Alvor Portugal in February: Week 3 – Hikes, Beaches & Day Trips
- Katie Durie
- Mar 22
- 6 min read
Week three in Alvor, Portugal in February started with a surprise-a Carnival parade right in town.
Carnival here is a local celebration leading up to Lent, and in Alvor it felt very community-focused. Children from local schools walked through the streets in costumes—pirates, clowns, princesses, Minions—throwing confetti and dancing along the route. There were decorated trucks, music, and families watching from the sidewalks. It was simple, cheerful, and felt very much like a community event.
The weather turned much sunnier this week, which made a big difference.
Mornings & Routine
Mornings settled into a rhythm—coffee at Confeteria, then a walk along the boardwalk or beach. There were more fishermen out this week, casting into the waves, and we often stopped to watch for a few minutes before continuing.
We also returned to Lagos and noticed more places opening up, both there and in Alvor. It feels like everything is slowly gearing up for the busier season ahead.
Coast Walks & Beaches
The hiking trails are still quiet but definitely busier than the first couple of weeks. At Praia Dona Ana, we saw our first sunbathers and swimmers, and boat tours were operating again due to—bright the calmer water.
Spring is starting to show up everywhere. The Bermuda buttercup is especially noticeable — bright yellow flowers covering fields and lining the paths.
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
We hiked part of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, starting from Praia da Marinha. Parking was easy this time of year, but in summer this area fills up quickly and is sometimes closed, with cars turned away.
One thing to note—it's easy to go the wrong way. From the parking area, go right for the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail and left for Praia da Marinha beach.
From above, Benagil Cave was a bit disappointing. The view from the cliffs is mostly blocked off, and you don’t really see much of the cave itself. Boat tours were going in and out below, which looks like the better way to experience it.
Along this stretch of coastline, there are lots of other openings in the cliffs — these are sea caves or grottoes, formed over time by the waves. Some you can look down into from above, which is interesting even if you’re not going inside them.
We walked down to Praia da Benagil, which was quiet and peaceful, with steep cliffs and natural cutouts in the rock. Even with the nice weather, there was hardly anyone there.
Back at the parking lot, we continued in the other direction toward Praia da Marinha. From above, you can also keep hiking past Marinha for more viewpoints and smaller beaches along the cliffs.
Monchique Day Trip
One of the highlights of the week was a trip to Monchique.
The drive itself is beautiful with stunning mountain views. Once you turn off the main road towards the trailhead and parking area for the Passadiços Barranco do Demo things become a bit more challenging—narrow, winding mountain roads—mostly one lane, with very few spots to pass. At times, you may have to back up to let another car through. It’s a bit stressful, but worth it once you get there.
From the trailhead, there’s a network of boardwalks that lead down the cliffside to a suspension bridge over a river. There’s a limit of five people on the bridge at a time.
Once across, you can follow the river or continue up a wooden staircase to a higher trail. We took the main trail, which is well-marked but quite steep in sections.
At the bottom, the river was too strong and too cold to cross normally, so we used fallen logs—carefully—to get across in two spots. There were also signs warning about wild boar, which added a bit of excitement.
The hike back up to the parking area is steep, but manageable if you take your time. The full loop is roughly 4–5 km, depending on the route you take.
This was one of the most memorable hikes of the trip. The mix of green hills, red earth, blue sky, and blooming flowers made it feel completely different from the coast.
Slower Afternoons
This week, we often ate later in the afternoon—more of a lunch/dinner combined. Sitting along the waterfront in the sun, you could really feel the town starting to come alive. More people out, more energy, but still not busy.
Day Trip to Albufeira
We also visited Albufeira, and it was a pleasant surprise.
I expected it to feel crowded and overwhelming, but in February it was actually a good balance—lively, but not too busy. There were people around, but it never felt crowded.
The waterfront is really nice, with many restaurants and cafés. The beach is wide and sandy, with some tidepools to explore, and there’s a small pier as well.
You can take a tunnel or an escalator from the upper town to the beach.
Parts of the town are definitely more touristy—big bars, chain restaurants, souvenir shops—but it’s easy enough to wander into quieter streets as well. If shopping is a priority, this is probably the best place we visited for that.
We had a great meal by the water — pizza, wine, and a Portuguese dish of fried eggs over fries with ham (often called “broken eggs”), which was surprisingly good and full of flavor.
Faro & End of the Week
We ended the week with a short trip to Faro.
We went early in the morning and explored the old town and waterfront while it was still quiet. Faro feels more like a small city than the other places we visited, with a busy marina, wider streets, and a mix of historic and modern areas.
The old town has some of the nicest tiled streets we’ve seen, along with cobblestones and open squares.
We also dropped off our company at Faro Airport, which was very straightforward — small, easy to navigate, and one of the simplest drop-offs we’ve experienced.
Best Meals of the Week
Our first standout meal this week was at Paesano, where we celebrated my birthday.
It ended up being the perfect night for it — cool and rainy outside, which made the warm, cozy atmosphere inside even better. We started with bruschetta (honestly some of the best I’ve had), followed by a carbonara and a black squid ink pasta. Both were excellent, cooked perfectly al dente.
The service really stood out too — friendly, welcoming, and relaxed. At the end of the meal, we were brought a complimentary limoncello, which was such a nice touch and a great way to finish the evening.
Our second standout meal was at a place we almost didn’t go into—Restaurant Mozambi.
From the outside (and even walking in), it feels more like a mix between a shop and a small museum, filled with African art and objects. We actually weren’t sure we were in the right place at first and almost left, until the owner invited us in.
We’re so glad we stayed.
He recommended the crab curry for two, and it turned into one of the most memorable meals of the trip. It came in a large pot with rice and salad, but what made it different was how he explained eating it—mixing small amounts of curry and rice to find the balance that worked best for you.
It made the whole meal feel more interactive and personal and was definitely something we’ll remember.
Quick Tips for Week 3 - Alvor, Portugal, in February
Carnival in Alvor: Local, family-focused, and worth seeing if you’re there at the right time
Praia da Marinha: Easy parking in winter; very limited in summer
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail: Go right from the parking area for the main trail
Benagil Cave: Better by boat — limited view from above
Monchique drive: Narrow, winding roads — take it slow
Monchique hike: ~4–5 km loop, steep in sections, river crossings may be tricky in winter
Albufeira: Lively but manageable in winter; more touristy than other towns
Faro: Worth a short visit for the old town and marina
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