One day in Algarve

Day by day

1. Day 1: Benagil Cave and Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

   Benagil Cave, Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, Ponta da Piedade and Cape St Vincent, then Lagos Old Town in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Benagil Cave

      Go early in the morning on a calm day; the boat queue builds by mid-morning in summer and the sea can make access impossible. Allow 1–2 hours by boat or kayak.

   2. Late morning

      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. Allow 2–4 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cataplana

      Seafood restaurants across the region, especially around Olhão, Portimão and the old towns of Lagos and Faro.

   4. Afternoon

      Ponta da Piedade

      Come at sunset for warm light on the cliffs, then walk the clifftop paths back towards Praia do Camilo. Allow 1–2 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Cape St Vincent

      Bring a jacket; the wind is fierce even on warm days, and it gets cold quickly after sunset. Allow 1 hour.

   6. Evening

      Lagos Old Town

      Visit the Mercado de Escravos museum in the morning, then lose yourself in the lanes around Praça Gil Eanes before lunch.

Before you go

• Benagil Cave: Rules on landing and swimming inside the cave have tightened in recent years; book a licensed boat or kayak operator and check their current itinerary.

If it rains

• Swap in Capela dos Ossos, Igreja do Carmo (Faro): Visit the gilded church first, then the chapel, which is small and takes only a few minutes.
• Swap in Loulé Market (Loulé): Go on a Saturday morning when the weekly market adds hundreds of stalls, and try local almond and fig sweets.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–12 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.6 hours in December to 14.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Car. A car is the easiest way to explore beaches, cliffs and inland villages.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Algarve
• 3 days in Algarve
• 5 days in Algarve

Questions travellers ask