The Best Things To Do In Sagres, The Algarve

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The Algarve in Portugal is visited by 100,000’s of tourists each year and is an extremely popular beach holiday destination during the summer months. Towns like Albuferia, Lagos and Vilamoura are amongst the most visited in this region of Portugal.

Unlike the above areas of The Algarve, Sagres is relaxed and chilled out surfer town not as popular with holidaymakers. This makes it the perfect place to come if you want to experience the beauty of Portugal, more specifically The Algarve, whilst avoiding big crowds of tourists.

Once thought to be the end of the world (in the ancient world it was the last explored point on earth), Sagres is located on Portugal’s most south-westerly point, where nothing but the Atlantic Ocean can be seen for miles.

The views in Sagres have a lot to offer such as rugged coastlines and cliffs, juxtaposed with beautiful pristine beaches. However, this place is most famous for its surf and other water sports like windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding. So, if you are up for adventure and exploration then Sagres will be for you!

I didn’t expect to love Sagres as much as I did (not sure what I was expecting), but I now can’t recommend it enough. Read on to see my top recommendations for a relaxing summer holiday in Sagres.

When is the best time to visit Sagres?

Sagres welcomes visitors all year round, however, if you want to get the best of the sunny weather it’s best to visit during the summer season between May – October.

Although, if you are coming during the summer months don’t let the warm temperature fool you. The ocean is still cold and Sagres can get extremely windy. Make sure you bring a wetsuit if you want to spend extended time in the water and pack a little jacket for the evening when the wind can cause a chill.

What is the best way to get to Sagres?

The airport that serves The Algarve is Faro Airport. You can fly into Faro from most British airports, and if you catch it at the right time you can get return flights for as little as £50.

From Faro airport, the journey to Sagres is roughly 90 minutes. An Uber will cost you roughly €90 and taxi’s slightly more.

What is the best way to see Sagres?

Walk: If you are planning on staying very local then walking is fine. Most of the beaches and restaurants are in walking distance from the town centre.

Bicycle or Scooter: There are a couple of bike and scooter rentals stores in Sagres. This is another great option if you want to go that bit further or if you just hate walking

Rent a car: This would be my most recommended option if you want to get out and explore Sagres as well as it’s surrounding areas. We only hired a car for a couple of days and then ordered Uber’s the rest of the time. However, I would suggest hiring one for the whole duration of your trip. When we worked out the cost of hiring a car for the week vs adding up all our Uber journey’s we realised we could have saved ourselves some money with the rental.

Where to stay in Sagres?

There are three main top-rated hotels in Sagres; Pousada De Sagres, Sagres Good Time Apartments or Memmo Baleeria. We stayed at Pousada de Sagres. Although the décor was a little outdated, the views, location and super friendly staff made it the perfect place to stay.

If you are backpacking, want to meet people or heading to Sagres on a surfing trip you can stay at the following hostels, some of which double up as surf schools:

Or finally, if you are living that #VANLIFE you can park up in some wild camping spots, free car parks or you can book a pitch at a caravan park.

Budgeting for Sagres

Prices in Sagres are fairly budget-friendly. Expect to pay around €4-5 for a pint or glass of wine, €6-9 for a cocktail and around €10-£18 for a single dish.

Best places to eat and drink in Sagres

Sagres isn’t built up like most holiday resorts so the best bars and restaurants are dotted all over town as opposed to being on along a strip or in a centre. Nevertheless, there is some great food to be enjoyed here.

Telheiro Do Infante : Looking over Praia de Mareta, this restaurant is a wonderful place to eat seafood whilst enjoying the sunset. Grab a bottle of their ‘Dory’ wine to accompany your dinner.

A Tasca: Another great place to enjoy traditional Portuguese food whilst watching the sunset. This restaurant looks out over Porto da Baleeira.

The Hangout: One of our favourite places to eat in Sagres. We came here at least four times. Make sure to order the ‘Green Eggs’ at breakfast and for dinner grab a pizza along with the black pork and mozzarella salad.

Vila Velha: One of the top-rated restaurants in Sagres. I recommend the beef and chorizo skewers!

Dromedario Bistro Bar: This is one of the oldest bars in Sagres (35 years and still going strong). Come here for tasty snacks and delicious cocktails.

Pau De Pita: This bar Located next door to Dromedario. Head to the rooftop here to enjoy some cocktails with a view.

Chiringuito Last Chance: Located close to Praia de Mareta this is yet another spot where you can enjoy some cocktails whilst looking out at a wonderful view.

Best things to do in Sagres

Praia De Mareta

The most central beach in Sagres. The best time to catch this beach is just after sunrise before the rest of the town has woken up. It’s a great place to catch some peace before you start the rest your day.

Praia De Martinhal

If you want to enjoy a spot of windsurfing then this is the beach to come to. Alternatively, if you just want to sunbathe all day whilst drinking sangria from the local beach bar then this beach is also for you.

Praia Do Tonel

A great place to go surfing if that’s your thing. The only downside I would say this beach has is the fact it’s not sheltered from the wind. We ended up with sand in our eyes and mouths after spending the day here.

Praia De Beliche

Unarguably the most beautiful beach in Sagres. You get to enjoy a birds-eye view of the beach before heading down the cliff on to the sand. You can also hire out a kayak and go exploring into the caves that surround this beach. Although I must warn you, part of this beach is nudist so you might be in for a few surprises.

Go on a boat trip

You will have to head to the neighbouring town of Lagos to catch a boat trip. Lagos is 30 minutes away. An Uber will cost you €30. Alternatively you can catch the bus for €6 but it will take you an hour to get there and the buses are few and far between.

There are plenty of boat trips to choose from Lagos. Click here to check out the boat trip we went on. It was such a great day. We got to enjoy some cocktails, music and also got to go paddleboarding. To top it all off, we even saw dolphins along the way.

Go for a Surf Lesson

As I mentioned earlier, Sagres is best known for its surf so it would be silly not to come here and get a lesson. Or if you are a bit of a pro then you can simply rent a surfboard. There are a few places in town where you can do both. Alternatively, if surfing is not the thing that you can also hire/get a lesson on a stand-up paddleboarding

Watch the sunset at Cabo Sao Vincente

This is the headland where Portugal reaches its’most south-westerly point. This is the best place to watch the sunset in Sagres, and arguably in all of Portugal (according to the locals). You can chill on the rugged clifftops and watch the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. Make sure you bring a jacket this is also the windiest part of Sagres.