Monte Gordo is a lively resort town that is situated on one of the finest beaches of the eastern Algarve.

This glorious beach has transformed Monte Gordo from a minor fishing village into a modern and popular holiday destination. The town attracts a wide selection of nationalities, including the Portuguese - who simply adore the region.

Being a modern resort town that grew from the 1980s, Monte Gordo lacks any Portuguese charm or character. Huge apartment blocks dominate the coastline and mass tourism has completely replaced fishing.

As a holiday destination, Monte Gordo is purely focused on the beach, which is simply stunning. There are kilometres of soft golden sands that are lapped by calm waters and surrounded by pristine pine forests.

During the summer, Monte Gordo has a calmer atmosphere than the larger resort towns of the Algarve (such as Albufeira, Vilamoura or Lagos). This makes it ideal for families, or those who prefer somewhere less hectic.

The town also provides exceptional value (for the Algarve) when eating out and socialising. This is due to the large number of Portuguese tourists, who would not pay more than in the rest of their country.

An entire holiday to Monte Gordo could be easily spent lounging on its magnificent beach, but there is a lot to see and do within the eastern Algarve. Just a short train ride away is the historic town of Tavira, as well as Castro Marim, with its two castles, and the charming town of Vila Real de Santo António.

Monte Gordo may not be as well known as the resort towns of the central Algarve, but it has a lot going for it, especially for a beach-focused holiday. This guide will provide an introduction to Monte Gordo and show you why you should have a holiday here.
Related articles: Tavira guide - Vila Real de Santo António

The Praia de Monte Gordo – A glorious beach, which is part of the 14km long sandy coastline that extends to the Spanish border. The Praia de Monte Gordo has some of the calmest seawaters in Portugal and is sheltered from the Atlantic sea breezes.

Vila Real de Santo Antonio – A delightful fishing town with grand Baroque architecture that sits on the mouth of the mighty Guadiana River. Vila Real is only 3.5km away and is the perfect balance to Monte Gordo's characterless modernism.

Monte Gordo holiday atmosphere – Relax on the beach, eat delicious food and socialise in the bars. What more could you want for the perfect holiday?

Mata Nacional das Dunas de Vila Real de Santo António – The pristine pine forests that surround Monte Gordo were planted to stabilise the region’s sand dunes. Today these established forests provide tranquil walks, deserted beaches and the perfect habitat for Mediterranean chameleon (the Chamaeleo chameleon) to hide.

Monte Gordo is the largest resort town of the eastern Algarve, but it is only small when compared to the larger beach towns of the region such as Albufeira or Vilamoura.

The town is surrounded by pine forests and the rolling Algarve countryside, and the giant apartment buildings of Monte Gordo seem out of place in the low-key eastern Algarve.

Within Monte Gordo is everything you need for an enjoyable holiday. There is a wide selection of restaurants, shops and bars, and even a casino (the Casino Monte Gordo). Along the beachfront is a pleasant beach promenade, which is lined with numerous restaurants and leads to deserted sections of the beach.

Being in the far eastern Algarve, Monte Gordo is a long distance from the waterparks and theme parks, and can feel remote from the buzz of the central Algarve. There are many fascinating sights and day trips to enjoy in the eastern Algarve, but these tend to be cultural, historical or nature-focused (such as Tavira, Castro Marim, or seeing the flamingos of the Castro Marim nature reserve).

The interactive map below shows the sights, beaches and day trips of the Monte Gordo region. The main tourist area of Monte Gordo is highlighted in yellow and is marker 1. (Note: Zoom out to see all of the markers)

Sights of the region: 1) Monte Gordo town 2) Casino Monte Gordo 3) Mata Nacional das Dunas de Vila Real 4) Sapal de Castro Marim nature reserve 5) Parque Aventura (tree & high rope adventure course) 6) Monte Rei Golf 7) Cacela fort 8) Portugal-Spain ferry
Day trips: 9) Vila Real de Santo António 10) Castro Marim 11) Tavira 12) Cabanas
Beaches: 13) Praia da Manta Rota 14) Praia Verde 15) Praia do Cabeço 16) Praia de Monte Gordo 17) Praia de Santo António 18) Praia da Ponta da Areia

If the beach and relaxing are your primary focus, then Monte Gordo is the perfect destination for your holiday.

It is ideal for families with young children or couples seeking a calm and low-key location.

Monte Gordo is great for young children, as the beach is one of the safest of the Algarve, with small waves, no strong currents or sea breezes. The town has a calm environment and does not have any of the excessive drinking culture or riotous behaviour found in the larger resort towns.

Older visitors will enjoy Monte Gordo, as the town has a very welcoming attitude and the atmosphere is relaxed and sociable.

Heading down to the beautiful sea

For every person who would enjoy a holiday in Monte Gordo, there would be another that would feel disappointed.

The town has no Portuguese character and can feel very remote from everything.

The eastern Algarve is a long way from the bustling excitement of the central Algarve, and there are no waterparks or theme parks close by. Teenagers, twenty-somethings and party-focused groups should be based in the central Algarve.

If you are after a cultural or authentic Portuguese holiday, then Monte Gordo's modernism is not for you. The closest most tourists come to any Portuguese culture here is eating sardines or drinking a Sagres beer in one of the many cafes. For a holiday destination with Portuguese character, we would recommend Tavira, Lagos or Cascais near Lisbon.

