South Portugal Road Trip | 7-Day Campervan Itinerary

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Planning a South Portugal road trip, but not sure where to start? Whether you’re hiring a campervan from Faro or driving your own campervan across the border, this 7-day road trip itinerary has you covered.

It’s packed with scenic routes, beachside campsites, charming towns, and local foodie stops – all tried and tested by me.

When I first planned this route, I was overwhelmed by how many beautiful places there were to choose from. Should I spend more time on the West Coast or stick to the Algarve? Where can I park at night legally? And what should I see and do along the way?

After driving this exact route myself, I’ve done the legwork for you, including where to stay, what to see, and how to avoid the common mistakes many first-time van travellers make in Portugal.

This guide is made for adventurous travellers who want the freedom of the open road, but also the comfort of knowing exactly where to go each day. It will help you plan an unforgettable week of coastal drives, gorgeous beaches, and the best camping spots across southern Portugal.

Getting Started: How to Plan Your Portugal Road Trip

The main airport in the South of Portugal is Faro International Airport, so it makes sense to start your road trip from there. This also makes sense as Faro is right in the centre of the Algarve, which makes it a great starting point for exploring the rest of the Algarve.

Portugal is an ideal destination for a 7-day road trip, offering incredible beaches, amazing hiking spots, and a thriving campervan culture. However, you do need to be careful about where you park.

I hired my campervan from Indie Campers and had a fantastic week travelling around the Algarve and the West Coast.

I used an incredible app called Park4Night, which proved invaluable when planning our trip and finding parking spots each night. You can find campsites, picnic spots, free day parking and legal overnight parking spots. The app also tells you how much campsites cost, and what facilities they have, including showers, toilets, and wastewater disposal.

7-Day South Portugal Road Trip Itinerary Summary

If you’re in a rush, here’s a summary of all the places we camped on a 7-day itinerary:

Day 1 and 2: Faro to Praia da Falésia – Parque Caravanas Açoteias (Campsite)

Day 3: Praia da Falésia to Figueira – Figueira Caravan Park (Campsite)

Day 4: Figuiera to Bordeira – R. Dom Álvaro Afonso, Bordeira (Off-Grid)

Day 5: Bordeira to Monchique – Camping Vale da Carrasqueira (Campsite)

Day 6: Monchique to Parque Municipal do Sítio das Fontes, Estômbar (Off-Grid)

Day 7: Parque Municipal do Sítio das Fontes to Loulé – Terra de Nos (Campsite)

Day-by-Day Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1 and 2: Faro to Praia da Falésia – Parque Caravanas Açoteias

We landed in Faro on a sunny Monday and picked up our campervan from the Indie Campers depot near Faro Airport.

We didn’t want to drive very far on the first day as we were keen to get settled into the campervan and relax a little, ready for the epic road trip ahead.

Using the Park4Night app, I had spotted a couple of campsites only a 15-minute drive from the Indie Campers depot, so we headed straight for these.

The first campsite we tried, Algarve Motorhome Park Falésia, was full, but there was another just a few hundred yards down the road, so we continued to Parque Caravanas Açoteias.

We secured a space for €13.50 for the first night. The friendly member of staff explained that a second night would cost only €11.00. At the time, we thought we’d only stay for 1 night, but later decided to stay for 2 nights, as it was such a lovely campsite, with a beautiful beach only 10-15 minutes’ walk away.

The beach, Praia da Falésia, is absolutely gorgeous, with golden sand and incredible cliff formations! On the first evening, we followed the pathway through the trees, where we saw all kinds of birds, including Hoopoes, to find the cliffs overlooking Praia da Falésia beach. We sat on the clifftop with a bottle of wine, watching the incredible sunset.

We decided, at this point, to stay for a second night so we could enjoy the beach the next day. On day two, we walked down to the beach after a relaxing morning, making breakfast in the van and reading in the sunshine!

Campsite Facilities

Parque Caravanas Açoteias has all of the facilities you need, including:

You can book this campsite ahead by calling the phone number on their website, or you can simply turn up to see if they have a spot available.

Nearby Amenities

There is a small supermarket, Coviran Falésia, opposite the campsite, which is open from 8 am until 2 pm, Monday to Saturday. This supermarket sells great fresh bread!

There is also a larger supermarket, Supermercado Sol da Falésia, just a 15-minute walk from the campsite.

There are a few restaurants within a 15-minute walking distance from the campsite, near the Supermercado Sol da Falésia.

