Where to Stay in Algarve
- Lagos Old Town is the top pick for nightlife seekers and younger travelers, with cobbled lanes packed with bars, restaurants, and easy access to the dramatic Ponta da Piedade cliffs and nearby beaches.
- Tavira Old Town suits couples and first-time visitors looking for a quieter, more authentic Algarve, with whitewashed houses, a Roman bridge, and a relaxed riverside atmosphere away from the busier resort strips.
- Faro Old Town (Cidade Velha) works well for budget travelers and business visitors, since it sits right by the airport and train links, offers walled-in medieval charm, and has more affordable guesthouses than the coastal resort towns.
- For families, staying near Tavira or the wider Faro area gives good access to calmer, shallow-water beaches on the Ria Formosa islands, reachable by short boat trips, while still being close to supermarkets and pharmacies in town.
Wherever you base yourself, the Algarve is compact enough that renting a car makes it easy to day-trip between these towns and the coastline in between.