Portugal: 7-Day Algarve Coastal Discovery — Cliffs, Caves & Golden Beaches

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Faro — Algarve’s Capital

Land at Faro Airport. Transfer to your hotel. Afternoon walking tour of Faro’s charming Old Town (Cidade Velha) within medieval walls. Visit the 13th-century Faro Cathedral with its bone chapel (Capela dos Ossos). Stroll through the Arco da Vila, the neoclassical gateway to the old city. Evening: dinner at a traditional marisqueira (seafood restaurant) — try cataplana de marisco (seafood stew cooked in a copper clamshell pot), the Algarve’s signature dish. Overnight in Faro.

Day 2: Ria Formosa Natural Park — Islands & Lagoons

Boat excursion through Ria Formosa Natural Park — a 60km chain of barrier islands, lagoons, salt pans, and marshes teeming with birdlife (flamingos, purple gallinules, spoonbills). Visit Culatra Island, a traditional fishing community with no cars. Walk deserted beaches stretching for miles. Afternoon: visit Olhão’s famous fish market and cubist whitewashed architecture. Overnight in Faro.

Day 3: Benagil Sea Cave & Praia da Marinha

Drive west along the Algarve’s spectacular coastline. Boat or kayak trip to the Benagil Sea Cave — an immense natural dome with a circular hole in the ceiling where sunlight streams through, illuminating golden sand and turquoise water. One of the world’s most photographed sea caves. Continue to Praia da Marinha, often voted one of Europe’s best beaches, with its iconic double sea arch and honeycomb cliffs. Afternoon: visit the charming town of Carvoeiro, nestled between golden cliffs. Overnight in Lagos.

Day 4: Ponta da Piedade & Lagos

Morning boat tour of Ponta da Piedade — a wonderland of golden limestone sea stacks, arches, grottoes, and hidden coves, best seen from the water. The rock formations glow gold in the morning sun. Afternoon: explore Lagos old town — the slave market museum (Europe’s first, 1444), the golden church of Santo António with its dizzying baroque interior covered in gilded woodcarving, and the Ponta da Bandeira fortress. Relax at Praia Dona Ana, a sheltered cove between ochre cliffs. Evening: Lagos marina and vibrant restaurant scene. Overnight in Lagos.

Day 5: Sagres — The End of the World

Drive to Sagres, the southwesternmost point of mainland Europe. Visit the dramatic Sagres Fortress (Fortaleza de Sagres) perched on sheer 50m cliffs — from here, Prince Henry the Navigator planned Portugal’s 15th-century voyages of discovery that opened the world. Stand at Cabo de São Vicente, the “End of the World,” where waves crash against 75m cliffs and you can watch the sun sink into the seemingly infinite Atlantic — the last sunset in Europe. Visit the lighthouse, one of Europe’s most powerful (visible 60km). Afternoon: explore the wild beaches of Costa Vicentina, a protected natural park with dramatic surf beaches. Overnight in Sagres.

Day 6: Silves — Moorish Castle & Cork Country

Journey inland to Silves, the ancient Moorish capital of the Algarve (Xelb). Visit the red sandstone castle, the best-preserved Moorish castle in Portugal, with its massive walls, cisterns, and panoramic views over orange groves. Explore the Silves Cathedral (13th century, built on the site of the former mosque) and the Archaeological Museum. Afternoon: drive through the cork oak forests of the Serra de Monchique. Visit Caldas de Monchique, a thermal spa town known since Roman times. Option to climb Fóia (902m), the Algarve’s highest peak. Farewell dinner in a mountain restaurant — try javali (wild boar) and medronho (local strawberry tree brandy). Overnight in Silves/Monchique.

Day 7: Depart Faro

Morning at leisure. Transfer to Faro Airport. Até logo!

Inclusions

• 6 nights (boutique hotels)
• Daily breakfast + 4 dinners
• Private vehicle & guide
• Ria Formosa boat excursion
• Benagil cave boat/kayak trip
• Ponta da Piedade boat tour
• Sagres Fortress & Cabo São Vicente
• Silves Castle & Cathedral
• All entries