Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this post about The Algarve Revisited. I visited the Algarve this time last year and fell in love with it, so much so, that I went back this year. The coastline is spectacular, the beaches are breathtaking, the weather is beautiful and there’s plenty to see and do.

What’s not to love? Read on for more ideas of what to do and more photos.

The Algarve Revisited
rock arches along a coastline

The Algarve revisited

As I had already visited the Algarve last year, this year was much more relaxed and I spent a lot more time on the beach and by the pool! Some of the places you see below I had already visited last year and some I hadn’t.

For more ideas of what to see and do, read on.

Visit Lagos 

The Algarve revisited

As well as being a great base for a holiday, with its sandy beaches and water activities, Lagos is a historic city which has retained much of its character and charm.

The Algarve revisited

The marina has a lively feel to it and the historic town centre is still surrounded by the ancient Moorish walls. There is also a wide variety of shops and a range of restaurants, catering to every taste,  in the town centre.

The Algarve revisited

It is also, of course, the perfect base to explore the Western Algarve, with day trips to Silves and Sagres being very easy.

Have a look below for the extensive range of activities in Lagos.

Relax on the beach

The Algarve revisited

The Algarve coastline is truly spectacular and the beaches range from long sandy beaches, such as Falésia and Praia Oura in the Central Algarve and the 4km long Meia Praia Beach at Lagos, (which is the longest sandy beach on the western side of the Algarve) to secluded coves, such as Praia da Dona Ana and Praia do Camilo.

The secluded coves are ideal for bathing and snorkelling as the water is calm and clear and the longer beaches are perfect for a stroll along the water’s edge or a brisk jog (if you’re feeling energetic!)

Take a “grotto” tour. 

The Algarve revisited

I would highly recommend taking a “grotto” tour, where you can see the beautiful caves and cliffs that populate the Algarve coast from a small fishing boat.

You can sign up for the grotto tour with one of the companies opposite the marina in Lagos, or you can find a boat at Praia Dona Ana or at Ponte da Piedade.

I chose to go straight to the The Ponta da Piedade , where I was picked up by a small boat and transported around and under the intriguing rock formations and taken into caves that I would never have seen from the land.

Both options cost about €15 per person, but the larger boats that operate on some of the tours can’t access all of the caves so I would recommend opting for a smaller boat as firstly, you will see more caves and secondly, you will have a private tour (the small boats take a maximum of six people, but generally will just take your group, so we were only three people on our trip).

The local fisherman also have names for many of the rock formations and, you may see  the “Titanic”, the “Camel” and the “Elephant”, amongst others.  There are also several tiny secluded beach coves, which are only accessible by boat, and you will see lots of kayaks along the waterfront!

To get to the Ponta da Piedade from Lagos just follow the road past Dona Ana beach and Camilo beach right to the end – there is a car park, a couple of touristy shops and a restaurant.

Diving around Lagos

The Algarve revisited

The crystal clear waters around the western coast of the Algarve are ideal for diving and snorkelling. Many companies offer a kayaking and snorkelling package for about €30, but if you prefer skin diving or scuba diving then I would definitely recommend checking out Dive Time in the Lagos marina. (We had a little trouble finding it, so the best thing is to go to the new train station, then it is almost opposite behind the wire fence.)

They offer courses for both beginners and more experienced divers. If you already have a diving licence then you can start to explore the underwater reefs, caves, wrecks and marine life of the Algarve straightaway! If not, you can take an introductory course to scuba diving or skin diving.

Visit the castle at Silves

The Algarve revisited

Visit the old Moorish capital of the Algarve, Silves, with its 13th century cathedral (Largo da Sé) and beautiful red sandstone castle (Castelo de Silves).

I would recommend parking your car at the bottom of the town, then walking up to the castle, as the winding streets are not great for driving or parking! Silves castle dominates the city and the main attraction of the castle is the spectacular views from its walls. The central area of the castle has been redeveloped into gardens, with a seating area and a café/ visitor’s centre.

Silves

There are also two Roman cisterns, the larger one is reputed to be called ‘El Moura Encantada’, after a legend that says you can hear a Moorish princess mourning her beloved at the well where he committed suicide.

The Algarve revisited

While you are in Silves, you should also visit the Sé de Silves (Cathedral of Silves) which is one of the Algarve’s few remaining gothic monuments.

 

Visit the lighthouse at Cabo S Vicente

The Algarve revisited

Cabo de São Vicente (the Cape of Saint Vincent) is the most southwesterly point of Europe, and is situated five kilometres beyond the town of Sagres.

