One Week Algarve Itinerary
Practical Info
Seven days gives you enough time to see the best of the Algarve without rushing. This itinerary works as a road trip with a hire car, starting and ending at Faro airport, and covers the south coast highlights, the wild west coast, a mountain detour and the quieter eastern Algarve. Adapt it to your pace, but this route gives a genuine feel for the region's variety.
Day one: Faro and Ria Formosa. Pick up your hire car at Faro airport and head into the old town. Walk through the Arco da Vila into the walled centre, visit the cathedral for rooftop views over the lagoon, and stop at the Museu Municipal. After lunch in one of the old town restaurants, take an afternoon boat trip into the Ria Formosa, either to Ilha Deserta for a swim on one of Europe's emptiest beaches, or a two-hour lagoon cruise through the channels and salt pans. Stay overnight in Faro or Olhao.
Day two: Tavira and the eastern Algarve. Drive east to Tavira, the most elegant town in the Algarve. Cross the Roman bridge, climb to the castle ruins, wander the cobbled streets lined with churches and townhouses, and take the ferry to Ilha de Tavira for an afternoon on the sand. Tavira has excellent restaurants: try a cataplana (the Algarve's signature copper-pot seafood stew) at one of the places along the river. Stay overnight in Tavira.
Day three: Lagos and the western Algarve. Drive west along the coast to Lagos, roughly 90 minutes from Tavira. Lagos is the liveliest town in the Algarve, with a beautiful old town, a marina, and dramatic cliff coastline on its doorstep. In the afternoon, take a boat trip from the marina to explore the grottos, sea caves and rock arches of the Ponta da Piedade headland. Walk down to Praia do Camilo or Praia de Dona Ana for a late swim. Lagos has the best nightlife in the region if you want an evening out. Stay two nights in Lagos.
Day four: Sagres and Cape St Vincent. Drive south to Sagres, the windswept town at the southwestern corner of mainland Europe. Visit the Fortaleza de Sagres, the clifftop fortress associated with Henry the Navigator and the Age of Discovery. Continue to Cape St Vincent, where the lighthouse stands on 75-metre cliffs above the Atlantic and the sense of remoteness is powerful. On the way back, stop at Praia do Tonel or Praia da Mareta for a swim or a surf lesson. Return to Lagos for the night.
Day five: Monchique and Silves. Head inland to the Serra de Monchique, the mountain range that forms the Algarve's green, forested backbone. Drive to the summit of Foia at 902 metres for panoramic views. Drop down to the old spa village of Caldas de Monchique for a walk through the woods and a coffee. Continue to Silves, the former Moorish capital of the Algarve, and explore the red sandstone castle and the Gothic cathedral below. The drive from Silves back to the coast takes 20 minutes. Stay in the Carvoeiro or Lagoa area.
Day six: Benagil, Marinha and the cliff coast. This is the day for the Algarve's most photographed coastline. Start with a kayak trip to Benagil Cave, setting off early before the crowds arrive. Walk the clifftop trail from Benagil eastward to Praia da Marinha, consistently rated one of Europe's finest beaches. Spend the afternoon swimming and snorkelling at Marinha, where the water clarity is exceptional and the rock formations are extraordinary. For dinner, head to nearby Ferragudo, a fishing village on the Arade river estuary with a cluster of good restaurants.
Day seven: return to Faro. Drive back to Faro, stopping at Loule on the way for its covered market, one of the best in the Algarve, with stalls selling fish, cheese, dried fruits, local honey and handmade baskets. If your flight is in the evening, spend a final couple of hours at Praia de Faro, the long barrier island beach just minutes from the airport.
Practical notes: a hire car is essential for this itinerary. Book in advance, especially in summer. The A22 motorway runs the length of the Algarve and is fast but charges electronic tolls; buy a prepaid toll device at the airport. Petrol stations are plentiful. Parking in towns can be tight in summer, but most have pay-and-display car parks within walking distance of the centre. Seven days is enough to see the highlights, but the Algarve rewards return visits, and most people who come once find themselves coming back.