Eastern Algarve full-day tour: Private guide, 5 stops

Five towns in one day, from Faro's lagoon to the Spanish border

A full-day private tour departing from Faro that travels east through the Algarve, stopping in Olhão, Vila Real de Santo António, Cacela Velha, and Tavira. You ride in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional guide who speaks English, Portuguese or French, and the tour includes hotel pickup and lunch at a local restaurant in Vila Real de Santo António. Entrance fees to monuments are not included. You choose which sites to enter during your free time at each stop.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Eastern Algarve highlights

• Start tour in Faro city
• Visit Olhão fish market
• Lunch in Vila Real de Santo António
• Free time in Vila Real de Santo António
• Visit Fortaleza de Cacela
• Explore Tavira castle and sights

The experience

The tour starts in Faro, the Algarve's capital and a former Roman port called Ossonoba, then moves east to Olhão, a working fishing town where you have free time to walk through the traditional fish market (one of the most famous in the region), which sits right on the marina facing the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve. From there, the route continues to Vila Real de Santo António, the easternmost town before Spain, where you spend two and a half hours: the first hour is lunch at a local restaurant included in the price, and the remaining ninety minutes are yours to explore the Marquês do Pombal Central Square, the lighthouse, the Mother Church, or the marina with views across to Ayamonte in Spain. The city itself was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake using the same architectural methods that reconstructed Lisbon.

Before returning to Faro, the tour stops at Cacela Velha, where the Fortaleza de Cacela sits above whitewashed houses on the edge of the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve. From the fortress you can see the lagoon's sandbars and clear water stretching out. The final stop is Tavira, a city with 37 churches and a castle overlooking the Gilão river. You have free time to visit the castle, walk the ancient Roman bridge, explore the Republic square, or simply sit in the bandstand garden. The guide is with you throughout, and the vehicle is air-conditioned for the full ten-hour day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• ten hours in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional guide.
• lunch at a local restaurant in Vila Real de Santo António.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Wednesday and FridayDeparts at 08:30Last departure this season: 30 Dec

Book up to2d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Mare Nostrum

Is this one for you?The ten-hour commitment means you leave early and return late, so this tour fills most of a day and leaves little room for other activities in Faro itself. Book it if you want to see the full eastern coast in one trip rather than splitting stops across multiple days.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Portuguese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the fish market in Olhão actually like?

Olhão's traditional fish market is a working market where hundreds of locals shop daily, located right on the marina facing the Ria Formosa Nature Reserve. During your free time in the town, you can walk through it to see local fishing traditions and the catch of the day, or simply browse without buying.

Is lunch included in the price?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant in Vila Real de Santo António is included. It is served during the first hour of your two-and-a-half-hour stop there. Other food and drinks are not included.

Do I need to pay extra to enter the castle or churches?

Entrance fees to monuments, museums and any other sites are not included in the tour price. You can choose which attractions to enter during your free time at each stop, and pay any entry fees directly.

What is included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the air-conditioned vehicle for the full ten hours, a professional guide, and lunch at a local restaurant in Vila Real de Santo António are all included.