The views are spectacular, with jagged cliffs towering over the beautiful blue sea. The focal point is the lighthouse complex, which originates from 1846 and was built on the ruins of a Franciscan monastery.

The Algarve revisited

Today, it houses the Museu dos Faróis, a small museum about Portugal’s maritime navigation history.

Visit Faro

Faro is the capital city of the Algarve and a great place to start your visit to this region of Portugal. The historic old town is well worth a visit, as is the marina and tours of the Ria Formosa national park depart from the small harbour.

Don’t miss the historic Old Town of Faro (the ‘Cidade Velha’), with its Roman walls, pedestrian cobbled streets and in particular, the orange tree-lined central square, Largo da Sé, that used to be the Roman Forum. Here, you can see the 19th century Town Hall, the18th century Bishop’s Palace and the Sé (or cathedral) with its cloisters and chapel of bones.

Faro

You can also take a stroll down the pedestrianised shopping streets of Rua de Santo Antonio or the Rua Vasco da Gama, where the majority of shops are open from 10am to 7pm, or stop for a drink and a pastry at one of the outdoor cafés.

Have a look below for what to do in Faro.

If you like shopping, then don’t miss the Forum Algarve shopping mall, which is on the EN125, on the airport side of town.  You can find all the usual high street brands such as Zara, Mango, Sephora and H&M, as well as multiscreen cinemas and a dining area. For a full list of stores, have a look at  Forum Algarve website.

 Visit Albufeira

Albufeira is the largest and liveliest of the Algarve resorts and a very popular holiday destination. The atmospheric Old Town is full of cobbled, pedestrian streets and there is a wide variety of restaurants, catering for all tastes and budgets, lots of street performers and a lively nightlife!

The strip, which is 2km from the old town provides the perfect venue for stag do’s and hen parties, although is not recommended for family travels!  This area is one long road (strip) of themed bars, disco-bars, happy hour offers and late night clubs.

If you prefer a quieter environment, then the beach is wonderful both for relaxing and for long walks, and the sunsets are beautiful.

Have a look below for what to do in Albufeira.

Visit Quinto da lago

The Algarve Revisited

I  loved the beach at Quinto da lago, which is reached by crossing a long wooden bridge over the Ria Formosa, and comprises over 2 miles of golden sand.  There are plenty of facilities on the beach, (cafes, restaurants sun beds for rent, all kinds of water sports), and the sunsets are spectacular.

Quinta do Lago is also a heaven for golfers and for nature lovers. Because of its location by the Ria Formosa Natural Park, there are many rare species of fauna and flora which inhabit this area and so it is an excellent base to explore the nature trails near the resort.

The only negative aspect is that it is on the airport flight path, so there are a number of planes flying over.

Have dinner in Vilamoura 

Vilamoura

The marina at Vilamoura is a great choice for a dinner venue, as there are some truly amazing boats which are lovely to look at, even if your budget does not quite stretch to buying one!

There is also a huge range of restaurants, bars and shops (including many designer shops) along the marina front, and there is a very lively nightlife scene here, with everything from subtle piano bars and a casino to live music and nightclubs.

Visit Loulé

To be honest, Loulé wasn’t on my list of places to visit, but we got a parking ticket at the marina in Vilamoura (Who knew you had to pay parking after 9 pm?) and Loulé was where we had to go to pay it!

The Algarve revisited

Loulé is a traditional Portuguese market town, and in the end, turned out to be a worthwhile deviation from plan, as there are a number of historic monuments (including the castle and the bell tower), a pretty town centre and a traditional Moorish inspired covered market.

If you’re in Loulé, then visit the Municipal Museum, which contains a series of exhibits of Roman and Bronze Age artefacts. The museum also incorporates Loulé castle, with views over the old town from the castle walls. The museum is very small and doesn’t take long to visit, but the entrance is less than €2, and the castle is in the town centre, so it’s worth dropping in.

The Algarve revisited

 Play a round of golf

The Algarve is renowned for its huge range of golf courses, with over 40 golf courses and thirty-five different clubs along the Algarve peninsula.

The Algarve revisited

I am not a golfer myself, but if I was then two of the most spectacular courses (where I would enjoy playing just for the view) are the Palmares golf course, near Lagos, which boasts spectacular sea views, and the Quinta do Lago golf and residential estate, with  4 golf courses, including the famous Ocean Course, at Vale do Lobo, which is just a 5 minute drive away.

However, if you are a golfer then I would recommend checking out this link with a map of all the golf courses along the Estoril peninsula.

Have a look below for places to stay in the Algarve.

Booking.com

I hope you enjoyed this feature about The Algarve Revisited, and have a look here for more of our travel guides.