Costa Vicentina is the hidden gem in Algarve. We strongly recommend visiting Costa Vicentina and Aljezur in addition to Lagos. This beautiful area west of Lagos offers many stunning, undiscovered places. Costa Vicentina offers stunning cliffs, secluded coves and charming towns with far fewer tourists.
Burgau, Salema, Zavial, Ingrina, and Vila do Bispo
Starting from Lagos and traveling west along the southern coast of the Algarve, you’ll find beaches like Barranco, Ingrina, Zavial, Salema, and Burgau. The less accessible ones often remind us of the Algarve of old, with almost deserted sandy beaches. In the fishing villages of Salema and Burgau, you can watch the fishing boats arrive and savor fresh fish.
Vila do Bispo: Visit Vila do Bispo, a picturesque village with a traditional market where you can buy local products and crafts. Don’t miss the Church of Our Lady of the Conception. Just a few minutes from the village, you’ll find the beaches of Cordoama and Mourantes.
Tip for hikers: A new trail between Lagos and Sagres (47 km) has recently opened, part of the Fishermen’s Trail, allowing you to admire cliffs and the beaches we just mentioned. You can find more information here. You can also check the weather conditions, trail conditions, and the number of mosquitoes you might encounter along the way on the same link. Happy hiking.
Costa Vicentina offers stunning cliffs secluded coves and charming towns
Sagres and the Fortress of Sagres
Sagres is a former fishing village with a beautiful bay and harbor. Nearby, there are several beaches like Beliche, Tonel, Mareta, Baleeira, Martinhal, and Rebolinhos, much appreciated by scuba diving, surfing, and windsurfing enthusiasts.
Next, head to the Fortress of Sagres, another place of great mythical significance for the Portuguese, also located on a high promontory that dramatically plunges into the sea.
It was from here that, in the 15th century, Infante D. Henrique the Navigator planned and initiated the Discoveries, founding the Vila do Infante and the fortress that protected it. Under his command, the area became a centre of maritime activity, where cartographers, astronomers and navigators met, and where the techniques that would lead Portugal to discover new worlds by sea were refined.
Opening times and prices can be found here: promontoriodesagres.pt.
Cabo de São Vicente
After visiting Sagre go directly to Cabo de São Vicente, which gave its name to the Costa Vicentina. Considered a sacred place since the 4th century BC, where successive peoples worshiped deities related to the sun, Cabo de São Vicente became a pilgrimage site for Christians after the transfer of the body of Saint Vincent in 779.
Tips: At Cabo de São Vicente, you can visit one of the most powerful lighthouses in Europe for free (on Wednesdays, at these times), as well as the fortress that served as a retreat for Infante D. Henrique the Navigator (open everyday). You can also explore other beaches on the West Coast of the Algarve, such as the beaches of Barriga, Cordoama, Castelejo, Ponta Ruiva, and Telheiro.
Villages
Aldeia da Pedralva: This village is a hidden gem in Algarve. It offers a blend of seaside and rural atmosphere. Stroll through the picturesque streets and enjoy dinner at one of the cozy local restaurants.
Located in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, this village was in an advanced state of ruin and desertification until recently. However, it was faithfully restored and converted into a village tourism resort. Officially opened to the public in 2010, it has 24 country houses, as well as several common areas, such as the living room, the swimming pool, the Sítio da Pedralva restaurant, the Café Central and the village oven area.
The houses come in various types, from one-bedroom to three-bedroom, and can accommodate between 2 and 8 people. They all have an equipped kitchenette and a living area with sofas and tables.
Aldeia da Pedralva reflects the simplicity and authenticity of the Algarve. The traditional architecture of the Algarve and the rural atmosphere of times gone by have been respected, with the use of building materials that are faithful to those of the past and restored furniture, without forgetting the comfort required today. There are not many options for eating in Aldeia da Pedralva. You can enjoy the famous pizzeria in the village of Pedralva, or dine, upon reservation, at Sítio da Pedralva, the restaurant of the Aldeia da Pedralva Tourism Board itself.
