The Algarve in Southern Portugal is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. It has cliffs jutting into some of the clearest water we had ever seen. It is also one of our favorite places that we have traveled to so far! Here is our guide to 15 beaches in the Algarve, Portugal including where each is and which ones we enjoyed the most!
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The Algarve refers to the southernmost part of Portugal which extends along the coast from the Atlantic Ocean to the border of Spain. We spent time around Carveiro as well as Lagos. So for this post we’re talking about beaches nearby to those two areas. There is plenty more to this beautiful area that we didn’t explore and absolutely hope to! We found some beaches to be crowded with many amenities while others were very small with few people but harder to reach. Hopefully this guide helps you figure out which ones are exactly what you’re looking for!
1. Praia de Carvoeiro
Location: Largo da Praia, 8400-517 Carvoeiro, Portugal
Praia de Carvoeiro is the beach located right in the town of Carvoeiro. It has amenities including many different food options as well as a supermarket nearby and anything else you might want. But being so close to the town means it is also very crowded. While there is no ugly beach in the Algarve, this is not the most impressive beach you will find in the area. There are some cliffs but honestly this beach is prettier if you walk up the hill to the viewpoint looking over. From there you can see the entire beach, the cliffs and the buildings of the surrounding town.
2. Algar Seco
Location: Estr. do Algar Sêco 16, Carvoeiro, Portugal
Technically this isn’t a beach but we wanted to include it because it is really cool! If you walk up the hill past Praia de Carveiro along the pathway you will find a boardwalk. Walk along that for about 10 minutes until you get to a parking lot and a set of stairs. Walk down the stairs, through the Boneca Bar restaurant and on the right is the entrance to this cave. You’ll know you’re there because on the rock is written Aboneca and an arrow pointing to the cave.
There were a few groups of people that came and went but honestly we had the cave to ourselves to take all the pictures we wanted! It is very small though so only a few people can fit before filling up. It is so cool because you see out to the ocean with the walls of the cave surrounding. This is a really good photo location!
3. Praia de Vale Covo
Location: Rua do Jardim das Palmeiras 73, Lagoa, Carvoeiro, Portugal
Praia de Vale Covo was one of our favorite beaches that we visited in the Algarve! We got there by accident trying to go to Praia de Vale Centeanes. Walking along the coastal pathway you get views of the cliffs on the far side and a rock island in the middle.
There is a big resort behind but don’t let that deter you! We got there later in the day which we would HIGHLY recommend! Around 5:30 PM there were only a few people on the larger left side of the beach and we were the only ones on the smaller right side. It was so comfortable because we had some shade, there were no other people and it’s an absolutely gorgeous location! There is a cave on the right side that goes pretty far back as well. We put our stuff in there as the tide started coming in.
We walked past it the next day earlier in the afternoon and saw a bit more people than the day before but still not nearly as crowded as some of the other beaches. It is a bit of a climb down. There’s a staircase but then you have to climb down the built-in rocks to get to the beach. It sounds hard but it really wasn’t!
- If you are staying at Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort or walking the coastal path you can access the staircase to Praia de Vale Covo.
Read More: 48 Hours in Lisbon, Portugal
4. Praia de Vale Centeanes
Location: Sitiu Praia de Vale Centeanes, Carvoeiro, Portugal
Praia de Vale Centeanes is about a 10-15 minute walk from Praia de Vale Covo. As you walk up to it, you have panoramic views of the whole beach and the surrounding cliffs. It was quite crowded and more built up so we decided to continue walking to the next one. It’s a quite large beach so if you head to the opposite side you might be able to get a more secluded spot.
- Even if you don’t stop, this lookout spot along the coastal path is beautiful and worth walking to for this view!
5. Praia do Carvalho
Location: R. de Algarve Clube Atlântico H15, Carvoeiro, Portugal
Our plan our first day was to go to Praia do Carvalho but after finding Praia de Vale Covo we couldn’t make ourselves leave. So this was our first stop on our second day. There is a staircase in a cave to get down to Praia do Carvalho but don’t worry it’s a regular staircase and one of the easiest beaches to get to.
Praia do Carvalho is beautiful and looks similar to Praia de Vale Covo with cliffs on either side and rock islands in the middle. We found Praia do Carvalho to be more crowded. Not too crowded to be unenjoyable but it definitely draws more people. There is a spot on the right side of the cliffs to climb up and cliff jump into the water. We saw some kids doing it over and over again. As you move east towards the very popular beaches, you will see more and more boats in the water passing by.
