Algarve, Portugal’s warm and vibrant southern region, is a bit like a European California, like the Italian Rivieras: it comes alive in summer. But that’s also the time when overtourism makes many places inaccessible or overcrowded. In order to discover the magic of the Algarve, we recommend booking now, during these months, at the beginning of autumn, when the weather is still summery but overtourism is definitely over. Another winning idea: avoid the “usual” destinations associated with mass tourism. With a few rare exceptions, treat yourself to an autumn holiday in the region’s most unusual and unique spots. Here are some helpful tips on destinations you can easily reach after landing at Faro Airport (FAO).
Cacela Velha
Cacela Velha is a small fishing village located in the municipality of Vila Reàl de Santo António. Set at the southernmost tip of the southern Algarve, its white houses cluster around a romantic little square dominated by a modest church. Beyond the church, wild vegetation and lagoons open onto one of the region’s most beautiful beaches. If you want to take it all in at once, climb the hill to the old Islamic fort, which offers spectacular views. Autumn is the season for rice and seafood, and clams are a delicacy here, best sampled in the village’s mini-trattorias. During autumn storms, watching the sea waves from the top of the fort is a truly soul-stirring experience.
Faro
Located on a marine lagoon that has made it a well-protected trading port since Phoenician times, the city of Faro is the most important center in the Algarve. Served by the airport, which is now a key tourist attraction, it offers a delightful mix of modernity and history, powerfully epitomized by the Cathedral. Composed of an ancient Roman temple, a Visigoth church and parts of a mosque, the cathedral rises at the very heart of the “Old Town” quarter.
If you like unusual buildings, also visit the large 18th-century church of the Carmelites (Nossa Senhora do Carmo), with its adjacent chapel entirely covered in human skulls! Imagine visiting this place just before Halloween in October… combining faith, tourist curiosity, and thrills!
Ancient Roman archaeological remains are located 11 km from the center, at the Ossonoba site, another place worth the visit. But if you prefer to walk surrounded by fascinating nature, explore the trails of the Ria Formosa Natural Park along the lagoon. Always rely on a local guide to walk the perimeter of the lagoon, as the wind and storms in autumn can easily change its shape and size.
The Castles of Algarve
The Algarve region is famous, in Portugal and beyond, for its many castles. Whether medieval castles, ancient Roman “castra,” or even Islamic fortresses, they all form a unique itinerary that becomes even more interesting in autumn.
History buffs will delight, for example, at the Alcoutim castle-museum, where remnants of ancient rulers endure within the crenellated walls. A bit barer but no less fascinating is Aljezur Castle, a 10th-century fortress of which only the perimeter wall and a tower remain, but which still offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. The 13th-century Castro Marim castle, on the other hand, is a sort of Portuguese “great wall”: the enormous white walls trace a military path from the valley to the top of a hill where the remains of the fort still stand.
The great ring of walls and towers surrounding the historic part of Lagos, however, only hints at the size of the ancient castle that once stood here in the Middle Ages. The most beautiful and perhaps most complete is the mighty Loulé castle, with its square towers firmly anchored by white walls; today it hosts an interesting museum accessible with inexpensive tickets. Finally, Paderne castle… perhaps the least beautiful to admire, but certainly important: it appears among the seven castles on the Portuguese national coat of arms.
Queda do Vigàrio
While you’re visiting the magnificent castle in Loulé, treat yourself to a hike in the surrounding area to the Queda do Vigàrio viewpoint. This tuff mountain covered in dense vegetation not only offers beautiful views of the Algarve, but is also home to seven splendid natural waterfalls. In autumn, the colors are a spectacle! Always travel with an expert guide to avoid weather inconveniences—always possible during these months.
Cape São Vicente
At the far end of the Algarve, on the opposite tip from Cacela Velha, you’ll love admiring the ocean from Cape São Vicente. Perched at the end of an arid plateau atop a high cliff, the cape’s lighthouse, surrounded by outbuildings—a veritable military village, will be the best place where to admire sunsets. Beware of the wind, which is very strong and chilly here at this time of year. But it’s worth the experience, especially to imagine—with nostalgia—the many European explorers and emigrants who, while going to the Americas, gazed at Cape São Vicente and bid farewell forever to dear old Europe!
