Algarve in Fall: 12 Best Things to Do

Last Updated on July 29, 2025

Planning a trip to Algarve in fall? Here are 12 can’t miss things to do while visiting this southern stretch of European coast.

The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal, with over 100 kilometers of coastline that meets the Atlantic Ocean. It’s known for having a warm climate, many beaches, seafood, surfing and more. And it’s only a 3 hour drive from Lisbon!

I’ve visited Algarve several times, and in all seasons. Algarve in fall has ended up being one of my favourite seasons to go, for a couple reasons!

During fall, the Algarve coast is far less packed with tourists because the summer holidays are over. This means less crowds, and less difficulty in booking accommodation and tours.

The best part about Algarve in fall? The weather is beautiful! This region of Europe is known for having 300 days of sun per year, which means from September to November it’s still quite warm.

To help you plan your visit to the Algarve in fall, I’ve put together a list of my 12 favourite things do in the region. Add these to your Algarve itinerary!

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12 Things to Do in Algarve in Fall

There’s tons to do in the Algarve in fall. To make the most of your trip, I recommend renting a car. You can make a central Algarve city or town, like Lagos, your home base. From there, use your car to day trip to other areas of the region.

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1. Kayak to Benagil Cave

Benagil Cave, or Algar de Benagil (its Portuguese name) is a large sea cave on the Algarve coast. While the coast in this region has many sea caves, Benagil is particularly famous because it looks like a grotto. In fact, many locals call it the Gruta de Benagil.

The cave is recognizable in part because of a big hole in its ceiling, which is known as the eye of the cave. When you’re standing inside Benagil Cave, you’ll see the blue sky through the hole, and light streams down through it. 

Fall is the perfect time to visit Benagil Cave. During summer, the cave becomes super busy with tours. The volume of people inside the cave can take away from your experience. But during Algarve in fall, there are far fewer tourists around, which means less people inside Benagil Cave.

Benagil is just around the corner from a small beach called Praia de Benagil, but it’s only accessible by boat. There are a couple ways to reach the cave. If you’d like to self-guide, you can rent a kayak or SUP from one of the rental shops on Praia de Benagil. But, I recommend visiting Benagil cave by boat tour.

You can book a tour that takes you by kayak, SUP board, or motorized boat. When I visited the cave, I opted to go by kayak. The kayak tour included a guide, who brought my group all along the coast, telling us about its geological features, and pointing out fossils.

We also got to kayak inside a few smaller caves before going into Benagil! This is the tour I went on:

Sunrise or Sunset Benagil Cave Kayak Tour

RATING: 4.9 out of 5 stars

TOUR LENGTH: 1.5 hours

The Sunrise or Sunset Benagil Cave Kayak Tour brings you to the cave either early in the morning, or later in the evening. This tour starts with an introduction to the basics of kayaking from your expert guide. Then your adventure begins! You’ll hop into your kayak and make your way towards the Benagil Cave.

By visiting the cave either early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, you’ll have tons of time to take photos of the stunning cave, and relax on the small beach inside the cave. On this tour, you spend about 30 minutes inside the cave. You also get to kayak to two other smaller caves on the Algarve coast. 

2. Shop for Portuguese Ceramics

Portugal is known for its ceramics. You’ll see glazed blue ceramic tiles or azulejos everywhere! Azulejos date as far back as the 13th century, when the Moors invaded the land that now belongs to Spain and Portugal.

The word azulejo comes from Arabic roots, translating to a “small polished stone”. Originally they were simple pieces cut into geometric shapes in neutral tones, but they became more ornate over time. 

From detailed wall murals to house and dinnerware, you’ll notice beautiful azulejos and pottery all over Portugal, including in the Algarve. While exploring Algarve, be sure to dedicate some time to visiting local ceramics shops.

Many of the small shops have ceramics that are hand-painted, which means you can find something unique to bring home or gift. 

3. Surf on Tonel Beach

Tonel Beach, or Praia do Tonel, is on the western side of Ponta de Sagres on the southwestern tip of Portugal. This beach’s unique positioning makes it a hot spot for surfers, especially in the colder months. The surf isn’t the only draw to Tonel Beach, though.

Regardless of if you surf yourself, it’s a gorgeous beach to visit. It’s surrounded by tall, steep cliffs that shelter the beach from the wind. And if you’re adventurous, you can follow paths up to the top of the cliffs for amazing aerial views of the beach and the Atlantic ocean. 

There are several surf schools that operate out of Sagres, typically bringing their daily groups to Tonel (although depending on conditions they’ll sometimes go to another beach).

Surf schools provide all the equipment you need as well as beginner lessons to help you get started. Algarve in fall is the perfect time to give surfing a try, because the surfing season runs from late fall to early spring.

