Travel guide · Portugal
Algarve
Cliff-backed coves, beaches and hiking trails on Portugal’s southern coast.
The Algarve is Portugal’s southernmost region, known especially for its coastline: in the west, rugged cliffs and caves shape the landscape, along with numerous sandy coves. It suits you if you want to swim, surf, hike or play golf, or choose between lively resort towns and quieter settings.
Swim at beaches near Carvoeiro and Lagos, hike the Via Algarviana, or take a boat trip off Lagos, Portimão or the Ria Formosa. Sights include Faro’s old town with its cathedral and bishop’s palace, the old towns of Lagos and Tavira, and Silves, the Algarve’s former capital. The Serra de Monchique, Benagil Cave, Praia da Marinha and Zoomarine also make good outings.
Pleasant from April to November
Orange means: 18 to 28 °C by day and rain on at most 3 days in 10. For the beach it may be warmer.
April: 15 to 18 °C, rain on 3 days in 10
All months as a table
| Month | Low to high | Rain |
|---|---|---|
| January | 13 – 16 °C | 2 in 10 |
| February | 13 – 16 °C | 2 in 10 |
| March | 13 – 16 °C | 3 in 10 |
| April | 15 – 18 °C | 3 in 10 |
| May | 16 – 20 °C | 1 in 10 |
| June | 17 – 22 °C | 1 in 10 |
| July | 19 – 24 °C | 0 in 10 |
| August | 19 – 25 °C | 0 in 10 |
| September | 19 – 24 °C | 1 in 10 |
| October | 18 – 22 °C | 2 in 10 |
| November | 16 – 19 °C | 3 in 10 |
| December | 14 – 17 °C | 3 in 10 |
Getting there
From Frankfurt about 3 hrs 10 min by schedule. You land in Portimão (PRM), 9 km from the centre.
Where to stay in the Algarve?
Well-known places to stay by town and how they are rated, on average out of 10.
- Albufeira8.5
251 well-known places to stay
Albufeira is one of the Algarve’s most popular resorts, with beaches, plenty of restaurants and bars, and one of the region’s nightlife hubs.
- Portimão8.4
98 well-known places to stay
Portimão is known for its beaches and fresh fish; sardines are freshly caught and grilled here.
- Alvor8.8
54 well-known places to stay
Alvor makes a base for visiting the Ria de Alvor Nature Reserve and has a beach.
- Carvoeiro8.8
47 well-known places to stay
Carvoeiro is a coastal town with beaches suited to sports as well as swimming.
The best-known hotels
tripbot shows prices once your days are set.
8.0NH Lagos Algarve Resort★★★★ · 5,941 reviews
8.3Carvi Beach Hotel★★★ · 4,596 reviews
8.6Meia Praia Lagos - Beach Club Apartments★★★ · 4,280 reviews
8.8Belmar Spa & Beach Resort★★★★ · 4,174 reviews
7.3Hotel Riomar★★★ · 3,443 reviews
9.1Lagos Atlantic Hotel★★★★ · 3,047 reviews
8.0Aqualuz Lagos by The Editory★★★★ · 2,915 reviews
8.3Dona Ana Garden★★★ · 2,867 reviews
Worth seeing
Food and drink
Look out for grilled sardines, especially in Portimão, cataplana with fish or seafood, vegetables, potatoes and coriander, and spicy Frango Piri-Piri. Port wine is served too, and Medronho is a traditional Algarve fruit brandy.
What travellers ask
It is pleasant to be out from April to November: 18 to 28 °C by day and rain on at most 3 days in 10. The warmest month is August at about 25 °C; it rains most often in March.
From Frankfurt about 3 hrs 10 min by schedule. You land in Portimão (PRM), 9 km from the centre.
Most well-known places to stay are in Albufeira (251, rated 8.5 out of 10 on average). The best rated are Alvor (8.8), Carvoeiro (8.8), and Albufeira (8.5).
Start with Cape St. Vincent, Praia da Rocha, Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar, Serra de Monchique, and Igreja de Santo António.
A car is often the best way to explore the Algarve, as public transport is limited. Regional buses do connect towns across the region.
Watch for currents when bathing, swimming or surfing around Sagres and along the west coast. Eroding sandstone cliffs can also cause rockfalls at some southern beaches.
Yes. The Linha do Algarve links Lagos in the west with Vila Real de Santo António on the Spanish border, stopping at most towns and cities along the way.
As of October 19, 2026. Climate: usual values from ten years, temperatures mostly from the nearest weather station (NOAA), rain from NASA POWER. Places to stay: tripbot’s hotel catalogue (LiteAPI). Places: Wikidata, OpenStreetMap and Wikivoyage. Text written by tripbot’s AI from the articles below; every number and every tip stands there.
Articles: Wikipedia: Algarve (de), Wikivoyage: Algarve (de), Wikipedia: Algarve (en), Wikivoyage: Algarve (en). The text adapts these articles and, like them, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.