Best Beaches in the Algarve: Our Top 11 Picks

Map of our top beaches in the Algarve

To help you get a better sense of where each beach is located, we’ve put together a map with our top 11 beaches in the Algarve. Perfect if you want to check them all off on an Algarve road trip.

Algarve beaches you absolutely have to see

If you’re vacationing in the Algarve, getting a photo at these beaches is simply a must. Here’s our rundown of the Algarve highlights you really can’t skip.

Praia da Marinha

Carvoeiro

• hugely popular photo spot
• good infrastructure at the beach
• lifeguards in summer
• barely any parking
• extremely touristy

If there’s one beach in the Algarve you’ve probably seen a hundred times on Instagram, it’s Praia da Marinha near Carvoeiro. But why does everyone want a photo here?

The answer is the extraordinary rock formations: massive stone arches, 100-foot-high cliff faces, and enchanting grottos make for an incredible backdrop. And the water is truly an unbelievable shade of turquoise.

There is one catch, though: Praia da Marinha is always incredibly crowded. There’s a parking lot, but it fills up early in the morning and then the police close off the access road.

Our tip is clear: try to arrive at Praia da Marinha right at sunrise!

Our hotel pick: Vila Alba Resort – a stylish hotel set in nature that has everything you could wish for.

Praia de Benagil

Benagil

• restaurants, showers, and restrooms
• lifeguards
• water sports activities
• barely any parking
• very touristy

The Benagil Cave is one of the most famous attractions in the Algarve. At low tide, you can enter the cave. From inside, it looks like a natural cathedral, with rays of sunlight streaming in through a hole in the ceiling — seriously stunning!

The most popular way to explore the Benagil Cave is on boat tours. These depart from places like Portimão, Albufeira, or Lagos and cost between 25 and 40 euros. Alternatively, you can head out by kayak. Swimming to the beach is prohibited, and you’re not allowed to get out of the boats inside the cave.

The cave is always busy, but the scenery is simply breathtaking. If you’re traveling on a budget, pack some snacks — restaurant prices here are on the higher side.

Our hotel pick: O Quintal – a cozy family-run guesthouse with bright colors and a welcoming atmosphere

From Lagos: Boat trip to the Benagil Caves

From Albufeira: Cave and dolphin watching tour

From Portimão: Speedboat tour to the Benagil Cave

Ponta da Piedade

Lagos

• extraordinary rock formations
• plenty of parking
• two restaurants
• no lifeguards
• difficult to access

Ponta da Piedade isn’t really a single beach — it’s an entire headland below Lagos, one of the most beautiful towns in the Algarve.

The beach you absolutely have to see sits right below the lighthouse. To get there, you’ll need to walk down about 200 steps — and then back up again!

The real draw at Ponta da Piedade is the stunning rock formations. Wind and waves have carved out massive rock pillars, arches, and grottos here. Bring your camera.

Near the lighthouse you’ll find plenty of parking, restrooms, and a café. If you’d rather not drive, you can also do a hike from Lagos, which is about a mile and a quarter long. There’s also a boardwalk along the promenade that works well for wheelchair users and strollers.

Our hotel pick: Boutique Hotel Vivenda Miranda – a hotel with a pool and stunning ocean views. Just 1.2 miles from Ponta da Piedade.

City beaches in the Algarve

Want to combine a beach day with a little stroll through town? No problem! Here are two great city beaches in the Algarve worth knowing about.

Praia Dona Ana

Lagos

• Blue Flag
• restaurant, restrooms
• lifeguards
• very touristy

Praia Dona Ana is the most popular city beach near Lagos and sits right below the town center. If you’re staying in Lagos, you may even be able to walk there.

The beach is tucked into a cove along the cliffs and isn’t particularly large, so it fills up quickly during the day. You reach it via a small wooden staircase — don’t worry, it’s nowhere near 200 steps!

We recommend heading down early in the morning or coming back for a drink during the golden hour. There’s a bar right on the beach — not exactly cheap, but the location really is top-notch.

Our hotel pick: Charming Residence & Guest House Dom Manuel I – with a spa area including a sauna, steam room, and outdoor pool. One of our favorite hotels in the Algarve.

Praia do Carvoeiro

Carvoeiro

• showers, restrooms, beach bars
• sun loungers for rent
• family-friendly
• lifeguards in summer
• tricky parking situation

Carvoeiro is a fishing village on the southern coast of the Algarve and looks exactly how you’d picture it: small, whitewashed houses, boats bobbing in the sea, and the whole thing dramatically built into a clifftop.

Right in front of the village is a beach of the same name. It’s especially popular with families, as the swimming cove is wonderfully calm and shallow. All around you’ll find plenty of restaurants and cafés serving delicious Portuguese food.

In short: Praia do Carvoeiro is perfect for a day out — stroll around the village, try some great restaurants, and laze on the beach.

Our hotel pick: Castelo Guest House – a lovely boutique hotel almost right on the beach, with ocean views.

The most beautiful Algarve beaches for kids

When you’re spending a beach day with kids, the beach needs to be not just beautiful, but safe and well-equipped too. Here are two top picks that tick both boxes.

