The Best 5-Day Algarve Itinerary (Without A Car)

Planning a trip to Portugal? If you want to focus on the country’s southern coast, then this itinerary is for you! Discover how to spend 5 days in the Algarve, Portugal, and travel around using public transportation.

Explore the Algarve coast’s highlights like the iconic Benagil Cave along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, the golden beach of Praia da Marinha, or the quaint town of Tavira. From beautiful towns to gorgeous beaches, there are plenty of activities to enjoy as well like hiking, kayaking, and partying.

The best time to visit the Algarve in my opinion is during the shoulder seasons, so you get nice and sunny weather without the high summer temperatures (and the crowds). We visited in early June and the weather was just perfect.

Keep on reading this Portugal travel guide to discover all the best places to visit in the Algarve and the top things to do there with this 5-day Algarve itinerary! We followed this itinerary using public transport, but it would work too if you’re planning an Algarve road trip!

You can also check out my 8-day Portugal itinerary that includes Lisbon, Sintra, and Algarve.

HELPFUL WEBSITES TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

FLIGHT DEALS

HOTEL DEALS

CAR RENTAL

TRAVEL INSURANCE

ACTIVITIES

VACATION RENTALS

HELPFUL WEBSITES TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP

FLIGHT DEALS

HOTEL DEALS

CAR RENTAL

TRAVEL INSURANCE

ACTIVITIES

VACATION RENTALS

Day 1 – Faro

Faro is my all-time favorite place to stay in the Algarve. It’s a lively town without being over the top, offering a perfect blend of quiet spots and busy bars and restaurants.

To get there, you can take a bus from Lisbon or fly into Faro Airport.

We were coming from Lisbon so we arrived in the late morning, just in time for lunch at Alcachofra Cafe, located in a beautiful square with flower trees everywhere.

Afterward, we headed to our hotel to drop off our bags and change into our swimsuits to go to Ilha Deserta.

One of the highlights of Faro is the Ria Formosa Natural Park made up of several islands and marshes and known for its gorgeous beaches and as a sanctuary for birds.

There are ferries and speed boats to take you to the islands of the Ria Formosa where you can enjoy the beach, stroll around, or go bird watching.

We took the speed boat to Ilha Deserta, swam in the lagoon, and hiked the boardwalk that goes around the island. The island is uninhabited with only a restaurant near the docks. It’s a beautiful place with unique flora, plenty of birds, and pristine beaches.

Travel tip: there is little shade on the island so either go in late afternoon or early morning or bring a beach umbrella.

If you have a full day in Faro then you should get the 3-island ticket and visit more islands inside the park. There are boat tickets that allow you to island hop, taking the boats when you want.

For something more adventurous, rent kayaks to explore the park from the water. There are also guided tours if you don’t want to go on your own.

You could finish the day with a catamaran sunset cruise where you might spot dolphins.

After our time on Ilha Deserta, we got back in town and strolled around the paved streets, enjoying the scenery. We had dinner in a small tapas restaurant called A Venda, which I highly recommend. It’s set in a quiet street and they serve authentic Portuguese food using locally sourced produce.

If you want to keep the night going, you’ll find several bars and restaurants that stay open late, some have live music.

We stayed at the Faroway Hostel in the city center. While the location was great, it was also noisy until late at night. So if you want to stay in the city center, I would recommend trying to book something in a small street without bars and restaurants or have good earplugs!

If you don’t mind the noise, where we stayed was great. They have private rooms and dorms with a shared kitchen and a beautiful rooftop terrace.

Day 2 – Tavira

On day 2 of our Algarve itinerary, we took a day trip from Faro to visit Tavira. We had a lazy morning and took our time before catching a train to Tavira. We had lunch once we arrived and spent the afternoon strolling around town.

I recommend visiting the Misericordia Church, the ruins of Tavira Castle, Tavira Museum, and Santiago Church. You can also stop by the Convent of Our Lady of Grace – it’s a hotel now so you can only see the outside unless you’re staying there.

If you start the day earlier than us, you could stop by Olhao on your way back to rent kayaks for a couple of hours. From there you can explore the lagoon and islands of the Ria Formosa Nature Park.

Day 3 – Albufeira and the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

On day 3, we took an early train to Albufeira. The train station is a bit outside of the city so you’ll either have to take the bus to the center or grab a taxi (we used Bolt but Uber should work too). For 2 people it was actually cheaper to grab a Bolt than to take the bus.

We dropped our bags at the hotel (there’s no left luggage at the train station) and headed to Praia da Marinha, the start of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, one of the best hikes in the Algarve and maybe of all Portugal and home of the iconic Benagil Cave.

While you can reach the starting point by bus, it’s a hassle (the bus is on Google Maps if you want to check it out). We decided to take a Grab. It took 20 minutes and cost us around 20 euros.

The trail starts at Marinha Beach (Praia da Marinha) and ends in Vale de Centeanes (we grabbed an Uber back from there). It’s relatively easy with only a few short parts where the path gets funky.

