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Bogotá to the Algarve: Faro, Tavira and Lagos

Bogotá → Faro → Tavira → Lagos, Portugal

Faro, Portugal
"2021_12_12_arne_mueseler_08_17_0576.jpg" by Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
2021 12 12 arne mueseler 08 17 0576 (Faro)
Photo: Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

Lagoons, sea caves & golden cliffs Best season (general guide): Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct

The Algarve, Portugal's southern coast, is one of the sunniest corners of Europe, with lagoons in the east and golden cliffs in the west. This route spends seven nights between Faro, Tavira and Lagos. From Bogotá you'll connect through Lisbon or Madrid to Faro.

How to pace it: Spend days one and two in Faro: day one, Faro old town; day two, Ria Formosa boat trip. Then spend days three and four in Tavira: day three, train east to Tavira; day four, ferry to Ilha de Tavira. Then spend days five to seven in Lagos, Portugal: day five, train west to Lagos; day six, Ponta da Piedade by kayak or boat; day seven, Benagil caves boat trip.

Faro's old town lies inside medieval walls, with a cathedral and cobbled streets. It faces the Ria Formosa, a natural park of lagoons, islands and salt marshes. Boat trips explore the channels and stop at island beaches, and the lagoon is rich in birds.

Tavira, to the east, is a quiet town on a river, with an old bridge and many churches. A ferry crosses to Ilha de Tavira, a long sand island with a wide beach.

Lagos, at the western end of the line, has a historic centre and beaches beneath cliffs. At Ponta da Piedade, sandstone cliffs, arches and sea stacks rise from clear water, and small boats and kayaks explore the grottoes.

Further east along the coast, the cave at Benagil has a hole in its roof that lets in a shaft of light. Boat tours visit it from several towns, but entering the cave may be restricted, so check current rules.

April to June and September to October are the best months. Summer is hot and crowded.

Boat trips to the sea caves depend on sea conditions, so keep a spare morning in Lagos in case one is cancelled.

Good to know: A regional train links Faro, Tavira and Lagos, so you can travel without a car. Try cataplana, a seafood stew cooked in a copper pot, and grilled sardines in summer.

Suggested outline

  1. Bogotá

    Start

  2. Faro

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    Walled old town and boat trips into the Ria Formosa lagoon.

  3. Tavira

    By train · 2 nights suggested

    A riverside town of churches, with an island beach reached by ferry.

    Tavira
    "Vista_Tavira.jpg" by Panarria, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

  4. Lagos, Portugal

    By train · 3 nights suggested

    Golden cliffs and sea stacks at Ponta da Piedade, and boat trips to sea caves.

    Ponta da Piedade
    "Ponta_da_Piedade_aerial_view.jpg" by Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Faro — Arrive; Faro old town· Bogotá → Faro (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Faro — Ria Formosa boat trip
  3. Day 3 · Tavira — Train east to Tavira· Faro → Tavira (by train)
  4. Day 4 · Tavira — Ferry to Ilha de Tavira
  5. Day 5 · Lagos, Portugal — Train west to Lagos· Tavira → Lagos, Portugal (by train)
  6. Day 6 · Lagos, Portugal — Ponta da Piedade by kayak or boat
  7. Day 7 · Lagos, Portugal — Benagil caves boat trip
  8. Day 8 · Lagos, Portugal — Travel home from Lagos, Portugal· Lagos, Portugal → Faro (by train), then Faro → Bogotá (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Faro

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Tavira

Nearest airport: Faro Search fares · Faro ↗

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