Day 3: Praia da Falésia to Figueira – Figueira Caravan Park

On day 3, we drove to Figueira, a pretty town about 1 hour’s drive from Praia da Falésia. We arrived at Figueira Caravan Park, booked a space for the night and parked up before heading out to explore the area.

We paid €12.00 for one night – electricity is not included in this and is charged at €1 per kWh. We used the electricity hook-up for the fridge, indoor lighting, and to charge our devices and paid €2 for the night. Campsite showers are also charged at €1 for 3 minutes.

After settling into the campsite, we booked a taxi to the coastal village of Burgau. We spent a couple of hours wandering around Burgau and chilling on the beach before heading back to Figuiera.

That evening, we decided to eat out at a nearby restaurant and had fantastic food. I highly recommend a visit to O Sabor da Alegria for a friendly and vibrant atmosphere and great food. It’s also great value too, as we paid only €24 for two starters, a pizza to share, two drinks and two desserts!

Before leaving the campsite the next morning, we enjoyed a walk around Figuiera, and wandered up to a small cafe at the top of the town, Pastelaria Dente de Leão. We ordered two pastries and two coffees and paid only €3.70!

Praia da Figueira beach is only a 20-minute walk from the campsite and village. We didn’t have time to visit the beach, but I have heard it is beautiful and secluded.

Campsite Facilities

Figueira Caravan Park has the following facilities:

You can book a space, but you must book at least 72 hours before your check-in and also pay a 25% deposit. We arrived at about 1:30 pm, and there were plenty of spaces. However, we visited in October, so it may be busier during peak season.

Nearby Amenities

Figueira Caravan Park is located within the village of Figueira, which has a handful of restaurants and a cafe.

There are no shops in Figueira, but there is an Intermarché, only a 5-minute drive away, in Budens.

Day 4: Figuiera to Bordeira – R. Dom Álvaro Afonso, Bordeira

On day four, we started to explore the West Coast of Portugal, which is wilder and less commercialised than the Algarve.

We left Figueira and headed to Sagres to explore Sagres Fortress and the rugged coastline. You can park at the Fortress for free during the day, but you cannot camp here overnight, as you’ll risk a €600 fine.

We didn’t go inside the fortress as the ticket costs €10 and we felt this was very expensive for what it was. Instead, we walked around the coastline and enjoyed watching the surfers on Tonel Beach below from Mirante de Sagres.

We wandered down to Tonel Beach and ordered some smoothies at Tonel Beach Bar while enjoying the sunshine and watching the surfers tackle the waves!

We wanted to explore some of the beaches along the coastline above Sagres, such as Praia do Telheiro, so we took the N268 road to Cabo de São Vicente, where we took some photos of the incredible coastline views.

We then took an inland turn towards Praia do Telheiro, but the road quickly turned into a gravel track with large potholes. Worried about damaging the campervan or getting a flat tyre, we turned back and took the main N268 road from Sagres up the West Coast towards our camping stop for the night – Bordeira.

Our day four parking location was an off-grid roadside spot in Bordeira that I found on the Park4Night app. While the parking location is on a road, the view from the van is spectacular, over beautiful countryside and surrounded by tree-covered hills. This spot in Bordeira ended up being our favourite of the whole trip!

After parking the van, we started exploring the village, trekking uphill to a beautiful viewpoint and wandering around the pretty streets. In Bordeira, we found a small cafe and ordered two beers and two pastels de nata, before heading back to the van to cook dinner.

The spot was very quiet and definitely felt like it was off the beaten track. Later that evening, three other vans turned up to park nearby, and there were also plenty of locals around who didn’t seem to mind the vans being there.

Parking Location Facilities

This parking location is a free, legal overnight spot, with the following facilities:

There is a sign on the toilet block that says water use is prohibited for campervans, which means you can’t fill up water tanks here.

Nearby Amenities

The village of Bordeira is a 5-10 minute walk from the parking location. In Bordeira, you’ll find a cafe/restaurant (Cantinho da Bordeira) and an ATM.

The small town of Carrapateira is a 5-minute drive away, where you’ll find restaurants, a museum and a small shop.

Day 5: Bordeira to Monchique – Camping Vale da Carrasqueira

On Day 5, we planned to drive further up the West Coast and inland to Monchique – a beautiful forested mountain region. First of all, though, we drove 7 minutes from our camping spot to Praia da Bordeira.

Bordeira Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen – white sand, turquoise water, and surrounded by rugged coastline and cliffs. It’s also a fantastic spot for surfers – whether you surf yourself or simply enjoy watching other people surf!