I personally wasn’t interested in surfing, but visited Tonel Beach nonetheless. It’s tons of fun to hang out in the sand and watch the surfers catching their waves.

While I was there, I learned that in the summer it is possible to swim at Tonel, but this is only advised for strong swimmers. The current and waves are strong!

4. Hike Part of the Rota Vicentina 

The Rota Vicentina is a network of hiking trails that spans 750 kilometers of Portugal. The trails bring hikers through villages, past limestone formations, up along coastal cliffs, and past sea coves. The Fisherman’s Trail is one of the more popular routes on the Rota Vicentina, and part of it runs along the Algarve coast. 

Algarve during fall is the perfect time to go hiking, because the weather is more mild. It’s usually still sunny, so plan for that, but the temperatures aren’t as stifling as they can be in summer.

The official Fishermen’s Trail route is 226.5 kilometres long, starting in Sines (on the Alentejo coast) and ending in Lagos (the Algarve coast). It takes most hikers several days to complete the entire route.

Alternatively, you can walk a small portion of the trail as a daytrip. For example, I took the trail from Praia da Ingrina to Praia dos Rebolinhos (a beach just outside Sagres). 

While hiking the Fisherman’s Trail you follow the coastline, often using paths that are used by locals to access remote beaches and fishing spots. At some moments, you’ll find yourself up on the rugged cliffs, with amazing views of the sea, coast, and beaches.

At other moments, you’ll hike down to the beaches where you can take a moment to relax in the sunshine. 

Read my full guide to hiking the Fishermen’s Trail Portugal.

5. Visit a Portuguese Winery

Algarve is the sunniest part of Portugal and has a temperate climate year-round, making it an ideal region for growing grapes. Across the Algarve there are four distinct DOCs (areas with protected designation of origin): Lagos, Portimao, Lagoa and Tavira.

Throughout the region there are over 2,000 vineyards as well as 30 wine producers. Many of the wineries are easily accessible by car or by tour, and offer guided vineyard tours and tastings. 

The best part? There’s an Algarve wine trail that runs parallel to the coast, taking you to many of the region’s best wineries. From Lagos to Albufeira, the trail brings you to wineries where you can try reds, whites, and even green wines. 

6. Go Out to Cabo de Sao Vicente

Just a few kilometres northwest of Sagres is the historic Cabo de Sao Vicente (Cape of Saint Vincent). This cape juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the most southwestern point of mainland Europe.

Back in the 14th century and earlier, many Europeans believed that Cabo de Sao Vicente was the end of the world.

Visiting this spot is an exciting experience when visiting Algarve in fall because you can sense the power of the ocean. It’s incredibly windy, but worth it for the endless views of the sea.

While at Cabo de Sao Vicente you can see the ruins of an old monastery that was damaged by Portugal’s 1755 earthquake. There is also an iconic, working lighthouse on the cliffs. Attached to the lighthouse is a small museum and gift shop.  

7. Explore the Algarve Beach, Praia do Camilo 

Praia do Camilo (Camilo Beach) is a small beach on the Atlantic Ocean. As is characteristic for most Algarve beaches, Camilo Beach is surrounded by rugged limestone cliffs.

To get to the beach, you go down 200 steps of a wooden staircase that descends from the top of the cliffs to the sand. On the east end of the beach there is a tunnel through the cliffs that takes you to a smaller beach that is next to Camilo. 

In the summer, Praia do Camilo is packed with beach-goers and swimmers. But during Algarve in fall, it’s far less busy. This makes it a perfect time to lounge on the beach. Camilo beach is only a 30 minute walk from Lagos towards Ponta da Piedade. If you’ve got a vehicle, you can park at the top of the stairs. There is a large parking lot with free parking. 

8. Taste Portuguese Liquor

There are a couple Portuguese liquors that are popular throughout the country and fun to taste. While visiting the Algarve in fall, a must-try is medronho. It’s a fruit brandy that is distilled from fermented medronho berries that grow wild throughout the Algarve region. 

Medronho production hasn’t been fully regulated, so there are producers who operate illegally. But, it’s possible to track down medronho from distilleries that are licensed. I tried medronho in a small bar in Lagos.

I did have to pop into a couple bars to ask if it was available before I found one that served it. Medronho is usually clear, and it’s served neat. The medronho I had was super strong (I guess this is why locals call it “firewater”), but despite the high alcohol content, I found it to taste nicely sweet!

Another liquor to try (which will be easier to find most likely) is ginjinha, also known as ginja. It’s a traditional Portuguese sour cherry liqueur that is usually red in colour. It’s subtly sweet and smells very much like cherries. It’s popular all over Portugal, and is usually had as an aperitif or digestif. 

