5 best day trips from Algarve

Day trips compared

The day trips

200 km · About 2 hours by car or coach

1.Seville

Andalusia's capital has the Alcázar palace, the Gothic cathedral with its Giralda tower and the tiled Plaza de España. It makes a long day from the eastern Algarve, and many visitors stay a night.

Getting there

Car or coach from Faro or Albufeira

Best for

Culture, Couples, First-timers

280 km · About 3 hours by train or car

2.Lisbon

Portugal's capital, with the Alfama, Belém and the castle, is a long day trip; it works better as a two- or three-night add-on at the start or end of an Algarve holiday.

Getting there

Intercity train from Faro or Tunes, or car

Best for

Culture, First-timers

120 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes by car

3.Mértola

A whitewashed Alentejo town on a cliff above the Guadiana river, with a castle and a church that was once a mosque. The surrounding Vale do Guadiana Natural Park is quiet, rugged countryside.

Getting there

Car north from Faro or Tavira

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

55 km · About 45 minutes by car plus a short ferry

4.Ayamonte and the Guadiana

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. Inland, Castro Marim's castle overlooks salt pans and flamingos.

Getting there

Car or train to Vila Real de Santo António, then river ferry to Spain

Best for

Couples, Food lovers, Families

35 km · About 35 minutes by car from Lagos

5.Aljezur and the Costa Vicentina

On the wild Atlantic west coast, Aljezur has a ruined Moorish castle and is near surf beaches such as Amoreira and Monte Clérigo, with Odeceixe's river-mouth beach further north. The coast is part of a protected natural park with the Rota Vicentina walking trails.

Getting there

Car north from Lagos

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples, Solo travellers

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Some stations, including Albufeira's, are several kilometres from the town centre; check before relying on the train.
• Regional buses link the coastal towns and some inland villages, with local town buses in Faro, Albufeira and Lagos; services are reduced in winter and on Sundays.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask