Carvoeiro, Algarve is the perfect day trip when you travel to southern Portugal. Justin and I spent a week in the Algarve for our honeymoon, basing ourselves in Lagos and visiting several adorable beach towns and seaside villages.
We drove to Carvoeiro from Lagos, stopping first in the little village of Ferragudo. We loved visiting Carvoeiro because it's the perfect mix of small town charm, stunning nature and beautiful beaches.
In this blog post, I'll show you the best things to do in Carvoeiro in a day. We enjoyed a great balance of wandering around town, experiencing nature and trying a fantastic local restaurant.
I'll also share a few more places to visit and activities if you have more time in Carvoeiro. You can also add these attractions and activities if you spend a weekend in Carvoeiro or decide to base yourselves in Carvoeiro on your Algarve trip.
Jump to:
Why We Love Carvoeiro, Algarve
I'm sure that even after viewing a couple of photos of Carvoeiro in the Algarve, you'll see how we quickly fell in love with this Portuguese town.
- Stunning Beaches and Coastline: Carvoeiro is home to several gorgous beaches, and the town is perched on the edge of epic limestone cliffs.
- Charming Village: Go for a walk around town, marveling at white-washed buildings and sampling local cuisine. There's also a ceramics shop in town that we really loved.
- Amazing Caves and Trails: There's brilliant nature to discover, like rock formations and caves. There are shorter boardwalk trails and longer hiking trails from Carvoeiro.
Algar Seco
Let's start our day in Carvoeiro visiting one of its most notable sites, Algar Seco. It's one of the best places to visit in all of the Algarve and not to bee missed.
Algar Seco is a limestone headland featuring a collection of impressive rock formations. These orange-red rocks are otherworldly and weathered by the rain and the sea across the ages.
These rocks are reddish orange due to the iron oxide minerals in the limestone. These cliffs formed between 300 and 400 million years ago.
That means that there are caves, grottoes and tunnels to explore. Starting at the top of the cliffs, make your way down a winding staircase to the grotto. There's a pool of water at the bottom where the wavy waters crash around the rock formations.
Continue walking on the edge of the rocks beyond the grotto and blowhole to reach a pretty view of the sea. We came across a few carved out "windows" in the rocks, too.
Boneca Cave
Just west of the staircase to Algar Seco lies Boneca Cave. This is a popular natural feature and intriguing rock formation. Two naturally carved windows face the ocean. It's a great photo spot.
The cave is officially called A Boneca (The Doll). A short passageway inside an opening in the rocks leads to a set of two large openings looking out to the sea.
To reach A Boneca, walk past the Boneca Bar. There might be a lineup of people waiting to get inside the passageway. It's pretty narrow and you can't really fit more than a couple of people inside the cave.
Even when we visited in mid-October, there were still fellow tourists waiting for their chance to experience the Boneca Cave. It didn't take long until it was our turn to snap a photo and admire the scenery.
Carvoeiro Boardwalk
After you've finished climbing around the rock formations of Algar Seco, continue walking to the west on the Carvoeiro Boardwalk. This boardwalk trail extends along the edge of the cliffs in Carvoeiro offering some of the most spectacular scenery.
This wooden pathway is approximately 600 meters long. It isn't a terribly long walk, but a shorter trek with many stunning lookouts on the way.
If you wish to continue your walk for a lengthier journey, the Trail of the Headlands (also known as the Promontories path) follows the coast from Praia do Paraiso to Praia do Molhe in Ferragudo. It's a 6km hike one way.
Forte de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação
Fort of Our Lady of the Incarnation (Forte de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação) is a small fort on the edge of the cliffs on the Carvoeiro Boardwalk.
The fortress was built between 1670 and 1675, though it was damaged during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The chapel was renovated and repaired in 1942 and 1965, and the original church bell was reinstalled.
Miradouro da Senhora da Encarnação
As we continued walking towards Carvoeiro Beach, we came across the most beautiful lookout point. It's called Viewpoint of Our Lady of the Incarnation (Miradouro da Senhora da Encarnação).
This scenic lookout point looks down to Praia de Carvoeiro. Then, keep walking down a big staircase into the town.
Praia de Carvoeiro
Carvoeiro Beach (Praia de Carvoeiro) is one of the most popular and iconic beaches in Carvoeiro, Algarve. It's conveniently located at the edge of the town, so you can easily go to the beach and then walk to nearby restaurants and shops.
The beach sits within a small bay, surrounded by rocky limestone cliffs. The beach is dotted with small fishing boats and lined with traditional white buildings, usually with splashes of color on them.
The sea can be calm at times and wavy at other times. The water is a bit on the chilly side, which can be refreshing on a hot day. When we visited in mid-October, it was a little bit too cold to go for a swim.
