Free walking tours in Armação de Pêra and what to see

Must-sees

Armação de Pêra is a coastal town in the municipality of Silves, in the Algarve, opening onto a wide sandy bay. It began as a fishing village and still keeps that life on Praia dos Pescadores, where boats are launched and hauled up straight from the beach, because there is no harbour. By the promenade stand the remains of the old fortress that defended the coast, with the small Chapel of Santo António inside.

The main beach stretches several kilometres east to the Lagoa dos Salgados, a wetland where you can watch waterbirds. To the west the coast changes completely: golden cliffs, hidden coves and caves carved by the sea. A few minutes away is the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, in Porches, on a headland between two beaches, and a little further on, the well-known Benagil caves.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no free walking tours in Armação de Pêra. What is on offer are activities at sea and inland: boat trips to the Benagil caves, kayak routes through the caves and coves near the town, and 4x4 trips through the villages and tracks of the Algarve. Boat and kayak trips depend on the sea, so it is wise to stay flexible.

How long to spend

The town can be seen in an hour or two, with the promenade, the fortress and Praia dos Pescadores. To enjoy the coast, allow at least two or three days: one for the beach, another for the boat or kayak through the caves and another to visit Silves, with its castle, or to walk along the cliffs.

Where to stay

The most convenient option is to sleep in the centre, near the promenade, with beachfront apartments and hotels and restaurants close at hand. If you want more space, to the west there are complexes on the clifftops and, to the east, places to stay near the Salgados area. Pêra and Alcantarilha, inland, offer quieter houses a few minutes away.