Faro - End of September a good time?

Posted by wgavigan (Home is London, Ontario, Canada) on 01/16/18 12:19 AM

My wife and I and another couple are planning a 3 week vacation in Portugal. Starting mid-September, a week in Lisbon, then a week in Porto, finishing in Faro the first week in October.

Will the weather be decent?
Should we look for a different area down there?
Would there be enough to do (as high season is over)? From things I've heard, I get the feeling this may not be a good idea.

We are looking at Airbnb's for Lisbon and Porto. I'm thinking of using hotels in the south so if we didn't like it there we could retreat to Lisbon earlier to finish our vacation time (we fly return from Lisbon).

Any advice or recommendations are appreciated. We're not world travellers (yet), this is my first post. Thanks.

Posted by kathrynj

Cascais, Portugal

01/16/18 10:49 AM

1826 posts

The first week in October for the Algarve is a great time, IMO. However, I wouldn’t recommend Faro as a base. Lagos is much nicer (to me) and it’s more central so you can easily visit Sagres and the west coast, and Tavira is the east.

And, being there when high season is over is a good thing! You can easily fill a week provided you have a car and can day trip to different areas. You might also consider stopping by Evora if you run out of things to do in the Algarve. It’s a great old city worth a couple of days.

Posted by Paulo Martins

Porto, Portugal

01/16/18 11:14 AM

80 posts

Hello wgavigan,

It's great you're coming to Portugal - you'll love it ;)

I agree with the previous comment - as a base in Algarve, Lagos and Tavira are both great options (but Faro is still worth visiting) and visiting this region in the beginning of autumn is not as bad as you'd imagine - there are still things to see/do like visiting the historic centres Lagos, Tavira, Faro, Silves go to Cape Saint Vincent, go on a hiking trail (Costa Vicentina is a great option) and admire the cliffs, caves, beaches, fauna and flora of this region; I believe it won't be cold but it won't be warm enough to go for a swim though.

On the other hand, if you enjoy culture and nature, I think you'd appreciate going to Central Portugal (between Lisbon and Porto). It's definitely a more authentic region than the Algarve, and you can visit beautiful cities/towns/villages like Tomar, Coimbra, Óbidos, Viseu, Piódão and discover the beautiful Serra da Estrela Natural Park and other amazing places.

While in Porto, take the opportunity to go on a day trip to Guimarães and/or Braga and another in Douro Valley (especially if you like nature).

Enjoy Portugal ;)

Posted by wgavigan OP

Home is London, Ontario, Canada

01/16/18 01:10 PM

2 posts

Thanks for the above advice. I will rethink this.

Posted by Jennifer

Tunbridge Wells

01/16/18 10:24 PM

6113 posts

I have been to the Algarve the first week in October and had a mix of sunny weather, just about warm enough to sit on a beach followed by several days of torrential rain. I understood from locals that rain is common at that time of year, but the volume we experienced was unusual.

The main reason to visit the Algarve is for the beaches and golf. Most places have been developed with mass tourism in mind. If you want traditional villages, the Alentejo is more suitable. If you want beaches, you may want to visit the Algarve first for the weather, then head north. The boats to the caves and the rock formations near Lagos will be running a much reduced service by October and will not run in bad weather.

Tavira has retained the most character with less modern development and whilst Lagos centre remains traditional, it is surrounded by lots of high rise tower blocks. Slightly inland, Silves and Aljezur have more character and each have a castle.

Early October is popular with golfers and pensioners and most places will remain open, albeit they will be quieter than August. Temperatures should be good for walking.