Carvoeiro: the Positano of Portugal
When visiting the Algarve, it can be hard to find true hidden gems of the Portuguese culture. A lot of towns have fallen prey to mass tourism. However, there is one beautiful fishing village that is still well-preserved and in my eyes is the Portuguese equivalent to the famous Italian Positano. In this post I will explain how to get to Carvoeiro, my tips on where to eat, what to visit as well as ideas on what to do when here!
How to get to Carvoeiro?
Being a hidden gem, Carvoeiro is not that easily reachable since it does not have a train station nor is located on the main axis of the Algarve road network. For the ones that are not travelling by car, there is always the option of taking a bus: either take the nr.107 from Portimão which will take you to the center of Carvoeiro, or you can take a bus to nearby Lagoa. From Lagoa, you can take the nr.107, nr.110 or just take a taxi or Uber as it is only 10 min away from center of Carvoeiro.
Below is the link to the bus company Vamus which operates the bus lines in this region of the Algarve: Vamus website, nr.107 timetable
Where to eat in Carvoeiro?
Despite it being a small town, Carvoeiro has a lot of options when it comes to places to eat. Below I have added the restaurants and cafés I would recommend for you to go.
Restaurants for lunch and dinner
- Restaurante Casa Algarvia is located in the center and is just a 5 min walk away from the beach. They serve traditional Portuguese food with an Algarvian touch. I had their pork stuffed with figs and it was delicious (see picture)
- Levels Carvoeiro is situated right on the beach. They have more international food so it should suit most people.
Cafés and Bars
- Decadente Lounge & Shop is a great place to just have a coffee, a drink or just to hang. They have a concept store and the overall decor is very tasteful.
- Café Fino is a restaurant with a wide variety of dishes. They are great at making delicious breakfast and your typical brunch food. They also make lunch as well as offer pastries and desserts to accompany your coffee.
- Algar Seco Bistro might not serve the best lunch in Carvoeiro. However, it is a great stop to have a coffee or a drink when strolling along the coast. Since it is outside the center of Carvoeiro, this café is very calm and great to relax.
Where to have ice-cream?
Only one place would do and it’s the one from the hotel Carvoeiro Plaza: their café is called La Piazza
What to visit and what to do when in Carvoeiro?
Carvoeiro is not only beautiful for its center, but it has also other sites worth seeing.
If you want to see a beautiful (tiny) beach far from the crowd I recommend Praia do Paraíso just a 5 min walk from the center of Carvoeiro
Should you feel like exploring the coast, there is a causeway that gives a great view over the cliffs and sea. On Google Maps it is called Passadiços do Carvoeiro. There are plenty of boardwalks all along the coast!
If you have time on your hands and feel like exploring there are boats that you can take from Carvoeiro that would take you to Benagil cave: it is arguably the most iconic place in the Algarve (see picture)
Should the shopping mood strike I can recommend a store called Loja da Fabrica: they have a wide selection of ceramics that you can bring home as a souvenir. What caught my eye was the low price!
More places to visit similar to Carvoeiro?
Should you feel that Carvoeiro was not enough and that you would like to see another gem of the Algarve then check out my post on the village Burgau