- There is almost nothing nearby to this beach. If you’re walking from Carveiro or somewhere else definitely bring water and snacks! We always bring a packable daypack filled with a few snacks, a water bottle and microfiber towels just in case we want to jump in the water!
6. Praia de Benagil
Location: CM1154, Lagoa, Portugal
The Benagil caves are the pictures you have probably seen of Portugal on the internet. It is a large cave that boats, kayaks and even swimmers can enter to see the secluded beach. It is one of the most popular things to do in the area and therefore gets very busy.
Nearby to the cave is Praia de Benagil which honestly is pretty but not like the two previous beaches we had seen. There are so many more people here because of the cave as well as restaurants and snack bars that it has a much more touristic feel to it. There are also a lot of boats and kayaks because many of them leave from the beach to go into the cave.
We contemplated touring the Benagil Cave but ultimately decided against it. A boat tour is around 30 Euros and can’t actually stop on the beach inside. After looking at all the boats and kayaks in the water, not to mention all the people waiting to go, we knew we weren’t going to be the only ones in the cave so we opted to continue on.
- After continuing on the coastal path, we were able to poke our heads into the cave from the top. There were many, many boats and a lot of people. While I am sure it is beautiful, we were happy with our decision.
- If you’re visiting in a less popular time of year, I’m sure it would be less crowded. If you do plan on going definitely try to go early in the morning!
7. Praia de Marinha
Location: Estr. da Marinha, Caramujeira, 8400-407 Lagoa, Portugal
Before you get to Praia de Marinha from the coastal path there is an archway formed in the cliffs that forms the letter M and is definitely worth stopping at! You can see the archs, called Arcos Naturais, in the background with a rock island surrounded by beautiful turquoise water. We stopped here for a few minutes to take pictures before getting to Praia de Marinha.
Praia de Marinha is a very well known beach in this area of the Algarve because you get cliffs on either side of a fairly large beach area. At the top there are stands where you can buy water and snacks and then to access the beach you have to walk down the staircase. Because it’s a well known beach, it was definitely more crowded. We got there around 4:45 PM and walked about two-thirds of the beach to the far side to find a quieter spot.
- Quickly we both noticed the amount of seaweed in the water at this beach. We hadn’t seen it anywhere else and it might have just been the day but there were definitely less people swimming.
- Praia de Marinha is definitely worth going to see but also make sure to give yourself time to explore smaller, less crowded beaches nearby!
8. Praia de Batata
Location: Praia da Batata, 8600-513 Lagos, Portugal
Praia de Batata is very close to the town of Lagos and the first beach you’ll get to if you walk from the town past the Castelo de Lagos to the coast. Honestly being so close to town means this beach is pretty but not the most amazing one we visited. If you’re short on time and just want to jump in, this is probably your best option. Our suggestion would be to continue walking up the road to some smaller, even prettier beaches!
9. Praia de Estudantes
Location: 8600-315 Lagos, Portugal
A few minutes up the road is Praia de Estudantes. Walk to the far side (opposite the staircase) and through the cave to the other, smaller side of the beach. Make sure to time when you walk through with the tide and then it’s really easy! On the other side you’ll find an archway connecting the cliffs above the water called the Lagos Roman Bridge. It creates a really good photo location that you might have seen before.
There weren’t as many people on the other side of Praia de Estudantes probably because you have to walk through the cave to get there. Even with this iconic photo location, there weren’t that many people. After taking pictures, we found a spot to sit and enjoy. However, we quickly realized something about the cliffs and the winds make this beach very windy. We’re not sure why but every time a small gust of wind hit the beach it would pick up all the sand. It made for a very sandy spot so after a couple times of getting hit, we decided to pack up and continue on.
10. Praia de Pinhao
Location: Rua José Formosinho Portugal, R. José Formosinho, 8600-315 Lagos, Portugal
We tried to find this beach after Praia de Estudantes but found a staircase that was blocked off with a gate which you can see in the picture below. With the tide in, we could only see a sliver of sand and only one person down there. We couldn’t figure out how they got down there other than jumping the fence. After walking past we realized if you continue walking there is a staircase down to the main part of Praia de Pinhao. Then if you want to get to the smaller section (that is blocked off at the top) you can walk to the far side through the cave.
- You will know you’re there because there is a big sign saying Praia de Pinhao so don’t be like us and contemplate hopping the gate!
- It’s a really beautiful beach and looks similar to Praia de Dona Ana which much less people!