Unfortunately, when we visited, it was incredibly windy, so we didn’t stay on the beach for very long. After battling the wind for an hour, we decided to walk up to the viewpoint to the left of the beach – Pontal da Carrapateira. The view from here, over the beach below, is spectacular.

From here, we drove north to Aljezur before heading inland to Monchique, following a beautiful winding road through forests and valleys. We had planned to visit the hot springs at Caldes de Monchique, but ran out of time, so instead we headed to our fifth night campsite, Camping Vale da Carrasqueira, and wow, what a place!

As soon as we arrived, we were blown away by the view! Deep in the mountain valleys, you have to drive a little off the main road to reach this campsite, but when you do, you are surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, hills and valleys.

The staff at the campsite are extremely friendly, and the facilities are very clean and modern. The campsite even has a swimming pool overlooking a gorgeous view. The campsite is quite expensive, costing €20 per night, but it’s worth paying this for the views.

Campsite Facilities

The Camping Vale da Carrasqueira campsite has the following facilities:

Nearby Amenities

There are a couple of restaurants within a 25-minute walk of the campsite. You can drive to nearby villages and restaurants, but you must be back by 8 pm before the campsite gates close.

Day 6: Monchique to Parque Municipal do Sítio das Fontes

On day 6, we left Monchique and headed South to Silves. We spent the day in the town of Silves, enjoying a lovely lunch at Ateliê 47, before heading uphill to explore Sagres Castle.

Tickets for the Castle are great value, at only €2.80, or €3.90 if you want to visit the Silves Museum of Archaeology too.

We found free parking in Silves here – don’t head into the Old Town with a campervan, like we did! The streets are narrow and hard to navigate in a large vehicle.

After exploring Silves for a few hours, we drove to our parking spot for the night – an off-grid location in the Parque Municipal do Sítio das Fontes.

Parking Location Facilities

The parking location is a free, legal overnight spot in a beautiful natural park. The free parking lot is next to a picnic area, beside an estuary with great walking trails.

The picnic area has:

Nearby Amenities

There are no shops or restaurants within walking distance of the parking location. However, Portimão, a large coastal town, is only a 15-minute drive away. In Portimão you’ll find plenty of shops, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, pharmacies and ATMs.

Day 7: Parque Municipal do Sítio das Fontes to Loulé – Terra de Nos

Unfortunately, due to an early flight home on our last day, we had to take our Indie Campers van back one day early, so we ended up staying in a hotel on our last night.

If we’d been able to take the campervan back early enough on our departure day, we would have headed to Terra de Nos, near Loulé.

The campsite at Terra de Nos is nestled in the Algarve countryside, just a 15-minute drive from the coast and only an 18-minute drive from Alte and the beautiful waterfalls at Queda do Vigário.

Reviews say that the campsite can be difficult to find, so I recommend checking the reviews on the Park4Night app, which provides some detailed instructions.

Campsite Facilities

The campsite at Terra de Nos costs €15 per night and offers the following facilities:

Nearby Amenities

There are no shops or restaurants within walking distance of the campsite, but the large town of Loulé is only 1 15-minute drive away, where you’ll find shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, ATMs and pharmacies.

Tips for Driving and Camping in Portugal

Portugal is a very easy country to drive in. The main roads in South Portugal are mostly wide and well-maintained. However, you do have to be careful in small towns where streets are narrow. Many roads down to beaches on the West Coast are dirt or gravel tracks with large potholes, so you also need to be careful not to damage your van or get a flat tyre.

It is illegal to park in spaces that are not marked as designated overnight parking spots. You can find overnight spots on the Park4Night app. If you park in a spot that is not a designated overnight spot, you risk being fined up to €600.

Fuel stations are plentiful in Portugal, as are shops and supermarkets.

One very handy tip we found was that some Intermarché supermarkets have free grey and black water (cassette) disposal points in their car park. We used the Intermarché near Albufeira for this purpose on our last day.

Final Thoughts: Why This Itinerary Works

We loved how this 7-day Portugal road trip gave us time to slow down and really connect with the country. With short drives, quiet villages, gorgeous beaches and beautiful coastal scenery, it’s the perfect itinerary if you’re looking to experience the real Portugal, beyond the busy tourist resorts.

This road trip isn’t about long-distance drives. With this itinerary, you’ll only spend 1 hour per day on the road, allowing you plenty of time to explore the towns and villages along the route.

Frequently Asked Questions