Tours in Faro District

The Algarve runs 155 kilometres along the south coast. West of Faro the land ends in cliffs and caves. East of it, the coast turns into a lagoon.

How the coast is built

• The west. Sandstone cliffs, sea caves and coves running east from Lagos past Portimão, worn into arches by the open Atlantic; this is the postcard half, and the busier one.
• The east. Beyond Faro the shore flattens into the Ria Formosa, a lagoon shielded from the ocean by five barrier islands — Barreta, Culatra, Armona, Tavira and Cabanas — reached only by boat.
• Between the two. Faro sits roughly at the hinge, with Albufeira and the main resort belt filling the ground just west of it.
• Getting along it. The A22 motorway runs the length of the region; coastal towns are 20 to 40 minutes apart by car, longer on the slower train line that follows the old N125.

What the coast is for

• Boats and caves. Grottoes and sea caves along the western cliffs are the region's signature trip, by kayak, paddleboard or larger boat depending on the swell.
• The lagoon. Birdwatching, oyster and clam beds, and quiet barrier-island beaches reachable only by the ferries that leave from Faro and Olhão.
• The water generally. Diving, sailing and deep-sea fishing run out of most marinas; golf fills the belt of land behind the coast, one of the densest concentrations of courses in Europe.

Practical

• Weather. Summer highs reach about 30C with almost no rain and the sea near 22C; winter days stay around 16C, with a sharper Atlantic wind in the west.
• Boat cancellations. Cave and grotto trips run on the swell, not the calendar; operators reroute or cancel at short notice and rebook or refund depending on the operator.
• A car helps. Buses link the main towns but run thinly outside summer; this region rewards a car more than most of Portugal does.
• Booking ahead. Peak-season boat trips and popular restaurants fill by midday; July and August need more lead time than the shoulder months.