Outdoors · Algarve · Portugal
8 best outdoor things to do in Algarve
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Shapiro1983, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Benagil Cave, Seven Hanging Valleys Trail and Fortress of Sagres. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 20–29 hours across 7 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 20–29 hours
- Areas
- Lagoa, Sagres and Faro
Outdoors in Algarve
Nature · Lagoa
1.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.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours by boat or kayak
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
- Nature
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
Historic site · Sagres
3.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
4.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
Nature · Monchique
5.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
Theme park · Albufeira
6.Zoomarine
Arrive at opening in summer to find shade and good seats for the first shows.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Carvoeiro
7.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
Beach · Tavira
8.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Lagoa | Benagil Cave and Seven Hanging Valleys Trail | 1–2 hours by boat or kayak + 2–4 hours |
| Sagres | Fortress of Sagres | 1–1.5 hours |
| Faro | Ria Formosa Natural Park | Half a day |
| Monchique | Monchique and Fóia | Half a day |
| Albufeira | Zoomarine | Full day |
| Carvoeiro | Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk | 1 hour |
| Tavira | Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 2 low cost, 1 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Benagil Cave. The longest visit is Zoomarine; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- 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.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Lagoa): Benagil Cave → Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Sagres): Fortress of Sagres, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 3 (Faro): Ria Formosa Natural Park, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Monchique): Monchique and Fóia, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Albufeira): Zoomarine, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Carvoeiro and Tavira): Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk → Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- May: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 2 rainy days, moderate crowds. Sunny and pleasant, ideal for hiking and sightseeing before the summer heat and crowds.
- June: highs of 27°C (81°F), about 1 rainy days, busy crowds. Hot, sunny and long days; beaches fill up in the second half of the month.
- July: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 0 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak summer: hot and dry, with crowded beaches and the highest prices.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Albufeira — The Algarve's biggest resort, with an old town above the beach and a lively strip
- Faro — Regional capital with a walled old town and ferries into the lagoon
- Tavira — Elegant riverside town of churches, a Roman-era bridge and island beaches
- Carvoeiro — Small cliffside village on the cave coast near Benagil
- Sagres — Windswept surf town at the edge of Europe near Cape St Vincent
More of Algarve
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Algarve?
Benagil Cave. A domed sea cave with a round hole in its roof opening onto the sky, a small sandy beach inside and light pouring down onto the water.
+Which of these are free in Algarve?
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, Monchique and Fóia, Algar Seco and the Carvoeiro boardwalk and Praia do Barril and the anchor cemetery.