The trails follow the coast passing by beautiful coves and dramatic cliffs. My boyfriend has vertigo and was fine as the path never gets too close to the cliffs. You can get closer but be mindful of not getting too close as it can collapse.

One of the highlights of the trails is the iconic Benagil Cave, you simply can’t miss it so make sure to include it on your Algarve itinerary.

While you can’t see much from the trail, you can rent kayaks or go on a boat tour from Benagil Beach.

We unfortunately decided not to do it as the weather was cloudy, coldish, and windy once we arrived at Benagil Beach. If you can, I recommend going by kayak (either on your own or through a guided tour) so you can go on the beach inside the Benagil cave.

Hiking the trail took us around 3 hours, counting breaks to enjoy the views and a stop at Benagil Beach for coffee. The trail is 7 miles out and back with plenty of nice beaches you can go down to if you want to swim or sunbathe.

If you have some energy left, you could continue hiking all the way to Carvoeiro. On the way, don’t miss the iconic Algar Seco with its boardwalk and rock formations.

If hiking is not your thing, you can go on a boat tour from Albufeira that will take you along the coast, passing through the caves and maybe you’ll be able to spot dolphins.

We then headed back to Albufeira and spent the rest of the day strolling around town.

We stayed at Vila Algarvia Boutique & Suites. The staff is friendly, it’s in a quiet area but close to the center, and a tasty breakfast is included.

I honestly didn’t like Albufeira much. It’s too much of a beach resort town for me where everything is catered to tourists. Also, it’s a destination for party-goers with tons of bars and restaurants playing loud music. It might be a good destination for people who want to spend their day at the beach and their night partying.

We headed to Lagos on the next day, but if you have an extra day, you could stop by Portimão and stay close to Praia da Rocha.

Day 4 – Lagos

On day 4 of our Portugal itinerary, we took our time in the morning and headed to Lagos. We went for lunch at The Green Room, a tasty Mexican Restaurant, before dropping off our bag at the hotel.

The main thing to do in Lagos is to stroll around the old town, enjoy the beach, and do water activities.

The town is super walkable with lots of pedestrian streets – it’s also quite small so you can visit everything on foot within a few hours.

The mazed-like streets are lined with shops and restaurants with mostly white houses with colorful shutters and doors but there are a couple of beautiful buildings showcasing traditional azulejo-tile facades.

There are also a couple of squares worth stopping by such as Plaza Infante Dom Henrique with its beautiful Church of Santa Maria de Lagos, Praça Gil Eanes, and Praça Luís de Camões.

The Museu de Lagos is also worth a quick stop (it should take you less than 30 minutes to visit) to learn more about the town’s history but also to get access to the impressive Igreja de Santo António. Next to it, you can also visit the Slavery Route Museum housed in the 15th-century slave market.

Another place you can’t miss in Lagos is Forte da Ponta da Bandeira, one of the best-preserved fortresses in the Algarve. Located by the sea, right next to the beach, the 17th-century fort is now a museum worth visiting. Don’t miss the chapel and its traditional Portuguese tiles and the views from the towers.

Right in front of the fort, go check out “Lagos Castle” which consists today of what’s left of the city walls only. It’s still quite impressive with one of the main doors (Porta de São Gonçalo) pretty well preserved.

After visiting the historic part of town we headed to Ponta Da Piedade. You can drive there but it’s a lovely walk through a wooden boardwalk, passing by beaches and rock formations. You can spend some time on Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Camilo, two of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve, with white sand, blue water, and high cliffs all around.

At the lighthouse, you can go down and take a boat tour to explore some of the caves.

From town, you can also join a boat tour or kayak tour to explore the coastline and the sea caves.

Day 5 – Sagres

On day 5 of our Algarve itinerary, we headed to Sagres in Western Algarve, a tiny town popular amongst surfers. It feels like the end of the world and you either love it or hate it. It’s really quiet with only a few restaurants and accommodation options here and there.

It’s the perfect place to try your hand at surfing, relax at the beach, and go for walks along the cliffs.

When we arrived, we dropped our bags at the hotel and had a lovely lunch at the Laundry Lounge. We then visited the Sagres Fortress and walked all the way to the lighthouse.

We then took the bus to Cape St Vincent (Cabo de Sao Vicente) (the bus schedule is on Google Maps) where we enjoyed the views and went hiking for a bit. You’ll find several trails on AllTrails.

Once we got back, we spent the rest of the day enjoying the Atlantic Ocean beaches. We headed to Mareta Beach because the sea is quiet here, so perfect for swimming.

Save it on Pinterest for later:

Related posts:

Best Portugal Itinerary – 7 days from Lisbon 8-Day Portugal Itinerary Without a Car – Lisbon and Algarve How to Spend 24 Hours in Lisbon – An Easy 1-Day Itinerary 10 beautiful castles to visit in France Best Trendy and Party Restaurants in Paris You Must Try Most Beautiful Cities in Eastern Europe to Visit Prettiest cities in Europe to add to your bucket list in 2024 21 Enchanting Destinations You Don’t Want to Miss in Slovenia! The Best Summer Party Destinations in Europe (2024)