Dog-Friendly Algarve, Portugal
I spent two months in Lisbon during the summer of 2019 (with Alice, of course). During that time, I visited the Algarve twice and was amazed by this region. The cliffs, the beaches, the water - it’s a magical place! The first time I came to Algarve, I stayed in Burgau with my family for only one night. I fell in love with this little beach town and knew I had to return. Alice and I spent four days in Burgau for spring break 2024 and I immediately started thinking about when I could come back again!
Burgau
Burgau is about a three-hour drive from Lisbon. It is also possible to get to parts of the Algarve by train or bus, but if you want to visit many beaches, hikes, etc. I would recommend renting a car. While dogs are allowed on public transit in/around Lisbon, I do not know all of the rules for public transit in Algarve because we never used it! If you do drive down from Lisbon, I recommend stopping for a meal at Casa do Alentejo in Castro Verde. The lambinhos dish is delicious!
Burgau is pretty far west in the Algarve, between Lagos and Sagres. While other cities like Faro or Albufeira are more popular, they are also a lot more crowded and don’t have the charming, relaxing, beach town vibe that Burgau offers. The town itself is quite small, but with plenty of restaurants and a really nice beach with cliffs on either side. There is plenty of parking, the entire village is walkable, and people are incredibly friendly. A friend I made told me that people refer to it as “the Santorini of Portugal” because of the all-white buildings with some blue accents. In April 2024, Alice and I stayed in a perfect AirBnB with a spectacular rooftop patio and view of the water! The AirBnB listing says no pets allowed, but I messaged them and asked if I could pay an additional fee for Alice. They accepted for only €15! I think it helps that I have so many positive reviews on AirBnB, and several mention my dog being a good guest too. If you need a larger place, my family stayed at another great AirBnB that sleeps up to eight people (and also has a rooftop patio with a view).
Things to Do in Burgau
In Portugal, dogs are not allowed on “beaches with concessions”. This means any beach that has a lifeguard, a snack bar, or any other services. In the summer, Praia do Burgau does have concessions, so dogs are not allowed. There is also a “no dogs” sign at the main entrance of the beach. However, when I asked a local dog-owner about the rules, he said during the off-season (approximately September through May) dogs are always on the beach in the morning and in the evening, and should be on leash. He also said that in fourteen years of living there, he had never heard of anyone getting a ticket for having their dog on the beach, but in the summer people were sometimes told they needed to remove their dogs from the beach. During our four days in Burgau, we saw dogs on the beach at all hours of the day, and many were off-leash in the evening. I never once saw anyone patrolling the beach. Because there are more rules in place/enforced in the summer, I would recommend traveling to the Algarve with your dog during the spring or fall. In April, we still had warm, sunny weather, and nearly all seasonal restaurants had opened; but it wasn’t as crowded as when I visited in July of 2019.
You can go for a hike directly from town! There are some ruins here, on top of the cliff just east of the beach. If you follow the trail further east, you’ll find some amazing views as you walk along more cliffs overlooking the water. This (easy) hike is especially magical at sunrise!
Where to Eat and Drink in Burgau
As is true all over Portugal, some restaurants do allow dogs inside but a large percentage still do not. However, the nice weather and plentiful patios make it easy to find places to go with a pup!
Love Burgau - The cutest spot for coffee, brunch, drinks, or pizza. Dogs allows inside!
No 9 Tasca Bar - Really good food here, and they were always playing great music! Dogs allowed inside.
Restaurante Matias - A few dog-friendly outdoor tables, but dogs aren’t allowed inside. The service was excellent, and good food.
Red Fort Indian - If you need a break from European food, this Indian restaurant is really good. There’s outdoor seating. Dogs aren’t technically allowed inside, but I was there late and ordered my food to go, and they let me sit at the bar with Alice and have a drink while I waited for my order.
Varanda de Burgau - Beautiful patio for breakfast, lunch, or a drink. Dogs allowed inside too.
A Barraca - The cute, covered patio is dog-friendly, and they have a lot of options for all meals.
Miam Burgau - A popular place with a very large patio (didn’t ask whether dogs are allowed inside) and a lot of options for lunch and dinner. Very friendly staff.
Pingas Bar - A nice, simple little bar. We sat outside, so I’m not sure if dogs are allowed in.
A Prateleira - A small, low-key bar (completely outdoors, but with a lot of umbrellas) near the beach. Cash only!
Adventures Outside Burgau
Praia da Marinha & Algar de Benagil
These archeological sites are about a 45-minute drive from Burgau. Again, dogs are not technically allowed on most beaches in the Algarve. But in the off-season, no one seems to really care, as long as you are a responsible dog owner! We went down to the beach for a while to see some of the rock formations up close. Then we walked along the cliffs to see the gorgeous scenery from above. Truly, this is one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done. There’s virtually no shade, so keep your pup’s temperature in mind!
Nearby, you can reach the top of Benagil Cave, one of the top tourist attractions in the Algarve. You can follow this trail to walk along the cliffs from Marinha all the way to Benagil! From Praia de Benagil, there are boats and kayaks that can take you inside of the cave, but I didn’t find one that was dog-friendly. It’s probably possible to do this if you schedule a private boat tour, but that was not in my budget.
You can park here for free, but get there early! We arrived about 8:30am and there were only a few other cars there. But by the time we left around 11:00, there were at least ten cars circling, waiting for spots to open up. There are a couple of food trucks by the parking lot - one had a very cute “free water” sign for doggos.
Sagres Natural Park
There are a couple of year-round dog-friendly beaches in Sagres National Park! Alice and I spent an afternoon at Praia das Furnas, which is a twenty-minute drive from Burgau. The drive does involve some unpaved, rocky roads. The beach is beautiful, with some spots that are shaded by the rocks. There were a few other dogs here, but overall it wasn’t very crowded. Praia da Figueira is also dog-friendly, but we did not make it there. Next time we’re in Portugal I want to check out more beaches and trails in Sagres National Park!
Lagos
Lagos is much larger than Burgau, and is only a twenty-minute drive away. Alice and I went to Lagos on 25th de Abril, the anniversary of the overthrow of the dictator! We watched a musical performance in the main square in Lagos, then had a glass of wine next to the famous Green House. There are plenty of restaurants around Lagos with outdoor seating.
