. He encouraged the smartest of men from all over Europe to gather in Sagres and work on boat construction and chart navigation. The unique tale of Henry is that he did not actually sail the world like many people think. He was the brains and finances behind the shipbuilding and travels for the Portuguese. Although Prince Henry the Navigator was neither a sailor nor a navigator, he financially sponsored most of the exploration along the west coast of Africa. His leadership led the Portuguese crews to found the country's first colonies in Africa and to locate places unknown to Europeans. Henry is responsible for the Age of Discovery.

https://www.biography.com/history-culture/henry-the-navigator

Retirement and Expat Living

The Algarve is appealing to Europeans who wish to retire near a beach with warm weather and a slower pace of life.

Popular expat destinations:
Key areas with a high concentration of expats include Albufeira, Lagos, and Vilamoura due to their amenities like beaches, social life, and golf courses.
It ranks seventh in the Global Peace Index 2024, while the US comes 128th
Portugal has universally accessible healthcare, a low cost of living, anti-discrimination laws (including gender, race, age, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or political beliefs), and freedom of movement within the EU. You can easily travel to all EU countries with a Portuguese passport.