A Week in the Algarve: Exploring Portugal’s Southern Coast
Visiting Portugal for the first time I was struck by the fantastic weather in September, and my taste of the Algarve left me hoping that the future may hold more visits. The Algarve is Portugal's most Southern region, famous for its dramatic Atlantic coastline.
It feels as though I barely touched the surface of amazing places to see, despite visiting several spectacular locations. However, I may have taken my plan to 'taste' the region a little more seriously than expected, as my sightseeing ended up including nine restaurants with ocean views and a winery!
As you start exploring one of the first things you notice is the predominance of traditional white buildings. Thousands of white homes and businesses dotted throughout the landscape and across the clifftops looking out to sea.
I wasn't sure if the best of the weather would be over by mid September, but the daily temperature was around 25-30 degrees celsius which felt perfect. Hearing that the summer temperatures are often 40-45 degrees, early Autumn travel is a much better fit for me.
Home for the week was Clube Albufiera, a short drive from Faro airport and really didn't know what to expect. The accommodation was quite traditional, spacious and well designed to keep the heat out. The resort had four pool areas but we only managed to spend some relaxing time poolside one morning.
We had a small look around old town in Albufiera which is like stepping back into history. All of the towns in the region have areas that are similar with mazes of small cobblestone streets and central plazas, the kind that feel like you are part of a European fairy tale. Albufiera has a long history as a fishing village, and like most of the region has a complex history dating back to the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago.
For those keen for a quieter spot, there was a new restaurant with ocean views that had only been open for a week, and they were serving an astounding range of Australian / English breakfast options, which are highly recommended. The restaurant is called Le Jyoti Azure Asian Fusion and I expect their asian fushion dishes would be excellent as well.
Further along the same cliffside, with more spectacular ocean views, is a lovely restaurant called DiVini that makes amazing pizza. For those inclined I also recommend their cocktail that blends sparkling wine and lemon gelato! 💛
Both the restaurants above can be easily accessed via the escalators from Old Town, for which I was very grateful. However, if you are looking for ocean views closer to the beach try Cafe Oceano, whose history dates back to 1949 and their sangria made with sparkling wine and red fruits was fabulous.
Many of the beaches have a restaurant located on, or near, the beach, and my first lunch out was at the Restaurant on Sao Rafael Beach in Albufiera, which was a fantastic spot. It was quite a small beach and is meant to be one the quietest in the region.
Another lovely restaurant with ocean views I tried further along the coast was Vivaldo's, looking out over the beach Praia da Oura in Albufeira.
In Albufiera alone it looks like there are hundreds of restaurants to choose from and Albufiera is also known for it's nightlife. Day or night if you want to explore the city areas it is recommended to use transport like Uber, as there are very few places to park.
For those that enjoy visiting local wineries I recommend the wine tasting experience at Quinta do Canhoto Adega. This winery has been in the same family for over 150 years and they moved into sustainable wine production more recently. The tour was the most informative wine tour I've ever attended and the wines were beautiful.
Much of the spectacular coastline is best seen from the water and I spent about half a day on a catamaran sailing down the south western side of the coast. The weather was sensational and it was lovely being on the water and watching the changing Portugese coastline as we sailed past.
The main highlight of the cruise was to see the Benagil Cave which would be beautiful if you could see it without dozens of other boats and hundreds of tourists all trying to see it at the same time. Only this section of the tour was like peak hour on the water, with kayaks, paddleboards, small boats and large boats all trying to get a quick glimpse. I'm glad I got to see it but would have liked a calmer option to have a few quiet moments there.
The cruise left from the Albufiera marina where there are many more places you could eat if you have time on either side of your tour.
For a different perspective another day we drove along the south western coast, stopping in Lagos to have a quick look at the marina and a short walk through part of the old town where I got to see the stunning green tiled building.
About 15 minutes drive away from the city centre is a renovated historic fort that I'd booked for lunch. The restaurant is in Luz, which is part of the Lagos municipality.
Visiting the Fortaleza Restaurant, whose building dates back to 1670 was possibly the highlight of my trip. The views were astounding, the food was beautiful and the water looked amazing. It was the kind of place you don't want to leave.
Driving back towards Albufiera we did a scenic stop at Carvoeiro as we'd been told by a local that Lagos and Carvoeiro were two of the nicest places on the coast. If I get to visit the region again I would definitely want to spend some more time in these areas. Although I didn't get to try it, the Carvoeiro beach is the one where I longed to swim.
Another day we headed to the western part of the coast to visit Monte Clérigo Beach which has been ranked as one of the best in Europe. Our lunch stop was O Sargo Restaurant which has a beautiful view, tasty food and some of the friendliest staff in Portugal.
This west facing beach is meant to be excellent for sunset, but it was an hour's drive away from our accommodation and the driving is on the opposite side of the road to home, so I opted for a lunch visit.
Our last dinner for the trip was at the Roca Beach Bar and Restaurant in Albufiera because it's impossible to spend too much time by the sea, and I wanted to soak in as much of the Portuguese coast as possible.
Then for the last morning we stopped for brunch at Bel'mare on Faro Beach to see Faro Beach for the first time, which was an ideal break spot near the international airport.
Overall, I had a brilliant week in Portugal and think it is the kind of location you'd stay for months if you could. The coastline is stunning and there is so much to see and experience.
As part of a future potential wish list for Portugal I'd like to see Nazaré, which is known for having waves up to 100 feet high, with winter being the best time to see the big waves. I'd also like to see the big cities of Porto and Lisbon.
In the Algarve I'd like to see Sagres, where the lighthouse marks the southwestern tip of mainland Europe, and to venture east along the coast toward Spain, spending some time in Faro, Tavira and Cacela Velha. I'd also do at least another coastal trip by boat from Faro to explore the Ria Formosa natural park.
