It’s a great place to spend a week on the beach, but there’s more to it than that. These are the day trips we most often recommend to our guests — all within half an hour, except for one.
Carvoeiro and Algar Seco
The Carvoeiro boardwalk is a wooden walkway that runs from the village along the cliffs. It’s a twenty-minute walk, with sea views all the way, and it’s free. Go at sunset.
At the end, you’ll come to Algar Seco: a rock formation full of caves, arches and holes in the cliffs. There’s a flight of steps leading down. Make sure you wear shoes with good grip, as the steps are slippery.
Ponta da Piedade
The Algarve’s most famous cliffs, just beyond Lagos. From the lighthouse, a staircase of two hundred steps leads down to the water, where small boats take you through the rock arches.
If you want it to be quiet, go early or in the evening. It gets very busy there between 11 and 3 in the summer.
For a day out with the children
Slide & Splash at Lagoa is the Algarve’s largest water park, with slides for all ages. Zoomarine at Guia combines dolphin shows with a water park. Both are full-day attractions, and both are cheaper if you book online.
Smaller and closer by: the playground in Silves’ riverside park, with a terrace next to it. It’s free, and on a hot day, that’s all you need.
A short break every few days is enough. The rest of the time, the Algarve is at its best when you don’t plan anything.