6 Must-sees in Carvoeiro | Portugal

The small town of Carvoeiro is probably one of the most overlooked places on the Algarve Coast. It is often overshadowed by more famous destinations, like Praia da Marinha and Benagil Cave, which are located just a short, 10-minute drive away. Being such a peaceful and underrated town with fabulous beaches, it was the perfect place to end our 10-day trip in Portugal and go home fully rested. But that’s not to say that the town doesn’t have its share of amazing attractions! Here are just 6 of the many must-sees in Carvoeiro:

• The Town and Streets of Carvoeiro

With a population of about 2,700 people (according to Wikipedia), Carvoeiro is a pretty small town. It mostly consists of local businesses, such as restaurants, clubs, bars and a myriad of souvenir shops. It also boasts plenty of hotels, guesthouses and Airbnbs. But even if the city is dotted by so many amenities aiming at tourists, it somehow doesn’t actually transmit a commercial vibe. Sure, you can experience that in the core of the town, like in every other coastal city. But once you start to wander away from the center, Carvoeiro is pretty much a collection of serene walkways, narrow streets, colorful staircases and #windowporn material windows and doors. See for yourself:

• Praia de Carvoeiro

The main beach is simple, but also beautiful and clean. Albeit being there in June, we didn’t encounter many crowds. This is the beach from where the boat trips leave to Benagil Cave and other coves. It’s also the praia closest to all the amenities the downtown area has to offer. So if you’d like to enjoy the perks of being close to restaurants, grocery stores, souvenir shops and even bars, this should probably be your base.

• Praia do Paraiso

If you’re the kind of person that likes to wander off the beaten path, then you’ll definitely love Praia do Paraiso. A small beach west of Praia de Carvoeiro, Paradise beach is exactly what its name entails: a small piece of heaven which you can often have to yourself. When we arrived to the staircase leading down to the beach, I instantly fell in love with the praia, mainly because there were only a handful of people there. So if it’s peace and quiet you’re looking for, buy a big bottle of Sangria, pack a few sandwiches and spend the day at Praia do Paraiso! PS: the snorkeling is pretty cool in this area, so if you’re an underwater buff, this place is definitely for you!

• Algar Seco and Carvoeiro Boardwalk

One of the most surprising places that Carvoeiro had to offer was definitely Algar Seco. This place was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Algar Seco is a nature site featuring hundreds of meters of fascinating coastline, with weird formations, grottoes, islets and water-sprouts. At time I had the distinct feeling that I was on Mars or some other planet. The landscape is peculiar to say the least, but it’s a definite must-see in Carvoeiro, in my opinion. A new boardwalk has just recently been completed, making it easier to access the area. It’s a nice and easy walk with a phenomenal scenery, which can be enjoyed leisurely by kids, adults and the elderly alike.

• Praia do Vale de Centeanes

Since we stayed in the Centeanes bay of Carvoeiro, this was the beach we frequented the most. The most spacious one of the three praias of the area, Praia do Vale de Centeanes has a restaurant, bar and toilets available to all beach-goers. It’s also pretty close to a supermarket if you want to stack up before hitting the beach. Like virtually all beaches we visited in the Algarve region, this too was clean and immaculately-kept. This is ideal for those in search of escaping the often busy town. Tip: Don’t hesitate to take the high road and walk up to the cliffs adjacent to the beach, to admire Praia do Vale de Centeanes from above!

• Farol de Alfazina

They say that you can’t leave Carvoeiro until you’ve seen the sunset from its lighthouse. I’m just kidding. There’s no they. It’s me who urges you to not miss out on this amazing opportunity. If you want to admire the coastline during golden hour, Farol de Alfazina is probably the best spot in Carvoeiro to do so. It offers a memorable panorama over the ocean. Also, the lighthouse itself proves to be quite a picture-perfect building. So if it’s a good photography spot you’re searching for, this is probably it! There are designated pathways leading towards the lighthouse, so it’s very easy to find it. Enjoy!

Practical Info:

The best way to get to Carvoeiro from Lisbon is via train. There’s a direct train from Lisbon to Tunes, with a journey time of approximately 3 hours. A one-way ticket will set you back 28 euros (1st class) or 22 euros (2nd class). There’s a special offer for youngsters under 26, so make sure you take advantage of it. See the full timetable and ticket prices on the official website. From Tunes you can take the train to Estombar-Lagoa. The journey lasts about 30 minutes and costs 3 euros. From Estombar-Lagoa you can take a taxi to Carvoeiro, which will approximately set you back an additional 10 euros. It might seem complicated, but this is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get here from the capital city (unless you have a car). We actually did this route and the trains were reliable, comfortable and staff were very helpful.

If you want to travel to Carvoeiro from Faro, your best bet is via bus. Take a Transrapido bus (running 7 times during weekdays and only on two occasions on weekends) from Faro to Lagoa. The journey lasts about an hour and 10 minutes and costs under 5 euros. From Lagoa you can take a regional bus to Carvoeiro. These run every two hours and will set you back an additional 1.6 euros.

So what do you say? Would you give Carvoeiro a chance?

If you’d like to retrace our steps, you might be interested in this GPS-guided tour of Carvoeiro.

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