Lagos and Portimão, both situated along Portugal's Algarve coast, offer a delightful blend of natural beauty, historic charm, and vibrant coastal living. Lagos captivates with its golden cliffs, pristine beaches, and historic Old Town, while Portimão charms visitors with its expansive beach, lively marina, and a rich maritime heritage, creating a perfect duo for those seeking a diverse and picturesque Algarve experience.

We did a road trip from Lisbon and spent 3 days in Algarve in the end of August. Every beach we visited seemed to be full of people. Sometimes parking could be challenging as well. It was the common theme for summer in Europe. If you are a landscape photographer typically into sunrise and sunset timing, you could possibly bypass the crowd. The following are my favorite 5 photo spots.

1️⃣ Ponta da Piedade, Lagos

Embark on your photographic journey at Ponta da Piedade, where towering golden cliffs meet the turquoise waters of the Atlantic. The dramatic rock formations, hidden grottoes, and panoramic views of the coastline create a mesmerizing setting for capturing the essence of Lagos's stunning natural beauty.

You can start from Ponta da Piedade Boardwalk endpoint, a small parking lot, and hike along a wooden path that meanders along towering golden cliffs, providing unparalleled panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and showcasing the iconic rock formations and turquoise waters of the Algarve.

Since we arrived at midday, it wasn’t the prime time for any type of photos, not to mention the unfriendly temperature in the scorching sun. Nevertheless, we walked around the Miradouro da Praia do Canavial, taking photo breaks here and there, for a good hour. We agreed it was probably better to drive to a different beach that didn’t require hiking.

However, I came back to Ponta da Piedade on the third evening. I was dropped off at the parking lot close to the southern tip. From there, I hiked to the south most point and walked down the steps to the water. The rock formation was absolutely amazing. So was the sunset!

Even you are not a photographer, the hike along the path of Ponta da Piedade is totally worthwhile. If I revisit Algarve one day, Ponta da Piedade in Lagos will definitely be on top of my list.

2️⃣ Praia da Dona Ana, Lagos

Praia Dona Ana is a stunning beach known for its golden sand and crystal-clear waters, nestled between towering limestone cliffs.

Surrounded by rugged cliffs and clear Atlantic waters, Praia Dona Ana offers a tranquil escape, inviting beachgoers to enjoy the natural beauty and serenity of the Algarve coastline.

For photographers, you can enjoy the panoramic view directly from the parking lot better than going down to the beach. Try long exposure, smooth out the ocean waves, enjoy different angles and directions.

I didn’t have my tripod with me, so I had to set my camera on whatever nature could provide. Of course this meant I had to compromise on composition. But it was all about trial and error, and achieve whatever you could while enjoying the moment.

3️⃣ Praia dos Três Irmãos, Portimão

A stunning beach renowned for its golden sands, towering sea stacks, and intricate cliff formations that create a captivating and photogenic seascape.

The name "Três Irmãos," meaning "Three Brothers," pays homage to the three distinct rock formations emerging from the sea, offering a unique and picturesque backdrop for beachgoers and photographers alike.

We spent an entire afternoon here. It was Orion’s birthday. He totally had a blast. What better way to celebrate a 6th birthday than to run in the water surrounded by amazing rocks? Did I say Orion’s favorite hobbies? Playing water and throwing rocks!

I know many tourists are drawn to Benagil Cave in Algarve, but there are similar sea caves with openings on the top everywhere. At Praia dos Três Irmãos alone, you can find several and explore different rock formations.

Photo tip

How to take photos on a crowded beach? If you followed along with my blogs this summer, “crowd” and “crowded” were probably my most used words.

Getting a great photo in a crowded place is always challenging. In Algarve, there were people everywhere on the beach. If it weren’t my son’s birthday, I probably wouldn’t even take out my camera. I chose to use a telephoto lens on Praia dos Três Irmãos, either to zoom in for closeups or use shallow depth of field to blur out the background. The goal is to achieve a relatively clean photo with focus on the subject.

In addition to the crowd, the harsh light in the summer was another big challenge. Check out this free video training where I have shared my fool proof camera settings and composition strategy to photograph people in strong (and low) light.

If you are more serious about elevating your DSLR or mirrorless camera photography skills to pro level, take my Document Happiness course, where I’ve shared more than 15 years of travel photography experience and can help you accelerate your learning curve to achieve photo excellence.

4️⃣ Praia da Rocha, Portimão

A renowned beach destination celebrated for its expansive golden sands, dramatic limestone cliffs, and vibrant nightlife, creating a perfect blend of natural beauty and lively atmosphere.

With its striking rock formations, clear Atlantic waters, and a lively beachfront promenade, Praia da Rocha offers visitors a picturesque setting that invites adventure and exploration.

The following might be your photo if you simply stay for 5 minutes. In fact all the beaches we’ve been in Algarve were packed with people. This doesn’t mean you can’t get good photos. It’s challenging though.

There were times when I was waiting behind my tripod for the crowd to move out of my frame, I would have tourists asking me to take iPhone snapshots for them.

The best strategy is to enjoy the beach activities during the day, and take photos during sunrise or sunset. Or even better, travel to Algarve in a different season.

All my landscape photos in Algarve were taken within a quick stop of just a few minutes. I didn’t have much time to scout locations while traveling with kids, nor did I feel relaxed while enjoying the scene and taking landscape photos with so many people around.

5️⃣ Izollu Steakhouse Pizzaria, Portimão

This was probably an unknown restaurant. After my sunset shoot at Praia da Rocha, we couldn’t find parking anywhere close to the beach. By the time we found parking, it was almost 10pm. The birthday boy was tired. So we sat down at the nearest restaurant. My family bought Orion a chocolate cake earlier, but there wasn’t any candle. Luckily, the waiter brought him a small candle in the glass, which Orion swiftly blew out.

We spent most of the third day hanging out at our airbnb pool. It was a short and sweet trip before we headed back to Lisbon.

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