Portugal’s Algarve and Costa Vicentina regions, located in the southern and eastern parts of the country, provide excellent settings for seascape photographers. These areas are ideal for capturing Portugal’s natural beauty, featuring stunning coastlines, beaches, and cliffs. In today’s article, I’ll aim to provide information to help photographers explore these places and enhance their experience.
Table of Contents
Best Time to Visit
First, a little background information. What is the best time to visit Algarve and Costa Vicentina in Portugal?
The good news is that the Algarve and Costa Vicentina enjoy a Mediterranean-like climate, making them accessible throughout the year. To me, however, the best times for landscape photography are spring (March to June) and autumn (September to November).
During these seasons, the weather is mild, and the light is soft and golden, enhancing the textures and colors of the landscape. Summer can be crowded and foggy, whereas winter can offer a more tranquil experience but with variable weather conditions. That said, no matter what time of year you visit, you’re in for a treat. I have visited these locations three times so far, most recently from late December 2024 into the first week of January.
What Can You Expect?
The Costa Vicentina features vast beaches perfect for long walks and surfing and excellent sports and landscape photo opportunities.
Meanwhile, outstanding cliffs frame the Algarve’s smaller beaches. Paths there lead to stunning views, especially near Ponta da Pietade and between Praia da Marinha and Praia Corvaeiro (Camino of the Sete Vales Suspensos). These paths are easy, but you still need to bring water, food, and good shoes.
The tides dominate beach photography opportunities, dramatically changing the scenery between high and low levels. It isn’t dangerous but can significantly affect foregrounds, so it is something to consider if you plan to return to a spot after a few days. Many apps and websites will tell you information about the tides, making it easier to schedule your photo sessions.
Finally, don’t just focus on the beaches. Charming villages like Lagos and Olhao are good places to stay and walk about, enjoying picturesque sights. They also offer great food and drinks. During my last visit, we stayed in a small hotel in Lagos – which, I should note, is just a three hour drive from the Lisbon Airport.
Essential Photography Gear
Focusing on photography, a standard kit for capturing seascapes typically includes…
- A Camera: A DSLR or mirrorless camera.
- Lenses: Wide-angle lenses like 14-24mm (full-frame) and standard zoom lenses like 24-120mm are essential. A telephoto lens could be helpful, depending on the photographer’s style. Something like a 100-400mm lens is a plus if you aim to capture distant subjects such as surfers (or cliff details).
- A Tripod: This is necessary for long exposures and low-light conditions. These places are windy, so bring a stable one if you can. However, using a tripod in sandy and salty water can damage it permanently, so be careful. At a minimum, you need to use a tripod that can be taken apart completely for cleaning.
- Filters: Polarizing filters can reduce glare and enhance colors, and ND filters can allow for long exposure shots. I don’t own any graduated neutral-density filters, so I can’t advise on those.
- Accessories: Spare batteries, memory cards, a lens cleaning kit, and a remote shutter release are useful. (Alternatively, use the self-timer instead of a remote shutter.)
I used a Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-120mm f/4, and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 with a Z9. The 24-120mm lens was utilized for 50% of the photos, the 14-24 for 30%, and the 100-400 for the remaining 20%.
Top Photography Locations in Algarve
1. Ponta da Piedade
Located near Lagos, Ponta da Piedade is famous for its stunning rock formations and crystal-clear waters. The golden cliffs and natural arches are best photographed at sunrise or sunset when the light casts a magical glow over the landscape. But they are also worth a visit at night. Between Punta da Pietade and Lagos, there are two magnificent beaches: Praia do Camilo and Praia Dona Ana. I find they are best at sunrise.
2. Praia da Marinha
Often listed among the most beautiful beaches in Europe, Praia da Marinha offers dramatic cliffs, turquoise waters, and golden sands. The beach is perfect for wide-angle and close-up shots of the intricate rock formations. It is beautiful both from sea level and from the top of the cliffs, which are outstanding and worth the visit. Please note that the famous natural arches are accessible at sea level only at low tide. Try to be there before sunrise and start taking photos from the top of the cliffs. Don’t forget to walk the path of the Seven Suspended Valleys at least until the Alfanzina lighthouse.