Aldeia da Bordeira: Bordeira is also worth visiting, with its narrow streets, white houses outlined in blue and yellow, the village cafe, and the charming church of Nossa Senhora da Encarnação.
Trails
“To get to know a region, you need to feel the earth beneath your feet” – this is the motto of Rota Vicentina, a network of walking trails that crosses the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e da Costa Vicentina.
Among many other trails, if you like walking or cycling, you can take the “Circuito Pontal da Carrapateira” trail or the “Endiabrada e os Lagos Escondidos” trail.
“Pontal da Carrapateira” trail
Between Praia da Bordeira and Praia do Amado there is a beautiful route, almost always along the coast, which can be done by car, bike or on foot.
By car, you can see everything quickly, perhaps too quickly to feel more than the wind that often blows there. On foot or by bike, you forget about the wind and pay more attention to what you see and what you feel inside. And what you see are several viewpoints with superb views over the cliffs, the beaches of Bordeira and Amado, as well as brief explanations about the various points of interest, provided by the Museum of the Sea and Land.
“Circuito Pontal da Carrapateira” walking trail:
- Type of trail | Circular
- Start/end | Largo da aldeia da Carrapateira (it is well signposted)
- Level of difficulty | Easy
- Length | 10 km
- Approximate duration | 3h30
- Recommended season | September to June
- More information | rotavicentina.com/walking/20-pontal-da-carrapateira
“Endiabrada and the Hidden Lakes” Trail
Without the spectacular sea, this walking trail starts in the pretty village of Bordeira and allows you to explore the interior of this region, namely the Mediterranean forests at the foot of the Serra de Espinhaço de Cão. Poor schist soils, twisted cork oaks, shrubs, aromatic plants, gorse, strawberry trees, heather, rosemary, rockrose. If you do this trail in spring, you will find all the plants in bloom, giving the air the genuine and incomparable scent of the Algarve.
- Type of trail | Circular
- Start/end | Largo da aldeia da Bordeira (it is well signposted)
- Difficulty level | Easy
- Length | 7 km
- Approximate duration | 2 hours
- Recommended season | September to June
- More information | rotavicentina.com/walking/19-endiabrada-e-os-lagos-escondidos-7-km
Beaches of Arrifana, Bordeira/Carrapateira, and Amado
These are considered paradise for surfers and nature lovers, thinkers, walkers, fishermen, and shellfish gatherers.
It is impossible not to be amazed by the good vibes and natural scenery of these three beaches in the municipality of Aljezur:
- Arrifana Beach | A bay surrounded by high cliffs;
- Bordeira or Carrapateira Beach | A long stretch of sand full of dunes and the unusual mouth of a river;
- Amado Beach | Considered one of the best Portuguese beaches for surfing, it has a bit of the above, with both reddish cliffs and a vast stretch of sand.
Further north, you’ll find Aljezur and Zambujeira do Mar.
Zambujeira do Mar is one of the most beautiful and photogenic places on the Costa Vicentina. Praia da Zambujeira do Mar, winner of the 7 Wonders of Portugal dedicated to beaches, is perfect for a morning stroll and to enjoy the view.
Continue to Praia de Odeceixe, located at the mouth of the Seixe River. This beach, winner of the 7 Wonders of Portugal in the Cliffside Beach category, offers both sea and river options, and is an excellent place to enjoy a variety of landscapes.
Next, we have another unmissable beach to include in your itinerary. Praia da Amoreira is known for its dunes and unspoiled natural beauty, which we promise you will not regret visiting.
Aljezur, a historic Moorish town with a castle on top of a hill that offers panoramic views over the region. Here, you can explore the historic center, the legendary Castle (one of the seven castles that feature on the Portuguese flag) and enjoy the local cuisine.
This guide reflects our choices of places / beaches / points of interest that you can visit from our apartment in Lagos. If you want to visit all the places suggested here, you should set aside more than one day to do so.