Algarve Road Trip: 8 days in Southern Portugal

DAY 1: March, 15 Our Algarve itinerary will start in Faro as it’s where the main airport✈️ in the region is. If you can’t get enough of Portuguese old towns with old buildings, then you will love Faro because it has it all. Depending on the arrival hours we can have lunch/dinner in the city. 🥘 We can take the chance of being in the city and buying any groceries🛒 we might want to have for the next few days, but there are other options closer to our accommodation if we don't. Activities: We will start by exploring the Old Town; take a peek inside the UNESCO-listed Igreja do Combo, admire the blue-tiled Faro Se Cathedral, take the cable car up to Torre do Combo where we can enjoy mesmerizing city views, and get spooked at the Bone Chapel. (this can be altered if not everyone agrees with it or chooses to rest after traveling)

DAY 2: March 16 After breakfast, we depart towards our next base, Ferragudo. Ferragudo is a whitewashed fishing village🎣, situated at the mouth of the Arade River. Small fishing boats bob 🚤in the river and men grill fish outside. You’ll find that life here seems pleasantly sedate. - Our first stop will be Praia da Falésia, one of the most unique beaches in the world. This white-golden sand beach stretches for over 6 km between Vilamoura and Albufeira. It's better known for it's impressive red sandstone cliffs that change colour depending the weather and the light. - For lunch we stop in Albufeira, one of the most popular cities in the region 🍲. We can explore the town or beaches nearby depending on the time. - We will spend the evening in Ferragudo, which will be our base for the next 2 nights, as is an excellent base for exploring Algarve for a few days.

DAY 3: March 17 Today it will be all about hiking! 🥾 The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is a not-to-miss hike in the Algarve. This 6-kilometer route is known for its breathtaking scenery. lt offers spectacular views of the rugged coast, limestone cliffs, picturesque beaches, and natural caves. The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is a relatively easy hike. But good shoes are absolutely necessary. - The trail finishes at Praia do Vale de Centeanes, where we will have a well deserving late lunch (either picnic or restaurant, depending on the wishes of the group) and relax on this amazing beach.🌊🐚 - Our next destination of the day would be the old capital of the Algarve, Silves. Situated a little inland from the sea on the Algarve coast of Portugal, the charming and historical town of Silves is a must-see for architecture lovers and history buffs alike. 🏠 - In the evening we go back to Ferragudo and relax on our villa, where we also prepare a delicious dinner.

DAY 4: March 18 A trip in Algarve can not be considered complete without visiting the Benagil Cave, so this is what we are going to do today. - Benagil, is a small fishing village 🏘on the southern coast of the Algarve which has gained fame in recent years thanks to its incredible sea cave. It is located along the southern coast of the central Algarve between the popular tourist destinations of Praia do Carvoeiro and Armação de Pêra🌊🐡 (which we will of course visit). To visit the cave we will take a boat tour from Armação de Pêra, lasting around 2 hours. 🚤This is the safest way to visit, especially when the water is still quite cold and rough. - There are 2 other amazing beaches in the area that we will visit after our tour: Praia da Marinha (voted as one of the most beautiful in the world) & Praia do Carvalho 🏖 - Algar Seco - The natural monument Algar Seco is located in the picturesque village of Carvoeiro. This true wonder of nature consists of a series of rocks and rugged caves, sculpted for hundreds of years by the wind, and with natural pools of incredibly blue water. The holes in the rocks give them the appearance of windows and balconies. - Our next stop and our base for 3 nights will be Lagos, one of the most beautiful towns in Southern Portugal.

DAY 5: March 19 This day will be all about exploring beaches in Southern Portugal. ⛱☀️🐚 - First stop of the day will be Praia de Dona Anna & Praia do Camilo, the most beautiful beaches in Lagos. They are located halfway between the old town and Ponta da Piedade and just next to each other. These picture perfect beaches are world renowned for their crystal clear water, unique rock formations and surrounding red and yellow sandstone cliffs. A very popular spot to take those perfect Algarve shots for Instagram.📸 - Ponta da Piedade is a stunning costal site and one of the most famous natural landmarks in Portugal. The scenery here is breathtaking, and even more during sunset, so that will be our goal: to visit and wait for the sunset. In addition there's also a steep staircase that takes you to the beach where we can have a closer look to the rock formations. - In the evening we go back to Lagos for a nice dinner, or just a stroll in the city.

Day 6: March 20 This will be our last night in Lagos, so we will explore lighthouses, more beaches and also the city. - Our first stop will be Cabo de Sao Vicente. Located near Sagres is the most southwestern tip of continental Europe. The Cape of St. Vincent combines nature, culture and myth. It feels quite amazing to walk around here, because you will feel the magnitude of nature.💡 - Praia da Bordeira is a beach on the west coast of the Algarve, located in the Costa Vicentina natural park, near the villages of Carrapateira and Bordeira. The beach is very big and has a remote feel to it. It is mainly popular with surfers and nature lovers 🏞(which we hopefully all are😅). Praia da Bordeira is backed by sand dunes and rugged limestone cliffs. Behind the beach there is a forest of ancient pine trees🌳. This wild natural setting makes it one of the most beautiful beaches of the west coast of the Algarve. The best thing about the beach is that it is relatively unspoiled.🦀 - Beaches, hiking and unbelievable ocean views? Perfect weather all winter? It may sound too good go be true but Portugal’s amazing Costa Vicentina truly is a 12-month destination. Boasting untrammeled beauty, phenomenal beaches and world-class surfing 🏄‍♀️🌊, it is an ideal destination for relaxation and adventure seekers alike. So if we have a surfer among us, this would be the perfect place. - We will spend our last evening in Lagos strolling through the city and trying some tradition food, hopefully some pastel de nata too. 🍮

Day 7: March 21 - Today we start with a relaxed morning. We have our breakfast in Lagos and explore what we might have missed from the city. - After that we make our way towards Faro, which is our last destination/base. We have a more relaxed day today so we can stop in any interesting place along the way. - In Faro we check it to our hotel/airbnb and get ready for our "see you soon" dinner all together, sharing memories and pictures from the trip. :)

Day 8: March 22 Our (hopefully) amazing holiday ended, and it is time to go home. After arranging everyone's trip to the airport (or train station) I will return the car. We will say our "see you on the next trip" and pick up our respective way of transportation.