The Algarve in Portugal is the perfect destination for instagrammable beaches. To help you find these picture perfect beaches, I am sharing the 8 instagrammable beaches not to miss when in the Algarve.
PS: Are you planning a romantic getaway to the Algarve with your loved one? Check out these unforgettable things to do in Algarve, especially for couples.
Map of instagrammable beaches in the Algarve
As you will see in my map, most of the instagrammable beaches in the Algarve are located between Albufeira and Lagos. So I would recommend to stay in both Albufeira and Lagos if you’re visiting the Algarve for its picturesque beaches.Β
My absolute favourite beaches are all near Lagos, so if you only have time to stay in one place, make sure it’s Lagos.
In the rest of this post, I will be splitting the instagrammable beaches of the Algarve between the most famous beaches and the lesser known beaches:
Most famous instagrammable beaches in the Algarve
Lesser known instagrammable beaches in the Algarve:
You better save my list of instagrammable beaches if you’re planning a trip to the Algarve, because you wouldn’t want to miss out on these.
Most Famous Instagrammable Beaches in the Algarve
To visit the most famous instagrammable beaches in the Algarve, I recommend to stay in Lagos and rent a car. Parking can be a bit tricky, especially when visiting the Algarve in high season, so it’s best to visit the beaches around sunrise or sunset to secure a parking space.
Sunrise and sunset are also the best times to take pictures on these beaches, because the light is stunning (think golden hour) and there are less people on the beach, so less people in the background of your pictures.
Praia do Camilo
Praia do Camilo is my favourite picture spot in the Algarve, especially at sunrise. When we visited in August, we arrived at 7am, just as the sun started to appear from the horizon:
You can literally see the colours of our pictures getting warmer and more golden as the sun comes up.
I was also very surprised to see that despite the fact that it was high season, we were the first ones at Praia do Camilo to see the sunrise at 7am. This gave us the opportunity to set up our tripod and pose for our pictures in peace.
Praia do Camilo is an 8-minute drive from Lagos, or a 44-minute drive from Albufeira. To get there, simply put Β “Estrada da Ponta da Piedade, Praia do Camilo, 8600-544 Lagos, Portugal” on your GPS.
If you think you won’t find a parking space at Praia do Camilo, it is a 30 minute walk from the centre of Lagos.
Ponta da Piedade
After watching the sunrise at Praia do Camilo, we quickly went to the nearby Ponta da Piedade to beat the crowds.
When we arrived at Ponta da Piedade at 8am, it was still early enough to take good pictures without crowds in the background, and the sunlight was lovely as well:
I just love how pretty the rock formations at Ponta da Piedade are, and the contrast between the golden rocks and the blue water and sky.
To get the best pictures at Ponta da Piedade, make sure you arrive early, and take pictures at different heights while you’re walking down the 128 step long stairs. We used our tripod for all the pictures you see in this post.
Ponta da Piedade is a 9-minute drive from Lagos, a 45-minute drive from Albufeira, or a 3-minute drive from Praia do Camilo. If you prefer to go by foot, Ponte da Piedade is a 40-minute walk from Lagos centre.
Benagil Caves
Technically I’m not sure if I can call the Benagil caves an instagrammable “beach”, but it is definitely an instagrammable sandy location you cannot miss when in the Algarve.
It takes quite a bit of planning to take good pictures at the Benagil Caves, so I’ve written a separate post about that here. The Benagil Caves are located between Lagos and Albufeira, and we visited the Benagil Caves while we were staying in Albufeira.
Praia Dos Estudantes
Praia Dos Estudantes is quite a dramatic beach with a bridge high up in the sky in the background. It is definitely this bridge that makes Praia Dos Estudantes so instagrammable.Β
We visited the Praia dos Estudantes around 7:30pm and another time at 9am. Both times, we managed to park our car near the Mar Restaurant, from where we took the stairs down to the beach. Just make sure you have coins on you, because the parking is paid.
Praia dos Estudantes is a 4-minute drive from Lagos, or a 10-minute walk from Lagos Centre. From Albufeira, it takes a 40-minute drive to reach Praia dos Estudantes.
Praia Da Marinha
Praia Da Marinha is most famous for its heart-shaped rock formation, so it is a very romantic spot in the Algarve. The heart shaped rock is also called the “Praia da Marinha Heart” or even the “Algarve Heart”.
To find the Praia da Marinha Heart, you just need to look for the “M-Rock”, which is a rock with two tunnels. In front of the M-Rock, there are two more rocks on the left, which together with the cliff edge form the shape of a heart:
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To get a picture with the Algarve Heart, put up your tripod behind you at a high point, while pointing your camera down. Then sit down, making sure you’re not covering the Heart of course. As you can see in our pictures, we did not get anywhere near the cliff edge to get this shot.
Just like the Benagil Caves, Praia da Marinha is located in between Lagos and Albufeira. It takes a 30-minute drive to reach Praia da Marinha from Albufeira, while it takes a 38-minute drive to reach Praia da Marinha from Lagos.
Travel Photography for Couples
Learn more about taking your own travel pictures as a couple in my book:
As a travel couple, do you ever wish to travel back to a place, just to take better pictures together? I sure know I do! Thatβs why in this book, I am sharing everything we wish we knew about taking pictures together when we first started travelling as a couple. Read more…
Praia Dona Ana
After we visited the Praia do Camilo and Ponta da Piedade beaches for sunrise, we finally put down our towels at Praia Dona Ana. It is the rock formations and cliffs that make Praia Dona Ana so instagrammable:
When we arrived at Praia Dona Ana at 9:30am, we already struggled with finding a parking spot. So if you’re visiting Praia Dona Ana in August by car, you should definitely arrive before 9am or late in the afternoon / early evening.
Praia Dona Ana is an 8-minute drive from Lagos, or a 25-minute walk. From Albufeira, it takes a 43-minute drive to reach Praia Dona Ana.
Lesser known Instagrammable Beaches in the Algarve
Now that you know all the famous instagrammable beaches of the Algarve, it is time to talk about the lesser known instagrammable beaches in the Algarve – or the “hidden gem” beaches of the Algarve.
Praia da Gale
If you’re looking for a romantic beach to watch the sunset near Albufeira, then Praia da Gale is your beach to be:
I love how the rock formations on Praia da Gale are shaped in such a way that it feels like you’re on your own private beach. Even after sunset, the beach looks pretty cool:
If you want to know more about how to get to Praia da Gale, or how to take the best pictures at Praia da Gale, check out my separate blog post here.
Praia dos Aveiros
Another cool beach to watch the sunset from near Albufeira is Praia dos Aveiros. Despite it being close to Albufeira, Praia dos Aveiros is known for being a quiet beach compared to the other beaches. That definitely doesn’t mean it’s not instagrammable though:
Praia dos Aveiros is only an 8-minute drive from Albufeira, or a 35 minute walk from the centre of Albufeira. From Lagos, it takes a 50-minute drive to reach Praia dos Aveiros.
Awesome article! Exactly the information I was looking for, as Iβm staying in Albufiera.
Thanks Nar, I’m so glad to hear my article helped you during your stay in Albufeira. I hope you had a wonderful stay!