Season guide · Algarve · Portugal
Algarve in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: RHaworth, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Warm sea and fewer people in September and October, with rain returning in November. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 12°C (54°F), with about 11 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 12°C (54°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 11
- Sea
- 18°C (64°F) to 22°C (72°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 27°C (81°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 2 | 12.4 h | 4/5 |
| October | 23°C (73°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 4 | 11.2 h | 3/5 |
| November | 19°C (66°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 5 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 23°C (73°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 11 of the year's roughly 39 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Festival F — music festival in Faro's old town (usually early September)
- October: Feira de Santa Iria — traditional fair in Faro (usually October)
Make the most of the weather
Historic site · Sagres
Fortress of Sagres
On a flat promontory jutting into the Atlantic, this fortress is associated with Prince Henry the Navigator and the early Portuguese voyages of discovery.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Outdoors
Nature · Faro
Ria Formosa Natural Park
Take a public ferry from Olhão to Culatra or Armona for an island beach day at a fraction of the price of a private tour.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Faro
Faro Old Town and Cathedral
Faro's Cidade Velha is entered through the 19th-century Arco da Vila gate, often topped with a stork's nest.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Castle · Silves
Silves Castle
Visit in the morning before the heat, and come in August for the town's medieval fair if your dates allow.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Views
Nature · Monchique
Monchique and Fóia
The Serra de Monchique rises to 902 metres at Fóia, the Algarve's highest point, with views on clear days to the coast and Cape St Vincent.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Outdoors
Day trips in autumn
- Mértola (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — A whitewashed Alentejo town on a cliff above the Guadiana river, with a castle and a church that was once a mosque.
- Ayamonte and the Guadiana (About 45 minutes by car plus a short ferry) — From Vila Real de Santo António, a 1774 grid-planned town rebuilt after the great earthquake, a small ferry crosses the Guadiana to Ayamonte in Spain for tapas.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Algarve?
Yes: September is among the best months. Warm sea and fewer people in September and October, with rain returning in November.
+What is the weather like in Algarve in autumn?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 12°C (54°F), with about 11 rainy days over the season.