Adam and I at Praia da Marinha in Algarve, Portugal
I stood waist-deep in water, a glass of rose in hand, allowing the waves to gently rock me back and forth as I looked around taking it all in. The day prior, Adam and I had caught a bus from Lisbon to Faro and now, on our first day at our first beach, I was a little stunned by how surreal and beautiful the Algarve really was. It was sweltering hot too, 37 degrees and the beach was full of locals despite it being early September. Luckily, Adam and I had the foresight to pack two wine glasses before leaving our hotel that morning and I was happily putting them to good use polishing off the bottle of wine I had ordered with lunch but hadn’t finished. Little did I know, this moment would only be the beginning of four extraordinary days exploring the Algarve.
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For those interested in tracing Adam and I’s footsteps, here is our 4-day trip itinerary which highlights all the amazing beaches, hotels and activities we would recommend to anyone heading to the Algarve.
Day 1 - Destination: Vila Monte Farm House
Adam and I knew we would need a car while in the Algarve. Both the cities and beaches we were interested in checking out were far apart and Uber-ing from one place to another was kind of out of the question. After researching our options (and hearing about how big of a nightmare it was to rent a car from the Lisbon airport), Adam and I decided the easiest and cheapest way to get to the Algarve was to catch a 2.5 hour express bus (€20 per person one way) from the central bus station in Lisbon. By the time we arrived in Faro it was just after noon and it wasn’t long thereafter that we found ourselves in an Uber driving up the beautiful winding drive to our hotel and being completely stunned by the landscape.
Vila Monte Farm House - a boutique hotel property in Algarve, Portugal just 20 minutes outside Faro
Vila Monte Farm House is a small boutique property located 20 minutes outside Faro and is, in my opinion, the perfect luxury Algarve escape. I had found the hotel while researching places to stay in the Algarve and instantly fell in love with the hotel’s aesthetic and grounds. Now, having arrived, it was even more beautiful than I ever could have imagined and just being there instantly put me into a state of tranquility. Excited, Adam and I quickly checking into our room before heading out to explore the property. Vila Monte has two restaurants, a gym, a tennis courts, two pools (one of which is an adult-only pool), a spa room, a fire pit, and an outdoor theatre where guests can enjoy a 'movie under the stars’ every evening (weather permitting).
Prior to our trip, Adam had found out that the front desk was not only able to organize a rental car for us but could also arrange to have it dropped off at the hotel later that day. Knowing we would be spending the next couple days getting up early and heading out to explore the Algarve, we decided to use the remainder of the day relaxing by the pool and transitioning into a state of serenity - an easy task when staying at Vila Monte.
Day 2 - Sagres
The following morning Adam and I got up just as the sun was rising and did the hour and a half drive to Sagres, a small town near the westernmost point of the Algarve that is known for its growing surfer community. While there Adam and I saw many expats living the ‘vanlife’, camping out by the beach and surfing all day.
El Faro de Cabo de São Vicente - a lighthouse outside Sagres in Algarve, Portugal
One of the reasons why we were going to Sagres is because Adam had heard about El Faro de Cabo de São Vicente, a lighthouse perched atop a cliff which actually marks the south western most point of Europe. Although the lighthouse itself doesn’t offer much (only a cafe that makes delicious cappuccinos) it was still a cool spot to take pictures and get some incredible drone shots!
After about a half-hour of wandering around the lighthouse and taking in the beautiful views, Adam and I started to feel hungry and decided it was time for lunch. In the mood for some fresh grilled seafood, a local business owner recommended we try Armazem, a family-owned Portuguese seafood restaurant tucked away in a small courtyard in town. Adam and I LOVED our lunch here. Together we ordered a large plate of freshly grilled sardines, an octopus appetizer, a tomato salad, a huge side of potatoes, and a bottle of wine to share. Anything we didn’t finish we knew would make for a great snack for later and since we had come prepared with wine glasses and cutlery from the hotel, we didn’t feel bad about over-ordering.
THE BEST ALGARVE BEACHES & MORE
After lunch, Adam and I made our way to Praia do Beliche, a beautiful beach not even 10 minutes down the road. One of the best surfing beaches in the Algarve, Praia do Beliche sits in a small bay surrounded by 130 foot cliffs. Accessible by a steep stone staircase, hauling stuff up and down can get quite grueling which is why I would recommend you only bring what you can easily carry. The beach itself is dazzling and although the waves can get a little rough and the beach itself quite busy, it was so large you never felt overwhelmed by the number of people on it (unlike other beaches we checked out). Adam and I stayed here for the remainder of the day, sipping rose in the water and eating our leftover sardines until the sun started to set. Feeling a little tired and sandy, Adam and I decided to head back to Vila Monte for dinner and get a good night’s rest.
Praia do Beliche in Sagres, Algarve, Portugal
Day 3 - Albufeira
If ever it is possible for Adam and I to go sailing while on vacation, we always do it. Both of us love being on the water and experiencing the coastline from a different angle. While still in Lisbon, Adam had found a catamaran cruise (for €60 per person) that included a 6-hour sail and a BBQ lunch (beer included), leaving from Albufeira (a town about 40 minutes from our hotel) and quickly booked us on it for our third day in the Algarve.
