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First time to Portugal...without a car? Algarve truly necessary for an LA native? ; )

Posted by (Los Angeles, CA, USA) on

Hello, my fellow travelers and thanks for any help!

So, we're finally getting back to Europe and I am behind on planning our two-week summer trip to Portugal!

Would appreciate your help with whether we should go to the Algarve or not.

Some background: I'm a Los Angeles native that thinks Hawaii is gorgeous as well as all of Ireland. Love nature but don't love to go IN it a ton. My partner does love to swim, however.
I have been all over Europe, almost annually for the past 25 years. Rome is one of my favorite cities and Italy and Ireland are my two favorite countries.
That said...since I love culture (am a classical musician) and come from a land of beaches and gorgeous coastline, will we be missing out a lot if we don't see the Algarve?? I don't LOVE a ton of tourists and lying on the beach all day (my partner loves the sun) but the rocks and water look beautiful. Won't it be quite hot all over Portugal at the end of June/early July?

I was hoping not to rent a car for this first trip to Portugal. I love trains!

My initial plan was to fly in/out of Lisbon (couldn't find a decent fare for Porto/Lisbon).
Stay five nights in Lisbon (5th night free w/ Marriott) including a day trip or two,
train up to Porto for 4 nights
and that would leave us with 3 nights somewhere
with one final night back in Lisbon.

I know the Algarve is a longish train journey from Porto down. IS IT WORTH IT or would we be wiser to do a different stop up north? WE DON'T LIKE TO HURRY OR WAKE UP SUPER EARLY. We want to relax!
If we did do the Algarve, I'm thinking Lagos or Faro since they're easier to get to. I've seen lots of travel videos on all of the towns down there and I wasn't really impressed with most of them.

Thanks for any advice at all. So appreciated!

Posted by
6525 posts

Just my opinion, but I don’t go to Europe to hang out at a beach, let alone along a stretch of over touristed beach. A closer option would be Nazaré (214km) or even head up to Baiona, Spain (165km). The Algarve is significantly further at 555km. If heading back to Lisbon after Porto, Nazaré makes more sense.

From Nazaré you could take a day trip to either Óbidos, Alcobaça Monastery, Batalha Monastery, or Almourol Castle.

Posted by
996 posts

In a word, no. You will not miss anything by avoiding the Algarve. Portugal has a long Atlantic coast which is absolutely stunning and will be more rewarding if you want to see the sea. Alternatively you can just head to somewhere else entirely, such as Coimbra or the Douro Valley.

Posted by
1665 posts

No! It is not worth it IMO. At that time of the year, it will be overrun by tourists with lots of young people drinking a lot. Yes, the rocks are lovely, but you get a better feel of Portugal by spending your time other places.

To get you beach fix, take a look at the Silver Coast area. The previously mentioned Nazaré isn’t my favorite, but there are others in the area that I quite like. The only problem with the silver coast is a car is really needed to do it justice. I know I’m very prejudiced, but Cascais is a lovely beach town that doesn’t require a car. Or, maybe some areas in the north. The Douro valley is lovely and quite different than the California wine areas. I’ve stayed at a Quinta in Pinhão twice without a car and really enjoyed it. Braga - not far from Porto - is another option. Coimbra is a nice stop between Porto and Lisbon.

Another thing to consider about a beach area. The water is very cold compared to California. Your partner might not be so eager about getting in the water in Portugal!

Posted by
5381 posts

Algarve in summer with all the Dutch, Germans and Brits partying and eating their food? No, I’d rather go to Myrtle Beach.

Posted by
7659 posts

Forget the Algarve, why spend time at the beach when the beaches in California and Florida are better.

Posted by
1076 posts

If you had a couple more days, I'd recommend taking a short flight to Madeira. There's not any sandy beaches, but there are spots where individuals jump off piers/docks and go swimming. The place is gorgeous and the views are dramatic.

I haven't been to the Algarve, but spent a few days on the Silver Coast. While I like the Silver Coast (I just love the ocean in general), I didn't find the beaches all that special.

Best Beaches in Portugal
https://juliedawnfox.com/best-beaches-portugal/

Posted by
125 posts

I personally live the Sao Vincente coast which is quieter and scenic. It's a nice drive but yes you need a car. Cascais is also very pretty as mentioned and the surrounding areas.

Posted by
88 posts

Thank you everybody! Have cut Algarve and now have three extra nights to explore the north! : )

Posted by
93 posts

Beaches in California are cold in the summer. Lagos has a lot of history and I loved Portugal beaches and historical towns. But anywhere you go in Portugal like Porto or Lisbon is great.

Posted by
13 posts

This was SOOOO helpful! We have also now dropped our days in Algarve (also CA natives)! Thanks all!

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