Visiting the Algarve?
Plan it with the people who live here. Where to stay, the beaches worth the drive, what's on while you're here, and the restaurants and towns we'd actually send a friend to. No tourist traps, no pay-to-win rankings.
Landing at Faro soon
Next arrivals into Faro (FAO), the Algarve’s airport.
- 20:25DublinFR 7032Expected
- 20:30EindhovenFR 5769Expected
- 22:45BrusselsFR 2941Expected
- 22:50LondonFR 5767Expected
- 23:50LisbonTP 1907Expected
The best beaches
Over 200 in the guide, with the details we've verified.
Praia da Falésia
Praia das Primas
Praia do Camilo
Praia da Batata
Praia de Dona Ana
Praia do Castelo
Praia dos Tesos
Quinta Amoroso
What's on
Markets, music, food and festivals during your stay.
Kimberly Rose: Holistic Medicine Journey
Acupuncture and integrative therapies, on the estate from October into mid-November.
Cork Creations: Decor and Jewellery Workshop
Work Portuguese cork into decor and jewellery with designer Sandra Louro, Thursdays.
Buyer's Briefing: How the Portuguese Property Market Actually Works
Free live online briefing from The Buyer's Agent Portugal on how the Portuguese property market actually works. Thursday 5 November, 19:00.
by The Buyer's Agent Portugal
The Magic of 1001 Nights, oriental dance show, Lagoa
12th edition of the oriental dance show A Magia das 1001 Noites by Grupo Zhar Louz, produced by Ideias do Levante, at Auditório Carlos do Carmo. Free entry with a ticket collected at the auditorium.
World Cinema Day: homage to Fernando Fragata
Loule Film Office marks World Cinema Day with a tribute to the Portuguese director Fernando Fragata, two years after his death. Free entry at the Cineteatro Louletano.
Barão de São João Walk & Art Fest 2026
Ninth edition of the walking and art festival in the village of Barão de São João from 6 to 8 November 2026. The programme lists 48 walks, 22 workshops, 14 children's activities, mountain biking and i
Day guides
Real places strung into a day out, the way we'd do it.
Perfect Yoga & Brunch in Vilamoura
A slow Vilamoura morning done properly: an expert-led class at the town's top rated yoga studio, then breakfast next door at the cafe run by the same team.
British-Curriculum Schools in the Algarve
Nine places teaching the British curriculum across the Algarve, from the west coast at Aljezur to Tavira in the east: what each one offers, from first enrolment at age 3 through to A-Levels and the IB.
Moving to the Algarve: The Settling-In List
The paperwork half of a new life in Portugal, handled: visas and NIF numbers, a lawyer for the house, insurance in plain English, pension advice and a doctor.
Where to base yourself
Lively resort or quiet fishing village, every town has its own feel.
When to come, and how to get around
The Algarve is good all year. July and August are hot and busy; May, June, September and October give you warm sea, quieter beaches and lower prices. Even winter is mild, with bright days made for coastal walks and long lunches.
Faro airport sits in the middle of the region, with the west coast about an hour one way and the Spanish border an hour the other. A hire car opens up the hidden beaches and villages, though the train and buses link the main towns along the coast.
Save the spots you love.
A free account lets you save beaches, events and places to a list you can come back to, and follow the towns you're visiting for what's on while you're here.