I am an older, single female looking to spend mid-September to mid-October 2026 in a rental. I will not have a car so would like to be walkable to the beach and town. What cities should I research?
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
2070 posts
Lagos is very nice. Large enough for plenty to do. Beaches close to town. I would start there with research.
Faro is larger, but can’t speak to it. Tavira might also be a possibility.
Posted by
534 posts
Tavira is at least a 20 minute walk PLUS a ferry ride to reach the actual beach. A lot of the places from Faro eastwards are like this.
Posted by
New Zealand
135 posts
My family live in Alvor, once a fishing village. I’ve spent many months there over the years. It’s a coastal town, and maintains it charm.
Easy walking to the beach from the village. It has everything you need, supermarkets restaurants shops, a local vibe outside high season.
Transport can be an issue in The Algarve. We generally have a car, but taxis are well priced.
Posted by
46 posts
We just returned from Portimao. The beaches are beautiful with several access areas to walk stairs down from cliffs to sandy beach spots to use. We stayed along the boardwalk, water side with beautiful view of water and sunsets. Close to bakeries and supermarkets with what groceries and supplies we needed. Lots of restaurants to walk to and nice spots to get a drink or gelato and people watch. Walked to the marina for a guided boat tour of the coast and caves. Not crowded at all in beginning June. We were surprised.