Activity Holidays in Portugal's Algarve

How do I get to Algarve?

The main airport for flying into the Algarve is Faro, which is well connected from all over Europe. You can also travel to Lisbon and take a train/hire a car to get you down to the Algarve, which takes roughly three hours, depending on where in the Algarve you are visiting. 

Do you need a car in Algarve?

No. There are a multitude of reasonably priced airport transfer companies in the Algarve that hiring a car is not always necessary. There is also a good network of local buses for getting around while you are there. Most of our trips on the Algarve include an airport pickup so you don't need to organise anything. 

Is Algarve safe?

The Algarve is very safe. While you should take care in the more touristy towns like Faro and Lagos, you shouldn't have any troubles on any of our trips.  

When should I go to the Algarve?

The peak time for walking or cycling in the Algarve is either spring, from March-June or from late August to November. The summer months of July and August can be incredibly warm and active holidays can prove to be quite uncomfortable during these months.  

Where in Portugal is Algarve?

The Algarve is the South Coast of Portugal, stretching from the border with Spain, to Cabo sao Vicente (Cape St Vincent) Europe's most south-westerly point. While there is a beautiful coastline dotted with glorious beaches and fishing villages, there is also a fascinating interior, with some great towns and scenery. 

Tavira - Tavira is east of Faro and is arguably the most charming town in the Algarve. Its cobbled streets, compact centre dotted with little green spaces and tiny squares where you can have a drink and watch the world go by. The beach is 3km offshore, on the Ilha de Tavira, a beautiful haven situated in the Rio Formosa national park. Taking the little boat over, crammed with locals is a wonderful experience. You can visit Tavira on our Authentic Algarve by Bike tour. 

Lagos - Lagos is your typical Algarve town, white-washed with neatly cobbled streets, a riverfront, and amazing fish-market and an outstanding beach. Restaurants and bars spill over onto the impeccably clean white cobbled streets. The main square is wide open, fringed with buildings covered in Portuguese Azulejos (decorative tiles) and studded with fragrant trees. You can visit Lagos on our Algarve Coastal Trails trip.

Silves - There is an Algarve away from the coast and Silves is a great example of somewhere inland that glorifies the region. A 12th Century Visigoth castle with baked-red walls proudly watches over this colourful little town on the hills over the Rio Arade. Streets are lined with orange trees, scenting the air as you walk towards the beautiful white-washed Portuguese Cathedral. Silves shows a completely relaxed side of the Algarve, away from tourism, part of Algarve life. Silves is on our Authentic Algarve by Bike trip. 

Monchique - This geothermal spa-town sits up in the hills of the Algarve, tucked away in almost secrecy, on the route of the Via Algarviana. This little hamlet makes for the perfect retreat from the coast, offering a wealth of locally grown olive-oil products and of course, down in Caldas de Monchique, the sulphurous, geothermal waters much loved by the Romans are available for public bathing and recuperating. 

Cabo sao Vicente - The most south-westerly point in Europe, Cabo sao Vicente is a wild, rugged full-stop to Europe. The lighthouse sits proudly on the menacing cliffs as the wilds of the Atlantic batter against them. Down precarious sets of stairs to Pria do Beliche or Pria do Tonel, reveal these stunning, isolated little beaches where you can often be almost entirely alone. Sitting close to the town of Sagres (producer of Portugal's most famous beer) means that you can combine a visit to the Cape with time in this lively little town at the end of Europe. You finish up our Wild Algarve trip at Cabo sao Vicente, before spending your last night in Sagres.