3. Praia de Albandeira
Near the car park is a beautiful rock arch over the sea. It’s undoubtedly worth a visit. At night, a light from a nearby restaurant prevented me from taking meaningful photos of the stars in the sky.
4. Cabo de São Vicente
Cabo de São Vicente, the southwestern-most point of mainland Europe, offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. It is crowded, but indeed it is a place to see. The lighthouse and the rugged cliffs create striking compositions, particularly during the golden hour at sunset. The lighthouse turns on and off in the blue hour, which can look beautiful in a photo. Be aware that the cape is windy and significantly colder than the rest of the region.
5. Benagil Cave
Renowned as one of the most iconic locations in the Algarve, the Benagil Cave is accessible via boat or kayak. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to visit it during my travels, so I can’t provide you with any first-hand information. The cave’s natural dome and circular opening in the ceiling are incredible; those who love it say it has a mystical atmosphere. I feared its popularity would result in large crowds, which may detract from the personal experience I’m mostly looking for. But it is so famous I must include it in my list.
Top Photography Locations in Costa Vicentina
1. Arrifana Beach
Arrifana Beach is a popular spot for surfers. High cliffs frame it and offer stunning sunset views. Don’t forget to enjoy a walk on the southern side with the low tide.
2. Amado Beach
Located in the heart of the Costa Vicentina Natural Park, Amado Beach is known for its wild beauty and powerful waves. It is vast and worth a walk; you can photograph it from a Mirador (viewpoint) or at sea level. On the southern side, there are beautiful rocks named Castello.
3. Odeceixe Beach
Where the river meets the sea, Odeceixe Beach offers a unique landscape of fresh and saltwater. The beach’s crescent shape, surrounded by cliffs and greenery, provides a picturesque setting.
Conclusion
The Algarve and Costa Vicentina are treasure troves for seascape photographers. They offer diverse natural beauty, from dramatic cliffs to serene beaches. The coast is dotted with vibrant villages and historical points of interest, making this region the perfect spot for those who like to combine a photography trip with a family holiday.
I hope you enjoyed this essay about Portugal’s Algarve and Costa Vicentina regions. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.
Thank you for this articles & pictures. Indeed, a very beautiful place with magnificent skies. I went there in 2016 during a storm. The lights were incredible : regisecochard.myportfolio.com/algarve-portugal
Thank you, Regis! I’m happy you enjoyed Algarve as much as I did!
I’m currently sitting in the front passenger seat of a camper travelling to the Algarve, so this article was perfectly timed for me. Thanks for adding to the excitement :)
Wow Koen, I wish you all the best.
In a few days, you are going to have a new moon: perfect for the Milky way!
I was there in 2022, and to be frank, I found it not that interesting as a photo location. There are 2 to 3 seastack locations which are quite nice, but that was it. That the skies are often blue doesn’t add to the excitement… Really nice as a vacation location (if you want a beach vacation, that is), but for photography there are much better ones.
Thank you for your comment, Christoph.
There are certainly many wonderful places to photograph seascapes, but often which is considered “the best” depends on personal taste. In the most iconic places, you often end up taking photos similar to those taken by others before you. This is also why I talked about what, all things considered, is still a location that is not overly photographed.
In any case, yes, the Algarve is a very sunny area where it is uncommon to find dramatic skies, which, for example, can be found in Iceland or Scotland, to stay in Europe. Even at the beginning of January, I had a week of splendid sunshine that made the holiday sweeter and did not help with the landscapes.
Thank you, so, in essence, you agree with me. The one person who gave my comment a thumbs down obviously didn’t understand that I didn’t want to criticize your photos, which are fine, but just give some context so that people who go there for landscape photography are not disappointed.
I partially agree: if a photographer looks for a dramatic sky and weather to use this kind of mood to enrich the pictures, then this is not the best place to go.
But it is a trend, not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea.
This is a sunny place where you can enjoy a pretty comfortable climate and a relaxed atmosphere, and I hope this is captured with the photos I use to illustrate my article.