I did a two-week tour around Portugal recently without driving a car myself. I landed in Porto, moved on to Lisbon, and then ended my Portuguese adventure in the Algarve.
For the Algarve, I allowed myself a full week to explore the region without rushing. This turned out to be the right travel strategy for me, as I don’t drive and therefore need to factor in extra travel time when moving from one place to another.
Compared with Porto and Lisbon, I’d say the Algarve is less friendly to travelers without a car like myself. The Algarve is much more rural than big cities like Porto and Lisbon, which means public transportation is less developed than in those cities.
But I’m not here to discourage you from traveling in the Algarve if you don’t drive either. Quite the opposite! Keep reading, and I’ll tell you how I explored the region using public transportation, boat tours, and a bicycle.
Book an Airbnb Near a Railway Station
My FlixBus took me from Lisbon to Lagos in the Algarve. There, I stayed for a couple of nights at an Airbnb just a stone’s throw from the railway station, which connects Lagos with other parts of the Algarve.
Boat Deck within walking distance from my Lagos Airbnb.
That Airbnb location came in handy when I had to check out very early in the morning to catch a train from Lagos to Albufeira. It was great not having to walk far from my Airbnb to the station.
My Airbnb host in Lagos was a very hospitable and lovely lady, too!
The Airbnb host in Albufeira recommended that I visit a farmers’ market in Loulé, which is well connected by bus and train services.
That recommendation was especially thoughtful given that I was traveling only by public transportation but still wanted to see a lot of places in the region. Locals always know what is worth seeing!
Market Hall in Loule’
Interior of the Market Hall
So, if you’re planning to explore the Algarve without a car, I’d recommend paying attention to where you stay. Choosing accommodation close to a railway station or a bus stop can make your trip much easier.
Take Boat Tours in the Algarve
Some destinations in the Algarve are not easily reachable by car or public transportation. How come? Sometimes, you need a boat to access them!
During my one-week stay, I tried to join four boat tours in the Algarve, but I only managed to join two of them. The other two were cancelled by the tour organizers because of bad weather. 🙁
The first boat tour I joined was at Ponta da Piedade, the famous grotto-filled coastline near Lagos. A family of four was on the same boat with me, and we chatted a bit during the tour.
The Grotto at Ponte da Piedade
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us plenty of opportunities to take pictures as our boat approached the grottoes.
The second (and last…) tour was a biodiversity tour that I booked at the last minute in Faro.
It was my last full day in the Algarve and Portugal, and my flight out of Portugal was scheduled for the following day.
You can find a tour right here at this big F A R O monument on the pier.
I walked into one of the tour booths on the pier in Faro city centre and asked a travel agent if they had any available spots.
He had exactly one seat left on a biodiversity tour.
Within an hour, I was on the boat with a group of fellow tourists and a young, friendly tour guide, cruising along the coast of Faro.
It was a very unforgettable way to conclude my stay in Portugal and the Algarve.
This is where the boat tour took us
The young guide told us the story of the fishermen of Faro, which was sometimes sad and nostalgic. He also talked at length about the conservation efforts made by local people to keep the coastline beautiful despite ongoing construction and development.
That was why the boat tour had been advertised as a biodiversity tour.
I loved this kind of tour very much because it allowed me to peek into local life rather than simply visit another tourist attraction.
Our almost-full boat stopped for a lunch break on a deserted island offshore from Faro. We met another guide there, a Faro local, and had about an hour to explore the island.
Another lighthouse look!
There was also a funny coincidence connected to this Faro boat tour.
The next day, I was sitting at Faro Airport waiting for my departure gate to open when I bumped into a couple of tourists who had also been on the same boat tour off Faro the day before!
Cycle Around Sagres
If you cycle, you will notice a beauty that you might otherwise miss. Walking and cycling are great ways to slow down and notice the small things around you.
My bike trip in Sagres was one such experience.
Spar advertisement “located on the easternmost corner of Europe”
First, I arrived at the Sagres bus depot from Albufeira and then rented a bike at a local bike shop.
I cycled for about 30 minutes along the coastline from the bike shop toward the “end of the world”: the dramatic cliff where the road ends.
Those 30 minutes felt like meditation to me.
Without a car, I could take my time, feel the ocean breeze, and simply enjoy the scenery around me. It was one of those moments when getting from A to B became part of the experience itself.
Is It Possible to Travel Around Algarve Without a Car?
Absolutely.
I wouldn’t say that traveling around the Algarve without a car is the easiest option. You need to plan your routes more carefully, allow extra time for transportation, and sometimes get creative with how you reach certain places.
But my week in the Algarve showed me that not driving doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the region.
I traveled by train and bus, joined boat tours, rented a bicycle, and walked quite a lot. In some ways, these slower ways of traveling allowed me to experience the Algarve differently.
So, if you’re wondering whether you can travel around the Algarve without driving, my answer is yes. It just requires a little more planning — and perhaps a willingness to turn the journey itself into part of the adventure.
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