Lagos or Carvoiero?

If you're going to be there for any length of time, Carvoeiro is so small it will seem like a prison. Faro beats Lagos by a country mile for interest, but it's on the far eastern end of the interesting stuff. If you're spending a few days, good old, touristy Albufeira is pretty close to the middle, has good beaches, and plenty of places to eat that aren't repetitive. Being in the middle, it's only about forty-five minutes from either Faro or Sagres/Capt Saint Vincent. You can see everything coastal in a day trip in each direction. It's also close enough to Quarteria that you can scoot over there for a sunset cruise along the coast (bring your own grub and drinks). Albufeira also makes it a bit easier to get to the best inland portions of the Algarve. Getting in and out Faro is a bear. Unless you've never seen a market day, you could well skip Albufeira's gypsy market (a couple of times per month?), but the every-weekend one in the old town is fairly interesting.

Thanks. We are only spending 3 nights there and I found a hotel right outside of Lagos town center that I like. it would require a taxi toget back and forth. whereas the hotel (Tivoli) that I like in Carvoeiro is within walking distance and the town seems really nice. I will look into hotels in Albufiera. Thanks

Ack! I was thinking a car for the Algarve. Without one, nothing I said makes a lick of sense.

Was thinking of renting a car, but we are going to Granada Spain afterwards and a car really seems not needed. Thanks

You wouldn't want to pick up a car in one country and drop it in another in any case. But, a car really makes it nice for the Algarve. For such a short period, you'd be looking at about fifty bucks a day. Not sure how you'd be getting into and out of the area, but about the only place to get a car from a major provider would be Lagos, Faro, or Albufeira.

You might also look into Quarteira. Near Albufeira but a little smaller and less touristy and you can get a hotel right on the beach (Hotel Dom Jose). Agree a car would allow you to visit the other towns in that part of Portugal such as Tavira and Faro.