Algarve
The Algarve is Portugal's southernmost region, known for sea caves, cliffs and long sandy beaches. A car helps, since the A22 motorway runs the length of the region.
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The Algarve is Portugal's southernmost region, with Faro as its administrative center. It covers about 4,997 km² and is divided into 16 municipalities. The coast has sea cliffs, limestone caves and long sandy beaches. Inland, the Monchique mountains rise to Pico da Fóia, at 902 m, the highest point in the region. The climate is Mediterranean and among the sunniest in Europe, and the region has more than 25 top-class golf courses.
The region is known mainly for its beaches, food and relatively low prices. Expect cataplana, grilled sardines and fig and almond sweets, along with resort towns and quieter villages of whitewashed houses. Summer coastal highs are around 29 to 30 °C. July and August are the busiest months, when the population can rise to over a million, so travelers who want smaller crowds should go outside those months. Split the time between the western coast around Lagos and the eastern towns such as Tavira. A rental car helps, since the A22 motorway runs east to west across the region from Lagos to the Spanish border.
Algarve in five
- Rent a carA regional train runs along the coast, but stations are often far from beaches and villages. A car makes the cliffs and coves easy.Car and rail options
- Know the A22 tolls are electronicThe A22 coastal motorway has no toll booths and collects tolls electronically. Ask your rental company how it handles them before you drive away.
- See the sea caves by boatBoat trips from Lagos, Portimão and Benagil visit the caves along the cliffs. Trips depend on the swell, so keep a spare day.Lagos
- Walk the Seven Hanging Valleys trailThe cliff path between Praia da Marinha and Vale Centeanes is about 6 km one way. Start early in summer; there is little shade.Carvoeiro
- Add Seville from the east sideTavira and Faro are the easiest bases for a long day in Andalusia, across the border.Seville
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Algarve, the full guide
Lagos
- Best for: First trip, boats, walking
- To airport: About 1 hour by road from Faro airport
- Price band: $$
- Ponta da Piedade cliffs by boat or on foot
- Marina, old town and late bars
- Busy and noisy in July and August
Skip if you want quiet evenings in peak summer.
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Carvoeiro
- Best for: Couples, families with a car
- To airport: About 45 min by road from Faro airport
- Price band: $$$
- Benagil boats and Marinha trail close
- Coves with short walks down
- Few places to eat without driving
Skip if you plan to rely on public transport.
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Tavira
- Best for: Quiet stays, island beaches
- To airport: About 40 min by road from Faro airport
- Price band: $$
- Boat to Tavira Island beaches
- Small restaurants by the river
- Fewer nightlife options
Skip if you want a lively evening scene.
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Faro
- Best for: Arrival nights, Ria Formosa
- To airport: About 15 min by road
- Price band: $–$$
- Ria Formosa boats from both towns
- Train and bus stations in town
- Beaches need a ferry or a drive
Skip if you want a classic resort beach on your doorstep.
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Things to do in Algarve
See all attractions in Algarve
Need to know
- Airport
- Faro (FAO), about 1 hour by road to Lagos
- Getting there
- Trains from Lisbon to Faro, about 3 hours
- Getting around
- Car; regional trains and buses are slow
- Best base
- Lagos for the west, Tavira for the east
- Time needed
- 4–7 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryClear6 rainy daysHigh16°Low11°Mild, quietJanuaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy6 rainy daysHigh16°Low11°Almond blossomFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 51 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Almond blossom
- MarchPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh17°Low12°MildMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 93 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild
- AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh19°Low14°Warm, greenAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 50 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- MayClear4 rainy daysHigh22°Low16°Warm, quietMayClear
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 35 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, quiet
- JuneClear2 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Beach seasonJuneClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 8 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Beach season
- JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh28°Low20°Hot, crowdedJulyClear
Best
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 1 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, crowded
- AugustClear0 rainy daysHigh29°Low21°Hottest, crowdedAugustClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 0 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hottest, crowded
- SeptemberClear3 rainy daysHigh26°Low20°Warm seaSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 14 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea
- OctoberClear7 rainy daysHigh23°Low18°Warm, calmerOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calmer
- NovemberClear8 rainy daysHigh19°Low14°Rain returnsNovemberClear
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 57 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain returns
- DecemberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh17°Low12°Mild, quietDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quiet
Average daily high and low in Faro, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Algarve
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
19
- Feels like
- 19°
- Humidity
- 75%
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Faro
08:48 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today23°14°0%Monday: Clear. High 23°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue22°14°3%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 22°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Wed21°13°5%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 21°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Thu21°13°11%Thursday: Cloudy. High 21°, Low 13°. Chance of rain 11%.
- Fri21°16°34%Friday: Rain. High 21°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 34%.
- Sat21°18°37%Saturday: Rain. High 21°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 37%.
- Sun21°19°88%Sunday: Rain. High 21°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 88%.
Updated 06:24 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Apr–OctInternational Sand Sculpture FestivalSilves, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Sagres and Cape St. Vincentabout 30 min by road from LagosEurope's southwest tip, a fortress and surf beaches.Read the guide
- Ria Formosaabout 15 min by boat from Faro or OlhãoLagoon islands with long, empty beaches.Read the guide
- Sevilleabout 2 hours by road from FaroAndalusia's capital, across the border in Spain.Read the guide
Before you go to Algarve
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Rules for Algarve, checked
- Check entry rules for your passport on the official Portuguese government portal before you book, since some nationalities need a visa.Source
- Carry your passport or national identity card. Police can ask to see it.
- Camp and park motorhomes only where it is allowed. Police may patrol and fine people who camp or park where it is forbidden.
- Tipping is optional in Portugal. Rounding up the bill or leaving a few euros is the usual custom.
Plan around Algarve
Walled old town, coves and Ponta da Piedade
Read the guideFaro travel guideThe airport city and gateway to the Ria Formosa
Read the guideAlbufeira travel guideWhere to stay and the Faro airport transfer
Read the guideTavira travel guideA calmer eastern Algarve base on the river
Read the guideCosta Vicentina guideThe wild west coast and the Fishermen's Trail
Read the guideSeville travel guideA long day across the border from the east side
Read the guideTransport planningThe Algarve line, car hire and toll roads
Read the guideTravel insuranceCover for boat days, sun and car hire
Read the guideAlgarve FAQ
Where should I stay in the Algarve?
Lagos for cliffs, caves and nightlife in the west, Tavira for a quieter town and sandy lagoon beaches in the east. Carvoeiro sits in the middle near Benagil.
When is the best time to visit the Algarve?
April to June and September to October: warm and sunny, with fewer crowds and lower prices than July and August.
Can you visit the Algarve without a car?
Yes, if you base in a town like Lagos or Tavira and use buses, trains and boat trips, but the remote beaches and cliff walks are harder.
How many days do you need in the Algarve?
Four days cover Lagos, the cliffs and one lagoon day. A week lets you split the west and east and add a day trip to Seville.
Is the sea warm in the Algarve?
It is the Atlantic, so it stays cool for most of the year. It is warmest in late summer, and the south-facing eastern beaches feel gentler than the west coast.