About a 45 minute drive from Faro Airport, you'll find the small fisherman town of Carvoeiro. Carvoeiro is a cluster of whitewashed houses with a beautiful sheltered bay situated on the typical Algarve coastline with its clear blue waters and large rocky cliffs. The cliffs here are absolutely stunning and perfect for hiking and visiting one of the many caves with amazing views. You'll find lots of bars and restaurants in this town and it's the perfect place to stay if you're a beach lover.
There is plenty to do here in this beautiful beach town and as I party grew up here, I've made you a list with all my favorite things to in Carvoeiro.
1.
Hike to Praia dos Três Castelos
If you're staying in Carvoeiro you have to take a hike to this incredible place! You will always have this beach to yourself. Why? Well… it’s only accessible by a long wooden (little bit scary and sketchy) ladder down the cliff. 🤭 Get sweaty on the this stunning hike and cool off by taking a swim in this beautiful bay.
2.
Explore Praia do Paraiso
Next to the main beach of Carvoeiro, you'll find a more quiet beach with bright blue waters and large golden cliffs. The long white stairs down to the beach create a unique picture from above. There are no facilities here so you will have to bring your own towel and drinks.
3.
See Benagil beach and the famous cave
This place has been in the spotlight a lot and can be crowded in high season, however they can be easily avoided. Just beat the crowds by visiting early in the morning or choose the mid or low season for your holidays. The tiny fisherman town of Benagil looks idyllic with its white washed houses on the cliff. It has a beautiful sandy beach where you can watch all the fishing boats leave early in the morning.
There are so many dreamy beautiful beaches around Carvoeiro that are within a 30 min drive. Want to explore them? Check our my blog about my favorite beaches in the Algarve.
4.
Go on road trip to the wild west coast
The Algarve is great for driving. Roads are wide and generally pretty empty trough beautiful landscapes. Perfect for a road trip and exploring beaches and beautiful nature. From the town of Carvoeiro it is about a one hour drive to the stunning and unspoiled west coast of the Algarve. The scenery drastically changes ones go around the south west corner of Portugal. So hop in your car and explore the piece of paradise.
Tip (not in the blog below): check out Praia da Cordoama. I promise, you will not be disappointed. The drive there is magical.
5.
Enjoy beautiful cliff hikes
Absolutely one of my favorite things to do in the Algarve is to go on a cliff hike. It just never get's old. There are some beautiful trails taking you along the enormous golden cliffs and the clear blue Atlantic. When you walk in eastern direction up the cliff from the centre of Carvoeiro. You'll find boardwalks that take you along the beautiful coastline and past some stunning caves.
5.
Go on a sup tour
Carvoeiro and the surroundings are perfect for supping as there is so much to explore. Natural bridges, sea caves and clear turquoise water make this the ideal good weather activity. Just google any surf/sup school around you and they can take you on an amazing trip!
6.
Go on a cave or dolphin tour
Very touristy but for a good reason, it's fun! A great thing to do in Carvoeiro is to go on a cave or dolphin tour. There are many companies on the south coast that take you on their boat on the Atlantic and explore the beautiful coastline. You can also book a dolphin tour to head out and search for dolphins but I've personally seen them many times at any boating experience or whilst just hiking along the cliffs.
7.
See the famous Azulejos and potteries
Who doesn't love them? The typical traditional tiles called azulejos and the beautiful handmade colorful ceramics. Azulejos are not just to be found in Porto and Lissabon but also in the Algarve. If you're into the ceramics also make sure to visit one of many potteries. There are many close to Carvoeiro. My personal favorite is Porches Pottery in Porches.
8.
Horse riding
There are several riding schools in and near Carvoeiro. Go for a relaxing beach ride, explore the rural Algarve orange groves and cork fields or explore the beautiful ocean up from the dramatic cliffs overlooking the clear blue Atlantic!
9.
Enjoy good food and sunset drinks
Looking for the perfect place for a sunset drink or cute a cafe to enjoy an ocean view lunch? I've made a list for you with my favorite spots to hang out in Carvoeiro! 👇
This is just a selection of my favorite things to do in Carvoeiro but there are so many other great things to do like visiting one of te many large shopping malls, visiting beautiful old towns around like Silves or Tavira, visit Portuguese markets or enjoy dinner at one of many great fish restaurants.