Free things to do · Algarve · Portugal
8 free things to do in Algarve
Algarve without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ricardo Oliveira, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Algarve without paying an entry fee: Ponta da Piedade, Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, Cape St Vincent and Monchique and Fóia are all free. Beaches, cliff walks and viewpoints such as Ponta da Piedade and Cape St Vincent are free.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 7
- Cost level
- Affordable
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–February
Free sights and experiences
Viewpoint · Lagos
1.Ponta da Piedade
Come at sunset for warm light on the cliffs, then walk the clifftop paths back towards Praia do Camilo.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Nature · Lagoa
2.Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Walk it early in the morning or in the late afternoon; there is little shade and the cliff edges are unstable, so stay on the marked path.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Nature
Viewpoint · Sagres
3.Cape St Vincent
Bring a jacket; the wind is fierce even on warm days, and it gets cold quickly after sunset.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Nature · Monchique
4.Monchique and Fóia
Drive up in the late afternoon for the light, then eat piri-piri chicken or chouriço in Monchique's restaurants on the way down.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Nature
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Carvoeiro
5.Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk
Come at low tide on a calm morning to explore the rock pools below; there is a small bar built into the rocks.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Outdoors
Market · Loulé
6.Loulé Market
Go on a Saturday morning when the weekly market adds hundreds of stalls, and try local almond and fig sweets.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Beach · Tavira
7.Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery
Cross the footbridge from Pedras d'el Rei and take the miniature train or walk 1 km across the lagoon to reach the beach.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Photo spot
- History
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Vila Real de Santo António
8.Cacela Velha
Visit late in the day for the sunset and a seafood dinner in the village; it is very busy at midday in August.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Lagos | Ponta da Piedade | 1–2 hours |
| Lagoa | Seven Hanging Valleys Trail | 2–4 hours |
| Sagres | Cape St Vincent | 1 hour |
| Monchique | Monchique and Fóia | Half a day |
| Carvoeiro | Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk | 1 hour |
| Loulé | Loulé Market | 1–2 hours |
| Tavira | Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery | Half a day |
| Vila Real de Santo António | Cacela Velha | 1–2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Historic site · Sagres
Fortress of Sagres
Walk the full loop around the promontory to see fishermen on the cliffs and the blowholes on the west side.
- 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
Climb the cathedral tower for the panorama over the Ria Formosa and look out for storks nesting on the rooftops in spring.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Views
Religious site · Faro
Capela dos Ossos, Igreja do Carmo
Visit the gilded church first, then the chapel, which is small and takes only a few minutes.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
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
Neighbourhood · Lagos
Lagos Old Town
Visit the Mercado de Escravos museum in the morning, then lose yourself in the lanes around Praça Gil Eanes before lunch.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Food
- Shopping
- After dark
Religious site · Almancil
Igreja de São Lourenço, Almancil
Combine it with a visit to Loulé's market, about 10 km away.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
- History
More ways to save
- Beaches, cliff walks and viewpoints such as Ponta da Piedade and Cape St Vincent are free.
- Public ferries to the Ria Formosa islands cost far less than private boat tours.
- Accommodation prices in July and August can be double those of May, June or late September.
- Eat the 'prato do dia' (dish of the day) at lunch in local cafés for a cheap, filling meal.
- If you use the A22 motorway often, compare the hire company's toll device fee with using the free EN125.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Algarve expensive to visit?
Algarve is affordable for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Algarve?
Ponta da Piedade: Come at sunset for warm light on the cliffs, then walk the clifftop paths back towards Praia do Camilo.