Nevertheless, the beach views and vibes are among the best that you'll find in the Algarve.
Earth Shop + Cafe
Earth Shop + Cafe is a lovely little restaurant, cafe and eco-friendly shop. Justin and I had lunch here, as well as coffee and dessert.
This is a beloved cafe in town and therefore pretty busy. We had to wait a little while to get a table, but it was well worth the wait. I suggest calling to make a reservation in advance if possible.
This is a vegan-friendly restaurant and also has many options for those following a gluten-free diet. I highly recommend ordering the vegan quesadilla as it was really delicious and satisfying.
The coffee is also rich and flavorful, and we split a vegan brownie to end the meal with a sweet treat. The small shop features eco and sustainable gifts, as well as healthy prepared food products.
Loja da Fabrica Carvoeiro
There are quite a few boutiques, gifts shops and souvenir stores on the main streets of Carvoeiro: Estr. do Farol, R. do Barranco and R. dos Pescadores. Loja da Fabrica is a must for ceramics lovers.
This is a large shop across two stories with handmade Portuguese ceramics and pottery. There are bright and colorful ceramic works adorning the facade of the shop, and thousands of unique pieces are up for sale inside the store.
We ended up doing some souvenir shopping for ourselves here and also brought some gifts home for family members.
More Things to Do in Carvoeiro, Algarve
Looking for more places to add to your Carvoeiro travel plans? If you find yourself with another half day or full day, consider adding these adventures to your Carvoeiro itinerary.
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is an epic, coastal hike between Praia da Marinha and Praia de Vale Centeanes. It's a little farther east of Carvoeiro. Praia de Vale Centeanes is a 6-minute drive or 30 minute walk from Algar Seco.
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is a 6km jaunt in one direction (12km round trip) and follows the coastline. The roundtrip walk takes between 4 and 6 hours to complete.
It is a relatively challenging walk that will take you at least half a day. You will be able to view Benagil Cave from up above and of course, experience Marinha Beach as it's the starting point of the hike.
Make sure you wear proper hiking shoes, bring plenty of water, and wear sunscreen. There aren't many shady spots on this walk, so you will be completely exposed to the hot sunshine.
Park your car at Praia da Marinha early in the morning. If you don't want to walk all the way back, it's easy to take an Uber or a taxi back to the starting point.
Benagil Cave
Visiting the famous Benagil Cave is easy from Carvoeiro. Book a kayaking tour to Benagil Cave (pickup at Carvoeiro Beach). This 2.5 hour small group kayaking tour allows you to witness the breathtaking rock formations and turquoise waters of Benagil Cave.
If you'd like a less active adventure, take a small group long boat tour to Benagil Cave. You'll drift right inside the cave in the long boat. You'll also have the chance to see Marinha Beach and Covo Valley, and be on the lookout for dolphins!
Marinha Beach
Marinha Beach (Praia da Marinha) is a 15-minute drive east of Carvoeiro or reachable at the end of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. It's another stunning beach of the Algarve and a great day trip from Carvoeiro.
It is a very beautiful beach, especially if you're seeking a larger beach or one that's slightly more secluded than Carvoeiro Beach.
Even though Marinha Beach is highly visited by tourists, it retains its natural and peaceful atmosphere surrounded by rugged cliffs and formations.
Getting There
The closest airport is the Faro airport, though you can also fly to Lisbon and drive down to the Algarve.
Here's where you can find great prices on flights to Faro or great prices on flights to Lisbon.
Pick up your rental car in Faro or Lisbon at the airport. We always use Discover Cars to find the best prices on car rentals.
Where to Stay in the Algarve
We stayed at an apartment in Lagos for the week called Casa Aurora. This is a large apartment with two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a huge kitchen with every appliance imaginable, a living room, a laundry room and more.
This luxury apartment in Lagos is perched at the edge of Dona Ana Beach. The apartment comes with its own private balcony and easy access to the beach down below.
We loved staying at Casa Aurora and it felt like our own luxurious home away from home. Book your stay at Casa Aurora.
Accommodations in Carvoeiro, Algarve
Would you rather stay in Carvoeiro? It makes for an amazing home base as it's positioned between Lagos and Albufeira. There are also quite a few nice hotels and resorts here.
Please feel free to use the handy map below to compare properties all in one place. Enter your travel dates for more acccurate results.
More Algarve Travel Guides
Looking for more travel guides and itineraries for the Algarve? Here are the travel guides we wrote after visiting to help you plan your trip:
Want more travel tips and inspiration? Follow me on Instagram! I share daily adventures, whether I'm at home in Ontario, Canada, or halfway across the world!
Don't forget travel insurance!
Heading out of the country? Don't forget to get travel insurance. It's best to be covered in case of an emergency, cancellation or accident.
Leave a Reply