If you are in Spain or Portugal and would like to visit some spectacular beaches, go to Algarve. If you don’t have a lot of time, try Algarve in 1 day!

In our case, we were at Seville, decided to vary and drove to the south of Portugal. A very easy trip, taking advantage of the freedom that a rented car brings!

 1)HOW TO CROSS THE BORDER FROM SPAIN -ALGARVE IN 1 DAY 

Border between Spain and Portugal – Algarve in 1 day

To have time to do Algarve in 1 day, we woke up early and left Seville at 07:40 a.m. In 01 hour we were at the border.

Go to the toll booths on your right. They are designated for foreigners. In the cash booth, you will need to insert your credit card and a kind of contract will be released. Keep it until the end of your stay in Portugal.

On the road, you will see the plate readers. As you drive around Algarve, the toll is automatically charged to your credit card. No lines or trying to find cash and change. We think that this is an excellent idea.

We did a quick research the night before and chose the beaches considered the most beautiful of Algarve. And we loved them! It was winter and the places were empty. During the summer, we are sure that they are crowded.

ALGARVE IN 1 DAY TIP: THE TIME ZONE IN PORTUGAL IS 1 HOUR LESS THAN SPAIN.

2)ALBUFEIRA BEACH – ALGARVE IN 1 DAY 

Praia da Albufeira – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

Our first stop of our Algarve in 1 day trip was amazing. The Albufeira beach was calm and we loved the nice architecture. We started by the Belvedere and then walked along the streets until we arrived at a square, in front of the beach, with a good infrastructure (bars, food and bathrooms).

Praia da Albufeira – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

It was early in the day, the city was quiet and the majority of shops were closed.

We laugh about the menus at the restaurants…Louisiana, Tex-Mex, Irish and Italian. And we love Portuguese food…They were all closed because of the winter.

The sand line at Albufeira Beach is wide and the sand itself is thick and brownish. A gift when you compare with the peble beaches in Europe.

We went up in the pier and spent time enjoying and capturing some images. The main beach is called Fisherman Beach. We loved it.

We continued walking to the north. At the end of the beach, there is a rock formation similar to the ones we found at Gredas de Bolnuevo, in Spain. It was sculpted by the wind. Really cool. Make sure you visit the stone pathway by the hillside , where the waves clash in the rocks. The view is marvelous.

Praia da Albufeira – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

We were surprised by a man playing (very well) a Scottish bagpipe. It was a great experience to sit there, looking at a wonderful beach, with the sound of the waves mixing with the sound of the bagpipe.

Albufeira – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

After that, we went up to the upper part of the city. There is an elevator, but it was not working. Maybe because it was low season. Luiza and me, we climbed the 120 steps. Raquel and my mother-in-law used the ramp. It is tiring and we don’t recommend if you are not in good physical conditions. The view, though, is very nice!

 3)PRAIA DA ROCHA – ALGARVE IN 1 DAY

Praia da Rocha – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

The Praia da Rocha is breathtaking. We have seen some pictures of it, but this is the type of place that words and pictures are not enough. The beach is beautiful and the cliffs surrounding it are amazing. There are also large rocks in the sea. A star of our Algarve in 1 day trip.

Congratulations to the Portuguese! The structure is great: boardwalks and decks close to the street, from where you can enjoy and take nice pictures, while walking safely around. Park the car and enjoy. We believe that in the summer is totally different, with lots of people coming to enjoy this treasury.

Praia da Rocha – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

We went down the stairs and walked at the beach. Even in the winter, was a pleasant hike. We saw many people with beach chairs and umbrellas enjoying the sun. The temperature was around 22°C, in February! We also saw an elderly woman swimming, but the sea was very cold for us and we just put our feet in the water.

ALGARVE IN 1 DAY TIP: TAKE A SWIMSUIT WITH YOU!

Praia da Rocha – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

We also have to say that Praia da Rocha, in the Algarve, is very urban. Unfortunately, in several places of the city, we could feel the smell of sewage.

4)PRAIA DO VAU – ALGARVE IN 1 DAY 

Praia do Vau – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

The best of our Algarve in 1 day trip. The cliffs are still beautiful, but the beach is more secluded. We walked a lot and had a blast.

Differently from Albufeira and Praia da Rocha, there were restaurants opened and lots of people taking advantage of the weather and the view, while having something to drink.

Praia do Vau – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

In one corner of the beach, we saw a naked man. He was sunbathing, besides his wife on topless. Something very normal in Europe. We don’t know if Praia do Vau is a nudists beach.

 5)COMING BACK TO SPAIN – ALGARVE IN 1 DAY 

In our way back from our Algarve in 1 day trip, we decided to check some of the Spanish beaches, close to the border with Portugal. They were disappointing. We went to Isla Cristina and we don’t recommend it. A big city with no charm, compared to what we saw in Portugal.

If you are looking for beaches, try THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CROATIAN ISLANDS IN 1 DAY! , BEST ATTRACTIONS CLOSE TO CANCUN ; TULUM, PLAYA DEL CARMEN, ISLA MUJERES AND MUCH MORE or BEST OF RANGIROA ; SCUBA DIVING PARADISE IN FRENCH POLYNESIA .

Budihovac – The most beautiful Croatian Islands in 1 day

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Albufeira – Algarve in 1 day – Most beautiful Portugal beaches

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