The Algarve is mainland Portugal's southernmost region, covering roughly 4,997 km². It borders the Alentejo to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the south and west, and the Guadiana River — the natural border with Spain — to the east. The coastline runs for about 155 km facing south, plus another 50 km north of Cape St. Vincent, the westernmost point of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Algarve's shoreline is best known for its golden limestone cliffs, shaped over centuries into arches, caves and sea grottoes — especially along the stretch between Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Albufeira, where many caves are only reachable by boat or kayak. Praia da Marinha, near Caramujeira, and the Benagil Cave rank among the region's most photographed spots; a guided kayak trip to the Benagil caves departs from this same stretch of coast and paddles into the cave itself.
The Algarve is traditionally split into two zones. To the west, the Barlavento — Lagos, Portimão, Silves — has a more rugged relief, tall cliffs and smaller beaches tucked between rock formations. To the east, the Sotavento — Faro, Olhão, Tavira — is flatter and dominated by the Ria Formosa, a natural reserve of more than 170 km² of salt marshes, barrier islands and channels that shelter migratory birds. Faro, the region's administrative capital, sits a few minutes from the international airport that shares its name.
The Algarve is considered the sunniest region in Europe: annual sunshine hours range from around 2,600 in the Monchique hills to more than 3,100 along the southern coast. Winters are mild, averaging 16–17°C near the sea, while summers run 29–30°C on the coast and can climb to 32–35°C inland. May to September is the driest, most stable stretch of the year — and also when tourism peaks: the resident population, around 450,000, more than doubles at the height of summer.
The name Algarve comes from the Arabic al-Gharb ("the west"), a legacy of more than five centuries of Moorish rule between the 9th and 13th centuries, still visible in the architecture, sweets and street layouts of towns like Silves. Later, the Sagres promontory became linked to Henry the Navigator, who was granted the surrounding land in 1443 and managed his affairs from nearby Lagos until his death in 1460. The fortress that stands there today, Fortaleza de Sagres, was rebuilt into its current form in 1793 after successive attacks and remodelling, and is traditionally — though not definitively — associated with a school of navigation from the Age of Discovery.
Beyond its beaches, the Algarve is home to the Caldas de Monchique thermal spa in the hills of the same name, more than two dozen internationally rated golf courses, and a network of walking and cycling routes known as the Algarve Way, which crosses the region from the inland hills to the coast. The Ria Formosa's channels and barrier islands can also be explored by boat — a quieter way to see the same lagoon that shelters its migratory birds.
Faro International Airport, opened in 1965 and about 4 km from the city centre, is the region's main air gateway. By road, the A22 motorway (Via do Infante), completed in 2003, links Lagos to the Spanish border and makes it easy to move between Barlavento and Sotavento. Tourism is by far the region's economic engine — in 2018 alone it contributed €1.08 billion and brought in 4.2 million visitors — alongside more traditional activities like fishing, cork production and agriculture (oranges, figs, almonds, avocados), plus more than 25 internationally rated golf courses.
May to September is the driest, most stable stretch and also the busiest with tourists; outside that window, winters stay mild (averaging 16–17°C along the coast), so the region is visitable for most of the year.
The main gateway is Faro International Airport, about 4 km from the city centre. By road, the A22 motorway (Via do Infante) runs the length of the region, from Lagos to the Spanish border.
The Barlavento, to the west (Lagos, Portimão, Silves), has taller, more rugged cliffs; the Sotavento, to the east (Faro, Olhão, Tavira), is flatter and dominated by the Ria Formosa, a natural reserve of salt marshes and barrier islands.
Many of the caves between Lagos, Portimão, Lagoa and Albufeira are only reachable by boat or kayak, not on foot, so most visitors explore them on guided trips — like the ones that depart from the Benagil area.