11. Praia de Dona Ana
Location: Dona Ana, 8600-315 Lagos, Portugal
Praia de Dona Ana is one of the most famous beaches around Lagos. If you’re walking on the coastal path you get gorgeous views of the whole beach and the cliffs that continue past. This is a really good viewpoint thats worth the hike!
There is a large building behind the beach as well as cabanas and a restraurant down on the sand. Because of the amenities nearby as well as being one of the largest beaches we went to, it definitely felt more crowded and less serene. If you’re looking for a secluded beach with almost no other people, Praia de Dona Ana isn’t what you’re looking for.
But the views from the top looking down are some of our favorite pictures from the Algarve! You see multiple rock islands and then the cliffs that continue on for as long as you can see.
- If you walk to the right (facing the water) all the way to the end of the beach, you’ll get to a small staircase. Walk up and you’ll see a rock wall that leads down into a cave. Carefully climb down into this cave beach which is completely protected by the cliffs. Walk into the water and cross to a small sandy section which is beautiful! It’s a bit of a journey to get there but it’s beautiful. Because it’s harder to get to, there definitely were less people over there than the main part of Praia de Dona Ana.
12. Praia da Boneca & Praia do Camilo
Location: 8600-315 Lagos, Portugal
Praia da Boneca and Praia do Camilo are connected to each other through a cave. There is a very long staircase to get down so prepare yourself! If you’re not already hot, you will definitely be ready to jump in after that staircase. You walk down onto Praia do Camilo and then if you walk through a cave to your left (facing the water) you walk to the smaller Praia da Boneca.
When we got there it was very crowded. Like so crowded the only open spot on Praia do Camilo we could see was half in the grass at the back of the beach directly in front of the overflowing trash cans. If you walk through the cave to Praia da Boneca, it’s a little less crowded but it’s small to begin with so there isn’t too much space in general. We walked down to see what both looked like but we didn’t stay long. It’s definitely a spot to get to earlier in the day!
- At the top of the staircase at Praia do Camilo there is a restaurant and a large parking lot.
13. Praia de Balanca
Location: Estr. da Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Portugal
We spent a few hours at Praia de Balanca and it was definitely one of our favorites! Getting down to it, however, is not for the fate of heart. From the coastal path you can see the beach down below and then you see a small path that’s been carved between the rocks.
If it looks like that can’t possibly be the way to get down you’ve made it to the entrance! It starts out walking on rocks which is challenging but doable. Towards the bottom theres a section where it gets hard because there is nowhere to put your feet without slipping and falling down. It’s very dry and dusty which makes it hard to get a grip for your feet. It honestly felt a little like rock climbing to get to Praia de Balanca. If you’re not comfortable on uneven rocks this might not be the best beach for you. However, if you’re up for a little hike it is really pretty once you get to the bottom!
The climb down definitely deters more people from finding this gem! Once down at the beach, there weren’t that many people and we got our pick of a spot in the shade or the sun. If you continue walking to the left (facing the water) and walk into the water around the rock there is a small beach with no people that has beautiful views! We walked over there to take some amazing pictures with the rock island in the background. Just be sure to keep an eye on the tides to get back to the main part of the beach.
- There are no amenities at this beach because of the climb down so plan ahead! There is a public bathroom closer to Ponta de Piedade.
- One thing to note about Praia de Balanca is its often a stop on kayak tours that go around the coast. When we first got down we noticed a decent amount of people that were getting in kayaks and leaving the beach. Then as we were leaving a group came into the beach and all of a sudden there were definitely more people.
14. Praia do Barranco do Martinho
Location: Estr. da Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Portugal
Praia do Barranco do Martinho is close to Ponta da Piedad (#15) and it looks beautiful from the top! There are so many impressive cliffs in this area and the water is so clear! You have to walk off the boardwalk (almost everyone does it) and then climb down to this beach. From the top we could see it at the bottom, however, we couldn’t figure out how to get down there. We saw one thin trail that looked like it might be it but it looked so overgrown and very steep. We could only see a few people down at the beach so while I’m sure it’s beautiful and without too many people, we didn’t try anymore after that to get down.
15. Ponta da Piedade
Location: Farol da Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Portugal
Ponta de Piedad isn’t exactly a beach but it is definitely worth checking out! It refers to the point that looks out into the ocean. There are so many spots to walk around and take in the incredible views! Because it’s spread out, there are so many areas to walk around without too many other people. We would highly recommend coming to Ponta de Piedade to get some amazing pictures of the Algarve!
You can walk in either direction. If you walk west you will see a very long beach in the distance. That is Praia do Canavial. If you walk in the other direction you walk past many different viewpoints while heading back towards the town of Lagos.