9. Walk Along Praia da Cordoama

Praia da Cordoama is a large, isolated beach that is on the western coast of Portugal, about a 15 minute drive from Sagres. The beach is a few kilometers long, and it’s sheltered by tall, dark cliffs. Because this beach faces west, it experiences intense winds and tides, which has eroded the cliffs and the rocks on the beach into interesting formations. 

It’s important to be cognizant of the tide times when you visit Praia da Barriga, because the beach becomes narrow at high tide. Since there is a risk of landslides and loose stones falling onto the beach, it’s best to come at low tide so that you can keep a safe distance from the cliffs. 

10. Watch the Sunset at Ponta da Piedade

Ponta da Piedade is a cluster of rock formations that rise up to 20 meters above the Atlantic Ocean on the southern coast of Portugal. The rock formations create natural arches, caves, and towers that make for beautiful coastal views.

This spot is an absolute must-see while visiting the Algarve in fall, and it’s especially gorgeous at sunset. Ponta da Piedade is a 15 minute drive from Lagos, and there is free parking. Alternatively, you can walk from Lagos, which takes about 40 minutes. 

When you arrive at Ponta da Piedade you can walk along the top of the cliffs and rock formations, following well-worn paths. There aren’t any protective fences, so be careful of slipping! From the top, you have incredible views of the rock formations, grottos, and ocean. On a clear day, you can see as far west as Sagres. 

There is also a set of around 200 stairs that take you down to the water for a different perspective. From the platform at the bottom, you can see further into the grottos, and observe the power of the ocean waves.

There are usually local fishing boats at the bottom, and for a fee you can hop on for a tour of the area’s caves, arches, and grottos close up. From Ponta da Piedade there is also a relatively new boardwalk that takes you all the way to Canavial beach. It’s a lovely walk to take, especially at sunset. 

11. Visit Beautiful Algarve Towns

One of my favourite things to do in the Algarve is road trip to the region’s towns! Algarve in fall is the perfect time to day trip to Algarve towns like Silves and Ferragudo. During peak season (summer) these towns can be very busy with visitors. But during fall, it’s much quieter.

Silves, Algarve

Silves is a historic Algarve town known for its medieval castle, old city gate, beautiful cathedral, and quaint, winding streets. The Algarve is known for its ocean-side fishing towns, coastal views, and beaches. Silves, though, is inland. I think this is what makes visiting this town so special – it’s a chance to see another perspective of life in the Algarve.

Ferragudo, Algarve

Ferragudo started out as a fishing village, but over the years, it’s become a popular day trip for tourists. The town today has a traditional feel, with whitewashed homes, winding streets lined with flowers, a historic castle, and even a beach. 

Although tourism has grown in Ferragudo, fishing continues to be a key industry in the town. In the mornings, you’ll see fishermen along the river pulling up their nets full of fish. And of course, Ferragudo is the perfect spot to try fresh Portuguese sardines.

12. Take a Boat Trip to the Ria Formosa Islands

Ria Formosa Natural Park is a lagoon, created by a system of barrier islands that connects to the sea through six inlets. In the park, you can see the Santa Maria Lighthouse on the little island of Farol. On the island Deserta, you can admire the rolling dunes and unique landscapes. 

Ria Formosa Natural Park also has plenty of swimming spots. Farol and Deserta both have quiet beaches. The water is a bit chillier in the Algarve in fall, but if you can brave it, it’s worth going for a swim!

Look out for unique flora and fauna, including chameleons! To visit this natural park, you’ll go to Faro, and catch a boat tour. Below is a highly-rated boat tour that you can book in advance.

From Faro: Ria Formosa Faro Islands Catamaran Tour departs from Faro. You’ll board a small boat that weaves through the Ria Formosa channels before reaching Ria Formosa Natural Park. This Catamaran Tour makes two stops, one at the island of Farol, and one at the island Deserta. On board, you’ll learn about the islands and the park with insightful commentary from your guide in various languages.

Should You Visit Algarve in Fall?

Visiting Algarve in fall is a fantastic time to travel this stretch of Portuguese coast. You’ll enjoy beautiful weather, fewer crowds, and prices for accommodation and tours are slightly lower because it’s considered low season.

I hope you’re inspired by this list of things to do in Algarve Portugal. From my travels in the region, these are the experiences that stood out to me. But of course, remember that this list is based on my perspective as a tourist.

As with all travel, I recommend connecting with locals, either casually, or by hiring local guides, to learn more about the Algarve, from the perspective of those who live there. It’s be to approach all your travels as a responsible tourist!

More from Pina Travels:

Hiking the Coastal Fisherman’s Trail Portugal
Your Essential 4 Days in Lisbon Itinerary 
Weekend in Porto: 16 Things to Do
24 Hours in Sintra, Portugal Guide

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