If you’re thinking of going on a little impromptu trip to Europe this summer, but you’re unsure where to go with reports of crackdowns on Airbnbs in Barcelona and increasing curbs on mass tourism across Amalfi, we have just the answer for you.
Tucked away in the southern corner of Portugal, hugging the bright-blue Atlantic Ocean, the Algarve is one of a handful of European destinations right now that not only welcome Americans but also actively encourage them to visit.
In fact, promoting the Algarve to U.S. and Canadian audiences is a top priority on the ATR’s (the Algarve Tourism Region’s) agenda. The best part? You can now fly there nonstop.
No more Lisbon layovers.
Fly Nonstop To The Best Beaches In All Of Portugal
Portugal has been pretty overrun with tourists itself in recent years, with cities like Lisbon and Porto seeing their fair share of gentrification and rising prices.
Be that as it may, there’s one Portuguese region that never really broke into the American mainstream, and has only recently started appearing on travelers’ radars thanks to the launch of the first-ever nonstop flights from the U.S.
That’s the Algarve, mainland Portugal’s southernmost province, known for its golden-sand beaches, whitewashed coastal towns that exude Old World charm, and, though this last bit is hugely understated, rich ancient heritage.
The Algarve is a tried-and-true Eurosummer fave, especially for vacationing Brits and Germans, but 2026 is truly the first year the average American started seriously considering it as a standalone destination, and it’s not hard to see why.
Prior to this summer, U.S. tourists planning a trip to the Algarve would oftentimes be made to land either in Lisbon or Porto, then catch a second domestic flight down to Faro (FAO).
This usually added several hours on top of their already-long Transatlantic journey, especially if you’re already coming to Portugal on a connecting route Stateside, and you know, when you only have 7 days of paid vacation a year, and you chose to spend them in Europe, wasting an entire 2 days on airports and transit there and back kind of sucks.
If it’s not nonstop, it’s not worth it.
Well, thanks to United Airlines, getting to the Algarve has now got a lot easier.
Everything You Need To Know About The U.S. To Algarve Flight
The U.S. carrier is currently operating the only Transatlantic flights between the U.S. and Faro, the capital of the Algarve, with a seasonal schedule set to run from summer (as in, right now) through early fall:
- Route: Newark (EWR) ↔ Faro (FAO)
- Airline: United Airlines
- Frequency: 4 flights per week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- Distance: 3,504 miles
- Eastbound flight time (EWR→FAO): 7h20
- Westbound flight time (FAO→EWR): 8h25
- Aircraft: Boeing 757-200
Average Roundtrip Prices
- Economy (early sale fares): $660+
- Typical summer fares: $1,200+
- Premium cabins: $2,000+
There’s a growing appetite among Americans for Portugal trips, and United seems to be working in tandem with ATR to make secondary Portuguese destinations more accessible to U.S.-based customers.
Out of the Algarve destinations that are most keen on wooing Americans, Albufeira definitely takes the lead:
Where To Go In The Algarve This Summer
Albufeira
For The Social Scene & Nightlife
A mid-size city home to around 48,000 people, it feels surprisingly international and cosmopolitan for a place of its size. It’s actually the most sought-after beach destination in the south, mainly because it ticks all of the boxes, and then some:
- It has the huge variety of beaches
- A postcard-ready Old Town with cobbled lanes and azulejos galore
- Nightlife is unmatched
- English is widely spoken across the hospitality sector
That said, Albufeira can feel a little too comercialized, so if it’s the more rural, laid-back Algarve you’re hoping to experience, and not the British stag dog crowds, maybe you’ll want to treat it as a one-stop beach day rather than basing yourself there.
Prepare For Border Delays Going To Portugal This Summer
Before you go booking your flights, however, you should know that travelers have been reporting long delays at the Portuguese border this summer thanks to Europe’s messy EES rollout.
If you don’t understand this niche Europhile lingo, we’re referring to their new mandatory fingerprinting rule that all American tourists are now subject to… and that is resulting in wait times of between 3 and 8 hours in Portuguese airports.
You know the drill. Please use the Entry Requirements Checker to verify you have all your documentation in order ahead of flying, as it is now more important than ever.
Faro
The Medieval Capital
Of course, there’s no visiting the Algarve without hitting up its cozy, fortified coastal capital Faro.
Surrounded by medieval walls, its narrow streets lead up to the most beautiful cathedral square, and you might want to save room in your tote bag for all the oranges you’ll be tempted to sneakily snatch from the orange trees on your way up.
Faro is all about aimless wandering, long lunches, and experiencing the Algarve’s characteristically slow-paced way of life. For the best cataplana in town, try A Venda, and if you want to see something truly unique, if a little eerie, you’ll want to add the Bone Chapel to your bucket list.
It’s this tiny oratory on the edge of the Old Town adorned with actual human bones, all four walls covered from floor to ceiling.
Dark tourism aside, the Algarve is anything but scary to visit. It’s actually one of the safest destinations in Portugal and Western Europe as a whole, scoring a near-perfect 90 out of 100 on the Traveler Safety Index currently, with no incidents affecting tourists reported lately:
Lagos
This Is Where Those Epic Beaches Are
The best Algarve city for beach-hopping, Lagos is located on the western end of the province, and it’s known for its apparently infinite streak of golden-sand coves that run along a several-mile wooded footpath.
This is where you’ll find the iconic Praia dos Estudantes, a sand-padded cove wedged between two rocky outcrops, overlooked by a storybook-like stone arch bridge spanning the narrow gap between them.
It’s not an actual Roman bridge—it was originally part of a late-medieval fortress that collapsed following the devastating 1755 earthquake—but it’s quite the sight nonetheless.
Over in Praia Dona Ana, the wooden staircase leads down directly to the most beautiful honey-colored sands and turquoise seas. The whole thing feels distinctly Mediterranean rather than Atlantic.
My own personal favorite, though, has to be Meia Praia: a mile upon mile-long strip backed by dunes and a handful of beachside bars.
This is the North Atlantic, after all, so you should know the waters off the coast of the Algarve are, ahem, more gelid than those Greek or Italian shores, but the temps here felt actually tolerable and the water clarity was unreal.
Where To Stay In The Algarve
We tried this historic luxury villa ourselves a couple of years back, tucked a few miles inland where the foreign crowds don’t typically go, yet within short driving distance of all the most popular spots.
The Almóada Boutique Home felt like the quintessential European villa escape, yet it was far more affordable than you’d expect for a property of this caliber, with its private pool, concierge service, and serene countryside setting.
As a matter of fact, the Algarve remains one of the best-value destinations in Western Europe: we’re talking an average $15 per restaurant meal, budget stays ranging from approx. $50-a-night to $90, and affordable transportation.
The whole region is well-connected by train, and city-hopping along the coast costs under $7 per stop.
Stacie Harris is a local resident and reporter of the Maple Grove area. Stacie reports on medicine and science for the Maple Grove Report.