Knowing first hand how crazy the beaches get in the Algarve and determined to get some amazing empty beach shots, I had asked Adam if we could wake up even earlier and go to Praia da Marinha before meeting the boat in Albufeira.
Praia da Marinha just outside Albufeira in Algarve, Portugal
Ranked one of the best beaches in Europe, Praia da Marinha is one of the most iconic beaches in the Algarve and always draws a large crowd. In hopes of avoiding them, Adam and I left our hotel early and arrived at the beach just before 8 am. To my great delight, there was only a handful of people on the beach and the further you walked away from the entrance, the more alone you felt. The beach was beautiful and offered so many cool inlets to take pictures in and beautiful rock formations to fill the background. It was so picturesque and felt surreal to be there all alone. This was definitely one of my favorite mornings and the photos we walked away with were some of my favorites from the entire trip. If you can bite the bullet and get up early to do this, I definitely recommend it! Praia Da Marinha is a beautiful beach that is worth every ounce of effort to visit.
Gleefully, after taking an hours’ worth of photos and going for a quick dip in the water, Adam and I headed to Albufeira to catch our boat. The catamaran Adam had booked for us was with Algarve Charters and we spent the rest of the morning sailing up and down the coast, learning about the area before stopping at a beach only accessible by boat for lunch around 1 pm. While the crew prepared lunch, passengers had free time to walk the beach, cool off in the water and relax. After lunch, the crew packed everything up, got us all back on the boat, and took us to check out the Benagil Caves before heading back to the marina. By this time it was around 4 pm and Adam and I felt a little faded from being in the sun all day that we decided to head back to Vila Monte to enjoy our last evening on the property.
DOES ALGARVE HAVE GOOD NIGHTLIFE?
When it comes to staying somewhere in Algarve with a good nightlife scene I would definitely recommend staying in either the town of Albufeira or Lagos. The reason for this is because in the last few years Albufeira has seen a boom in condo developments which in turn has brought an influx of British tourist and the demand for big nightclubs. As a result, some of the best and biggest nightclubs in Portugal are in Albufeira and its not unusual to see people in the streets partying their asses off late into the night. Lagos on the other hand is a small, historical walled town with lots of lane ways full of boutiques, restaurants, and bars that stay open late. Although the bars or clubs may not be as big as the nightclubs in Albufeira, they still offer a great casual experience and quaint ambiance that we love from small Portuguese towns. Lagos is especially great if you are travelling with a multi-generational group that requires nightlife activities appropriate for a range of ages because parents can hang out with younger kids in the town square after dinner while their older teenagers can pop in and out of the local bars.
Day 4 - Lagos
The following day Adam and I took full advantage of our late check out at Vila Monte to sleep in and hit up their complimentary breakfast buffet. Although we were still planning to stay on in the Algarve for one more day, Adam and I wanted to spend our final night in Lagos. Even though I absolutely loved our time at Vila Monte, the hotel was a 20 minutes drive to the closest towns which meant we always had to drive place and therefore couldn’t really drink. Since Adam and I wanted to have an Algarve nightlife experience, we decided to spend our final night at an inexpensive bed and breakfast in Lagos. Located about a 10-minute walk from Lagos’ walled old town Uptown Lagos Bed and Breakfast was a simple, almost utilitarian hotel that for one night was all we really needed.
Since we started the day late and were still full from our large buffet breakfast, Adam and I decided to use our first hour in Lagos to explore old town and get our bearings. The streets inside the walled old town were small, winding, and lined with boutique stores and restaurants. The area was full of tourists and after about an hour we had seen the whole thing and decided to hit the beach.
Praia do Camilo in Lagos, Algarve, Portugal
When it comes to public beaches in Lagos none is more beautiful as Praia do Camilo. Accessible via wooden steps, this small sandy beach extends across three small coves that you can access through hand-dug tunnels and caves found in the rocks. By the time Adam and I were ready to hit the beach, it was 3 pm and although the sun was almost completely gone, the beach was still so tightly packed with people that Adam and I only ended up staying for half an hour. Thank god we did too because we ended up heading to the point where we had heard there was a walking path and while exploring the area we came across a secret beach. To get to the beach you had to slowly hike down a rocky narrow pathway using both your hands and your feet, bracing yourself the whole way. By the time we got to the bottom, we still had an hour left of sun and the beach had maybe 6 people on it - a complete 180 from our situation at Praia do Camilo 30 minutes earlier. Adam and I spent the remainder of the afternoon there until the last couple rays of sunlight left the beach. Sandy and wet, we hiked back up the cliff, returned to our bed and breakfast for a quick shower before heading back to old town for dinner and a night on the town.
Although short, Adam and I truly loved our time in the Algarve. Had we known how much we would enjoy ourselves we probably would have tacked on two or three more days just so we could take advantage of a slower pace, and enjoy our time at Vila Monte more. But alas, there is always next time.
ALGARVE MAP
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM MY TIME IN THE ALGARVE
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