Praia do Martinhal

Sagres

• lifeguards in summer
• parking on site
• family-friendly infrastructure
• very crowded in summer

Praia do Martinhal is located right near Sagres, so there’s no long drive to the beach. If your accommodation is in the northern part of Sagres, you can even walk — just plan for about 20 minutes.

A boardwalk leads down to the beach, so you can bring a stroller. In summer the beach is patrolled by lifeguards, and there are showers, restrooms, and a beach bar for when the kids get hungry at midday. The cove is also well sheltered from the wind by the cliff walls and dunes.

Right next to the beach is a large family resort where you can sign up for water sports classes of all kinds.

Our hotel pick: Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort – right on the beach

Praia de Odeceixe

Odeceixe

• Blue Flag
• shallow, calm riverbank
• lifeguards in summer
• restaurants nearby
• showers, restrooms

The western Algarve coast is known for strong winds and big waves. But at Praia de Odeceixe, you can relax and swim with kids even on windy days. The beach juts out into the sea like a peninsula, because the Seixe River flows along the inland side — making the water there shallow, calm, and perfect for splashing around.

The water is genuinely clean, and the beach has been awarded the Blue Flag to prove it. Best of all: at low tide, you can sometimes wade through the riverbed to the other side.

In summer the beach is patrolled by lifeguards, and you’ll find pretty much everything you need for a family beach day — beach bars for a midday snack, restrooms, and plenty of free parking.

Our hotel pick: Casa do Moinho – a peaceful hotel with a garden and pool

Secluded beaches in the Algarve

Not in the mood for tourist crowds? We know a few quieter spots in the Algarve that haven’t been overrun yet. These are our two under-the-radar beach picks in the Algarve.

Praia da Bordeira

• very unspoiled
• hardly any crowds
• free parking
• no restaurants
• no lifeguards

Bordeira is a wild beauty! The sandy beach seems to go on forever, surrounded by dunes with swaying grasses. For us, that makes it one of the most stunning beaches in Portugal.

It never really gets too crowded here. A small river flows behind the beach, and after rainy days a lagoon forms — popular with kitesurfers as well as families with young children.

The beach is so expansive that you’ll almost always feel like you have it all to yourself. Other beachgoers spread out easily, and you can take endless walks along the shore.

If you go swimming here, do be careful — there can be strong currents and there are no lifeguards on patrol. The same goes for surfing.

Our hotel pick: Monte Da Vilarinha – a beautiful, wonderfully peaceful place to stay.

Ilha da Culatra

Olhão

• tranquil natural paradise
• very few tourists
• restaurants nearby
• only accessible by boat

Ilha da Culatra is a tiny island in the Ria Formosa Nature Park on the southern coast of the Algarve — and it’s still one of the best-kept secrets among Algarve beaches. The only way to reach it is by boat from the town of Olhão. Boats run roughly every half hour, and the crossing takes about 30 minutes.

What awaits you there? A full seven kilometers of pristine sandy beach! A boardwalk leads over the dunes, and it’s really cool to see how the landscape transforms into marsh as the water rises.

People do live on the island, but there’s not a whole lot here — just a handful of restaurants. No cars are allowed. Even in summer, Culatra escapes the major tourist rush. In the off-season, you’ll practically have the beach to yourself.

Our hotel pick: Pure Formosa – hotel in Olhão, pool with ocean views

Algarve beaches for surfing

The Algarve is one of the best places in Europe to surf and learn to surf. But which beach has the best waves? Here are our favorite surf spots in the Algarve.

Also read our tips for the best activities in the Algarve

Praia do Amado

• lifeguards
• restaurants at the beach
• surf spot for all skill levels
• public parking
• can get crowded

Until a few years ago, Praia do Amado was a real local favorite among the best beaches in the Algarve. By now, many surfers have discovered that Amado is simply a great spot for riding waves. The beach still gets good surf in summer even when conditions are flat elsewhere, and the coastline provides excellent wind protection.

Many surf schools use the beach for beginner lessons. Right at the beach you’ll find several surf schools where you can book courses or rent equipment.

In winter especially, Amado draws serious surf pros. International surf competitions are even held here — if you’re lucky, one will be on while you’re visiting.

Our hotel pick: Monte da Vilarinha – a lovely hotel surrounded by greenery, family-friendly

Praia da Arrifana

• top surf spot in the Algarve
• sandy beach
• restaurants at the beach
• free parking
• no lifeguards

Praia da Arrifana is well known among surfers across Europe. There are waves for every skill level — for experienced surfers, but also if you’ve never stood on a surfboard before. For a surf lesson, we recommend Algarve Adventure — we’ve had great personal experiences there ourselves.

The beach is also gorgeous just for lounging around, framed by an impressive cliff face. To get down, you’ll have to walk a good stretch downhill — and then back up after your beach day! Parking is only available at the top, but from up there you do get a seriously great view.

Note: At high tide, the water can rise all the way up to the rocks. If you’re leaving the beach at midday, make sure to place your towel as high up on the beach as possible.

Our hotel pick: Biscuttela Vicentina – a cozy place to stay with fantastic views and a pool