East: Tavira and the Ria Formosa
Head east from Faro airport to Tavira, a whitewashed town with a Roman bridge. Small ferries take you across the lagoon to Ilha de Tavira, where the beach goes on for kilometres.
Centre: Benagil and the cliffs
The coast between Albufeira and Lagoa is famous for its honey-coloured cliffs. Join a kayak or boat tour from Benagil beach to see the cave with a hole in its roof, the Algarve's most famous view.
West: Lagos and Sagres
Lagos has a lively old town and Ponta da Piedade, a set of rock arches and grottoes you can view from the clifftop boardwalk. Finish at Cabo de São Vicente near Sagres, the south-western tip of Europe, for an unforgettable sunset.
Good to know
- Motorway tolls are electronic. Ask your car rental desk for a toll device.
- Book Benagil tours early in the morning when the sea is calmest.
- The Atlantic is cooler than the Mediterranean, so expect a bracing swim.