Where to Stay in Sagres

Sagres is the Algarve’s wild, windswept end: surf beaches, cliffs, the fortress and the legendary sunsets at Cape St Vincent. It’s a laid-back base for surfers, walkers and families who want a quieter Algarve. Here’s where to stay in Sagres.

Quick answer: for a design hotel with harbour views, Memmo Baleeira. For a classic clifftop stay facing the fortress, the Pousada de Sagres. For families, the Martinhal Sagres beach resort. On a budget, surf houses and guesthouses in town.

Why stay in Sagres

Sagres feels very different from the resort towns further east. There are no high-rise blocks, the beaches face two coasts, and the Atlantic swell makes it one of Portugal’s best surf bases. You can surf or walk in the morning, eat fresh fish at the harbour at lunch and watch the sun set over the cliffs at Cape St Vincent. It is a small place, so most stays are only a few minutes from the sea.

Staying the night also means you see Sagres at its best. Day-trippers from Lagos and Albufeira fill the fortress and the cape in the afternoon, but early mornings and evenings are quiet, and you can drive back from the sunset in minutes rather than face an hour on dark roads.

Where to stay

• Memmo Baleeira: a stylish hotel above the fishing harbour, with a pool and sea views. Walk to the boats and restaurants.
• Pousada de Sagres: a classic pousada on the clifftop, looking across to the fortress. See the best pousadas in Portugal.
• Martinhal Sagres: a resort built for families, steps from sheltered Martinhal beach, with kids’ clubs. See Algarve family resorts.
• Surf houses and guesthouses: social, good value and close to the surf schools. Browse Sagres stays.

More on the main hotels

Memmo Baleeira is a four-star design hotel set slightly above the bay, a short walk from the harbour and Mareta beach. It has indoor and outdoor pools and a spa area, and suits couples and surfers who want comfort. Pousada de Sagres is part of the Pousadas de Portugal chain, with a terrace looking across the bay to the fortress headland. It has closed for part of the winter in some years, so check dates if you travel between November and April. Martinhal Sagres is a five-star family resort with rooms, houses and villas, children’s clubs for different ages and direct access to Martinhal beach. It has won several awards as a family hotel.

Areas and who they suit

Near the harbour (Baleeira)

Boats, fish restaurants and Mareta beach, the town’s main sheltered beach. A good choice for couples and anyone who wants to walk to dinner and to the boat trips. Expect hotels, apartments and a few guesthouses.

The town centre

Bars, cafés, supermarkets and surf shops along the main road and around the central square. This is where most surf houses, hostels and budget rooms are. It suits solo travellers, surfers and anyone on a budget. It can be lively on summer nights.

Martinhal

The calm bay east of town, best for families. The beach is sheltered from the prevailing wind, and the water is often calmer than on the west-facing beaches. Stays here are mainly resort rooms, villas and apartments.

Vila do Bispo and the west coast

Quieter, rural stays near the wild beaches, such as Cordoama and Castelejo. Vila do Bispo is a small town about 10 minutes’ drive north of Sagres, with local cafés and lower prices. Expect rural houses, farm stays and small guesthouses. You need a car. See Costa Vicentina.

Types of accommodation

• Hotels and resorts: a handful of larger hotels, mostly with pools, near the harbour and Martinhal.
• Surf houses and hostels: shared or private rooms, often with surf lessons and board hire as packages.
• Apartments and villas: the best value for families and groups staying a week.
• Campsites and campervans: popular with surfers. Wild camping and overnight parking in vans are restricted in this protected area, so use official sites. See camping in Portugal.

What to do from your base

• Sagres Fortress: walk the windswept headland and see the giant stone wind rose. Allow about an hour.
• Cape St Vincent: the lighthouse at the south-west tip of mainland Europe, best at sunset.
• Beaches: Mareta and Martinhal for calm water, Tonel and Beliche for surf and views.
• Day trips: the surf beaches at Carrapateira are about 25 minutes north, and the villages of Salema and Burgau lie on the road back to Lagos.

Getting there

• From Faro airport: about 1h15–1h30 by car on the A22 motorway, then the main road west from Lagos. The A22 has been toll-free since January 2025.
• By bus: regional buses run between Lagos and Sagres, taking about an hour, but they are not frequent, especially outside summer. Check the current timetable.
• From Lagos: about 30 minutes by car.

When to go

• Summer (June to September): busy and best for families and beginner surfers. Book ahead.
• Spring and autumn: quieter, mild and good for walking the Fishermen’s Trail and the cliffs.
• October: the Sagres Birdwatching Festival celebrates the autumn migration, usually in early October. Rooms fill up, so book early.
• Winter: the biggest swells and the lowest prices. Some places close for a few weeks.

Tips

• It’s windy all year; bring a jacket, even in summer evenings.
• A car helps to explore the west coast beaches.
• Pick your beach by the wind: when one coast is wild, the other is often calmer.
• Eat the fish: grilled fish and seafood from the harbour, and percebes (goose barnacles) gathered on these cliffs.
• Sunset at the cape: Cape St Vincent is about 10 minutes’ drive away. Go early to park.

FAQ

Is Sagres worth staying in, or is it better as a day trip?

It is worth a night or two if you like surfing, walking or quiet evenings. You get the cape at sunset without the drive back, and the beaches early before the day-trippers arrive.

Which is the best hotel in Sagres for families?

Martinhal Sagres is built for families, with kids’ clubs and direct access to sheltered Martinhal beach.

Can you get to Sagres without a car?

Yes, by regional bus from Lagos, which takes about an hour. Buses are infrequent, especially outside summer, so a car is much easier for the west coast.

How far is Sagres from Cape St Vincent?

About 6 km, or roughly 10 minutes by car. Arrive early for sunset, as the car park fills up.

More: Sagres and Cape St Vincent, Costa Vicentina and where to stay in the Algarve.

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