Insight: Much of the eastern Algarve escaped the massive tourist development of the 1980s and 1990s. This was due to the majority of the coastline being lined by the lagoons and mudflats of the Ria Formosa Nature Park. The beautiful beach of Monte Gordo is the only one that is easily accessible, hence why it was developed.

All of the modern apartments have removed any Portuguese charter that once was in Monte Gordo

Monte Gordo is relatively small, and no hotel or holiday apartment is more than a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach or the main promenade of shops and restaurants.

Within Monte Gordo, there are many medium-sized hotels and even more holiday apartments in the huge blocks that line the beach.

Monte Gordo is a popular destination with Portuguese tourists and Spanish visitors (being only 150km from Seville). This means that in the summer months, the majority of accommodation options are sold out.

Some of the better hotels include 4-star The Prime Energize, which has a great rooftop pool. The Hotel Alba is slightly inland but always has good reviews. The 3-star Vasco da Gama has the prime position on the beach and boasts lots of facilities. Next door is the Hotel-Apartamentos Dunamar, which offers holiday apartments that are great option for families.

We have worked with Booking.com for the last seven years, and the interactive map shows the best hotels and rental rooms in Monte Gordo. If you adjust the dates to suit your holiday, it will display current prices and availability.

Booking.com

If the map does not load, please click here to see the best hotels in Monte Gordo.

The main attraction of Monte Gordo is the beautiful sandy coastline that extends for 14km from the village of Manta Rota in the west to the Spanish border and the mouth of the Guadiana River in the east.

The Praia de Monte Gordo lies halfway along this sandy coastline and is the widest section of the beach, measuring 200 metres from the beach promenade to the edge of the sea. This huge beach can easily accommodate all of the summertime tourists visiting the town.

The prime section of the beach is reserved for paid parasols and sunbeds (€12 per day), but there is plenty of space if you wish to bring your own towels and parasols.

From the central area of the Praia de Monte Gordo, it is only a short walk (400 metres) to near-deserted sections of the beach. To the east is the pristine beach of Praia de Santo António.

The seawaters of Monte Gordo are the warmest in Portugal, but are still chilly - reaching a maximum of just 24C in the summer. Being on the eastern side of the Algarve, the Praia de Monte Gordo is a long distance from the powerful waves and strong sea breezes of the western Algarve. This is a calm and safe coastline that is great for families.

The Praia de Santo António beach is always deserted.

The majority of visitors to Monte Gordo come for the beautiful beaches and glorious climate, but there is actually a lot to do within the region.

A suggested itinerary for a 1-week holiday to maximise your time could include:
Day 1 – A relaxing day on the beach with a stroll along the Praia de Santo António and a walk through the Mata Nacional das Dunas pine forests.
Day 2 – A day trip to Vila Real de Santo António and catch the ferry to the Spanish town of Ayamonte
Day 3 – A day trip to Tavira to explore the most characterful town in the Algarve. There is a train from Monte Gordo to Tavira.
Day 4 – A visit to the tiny but picturesque fortified village of Cacela Velha, then head to the relaxing village of Cabanas.
Day 5 – A day trip to Faro, a historic city with a delightful walled quarter and Bone Chapel (Train from Monte Gordo)
Day 6 – If you have a car, drive to the scenic village of Mértola, positioned high above the Guadiana River (this is a long drive).
Day 6 - (Alternative) – A day trip to the fishing town of Olhão, (by train), with its large fishing harbour and boat tours of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa.
Day 7 – Visit the two castles of Castro Marim and see the large flock of flamingos in the Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim salt marshes.

The Ponte Romana bridge spanning the Gilão River in the historic centre of Tavira.

Cacela Velha

The height of the summer season for Monte Gordo is from July through to August. During this season, the hotels are full, restaurants are busy, and there is a great atmosphere around the town. The weather is suitable for spending time on the beach from May until mid-October. Outside of the summer season, hotel bargains can be found, but the town will feel very quiet.

The average day time maximum and the nighttime minimum temperature for Monte Gordo

The average hours of sunshine per day and monthly rainfall (in mm)

The main international airport of the Algarve is Faro Airport, and Monte Gordo is located 60km to the east.

The majority of visitors to Monte Gordo organise a pre-arranged transfer, but it is possible to use a ride hailing app (Uber or Bolt) or to take the train.

A taxi from the airport will be the most expensive option (around €80), whereas an Uber or Bolt will cost less at €40. The issue with Uber and Bolt is that there can be very high demand in the summer when flights arrive, resulting in increased fares or long waits to connect to drivers.

It is possible to take public transport from the airport to Monte Gordo, which involves taking a bus from the airport to Faro train station then catching the train to Monte Gordo.

The train journey takes 1 hour 7 minutes and costs €5.45 for an adult. The latest timetable can be seen on the Comboios de Portugal website: www.cp.pt/

The main terminal building of Faro Airport

The Mata Nacional da Dunas Litorais de Vila Real de Santo Antonio is the largest forest in the Algarve. This forest was planted during the early 20th century to stabilise the sand dunes of the region.

Today the natural park provides a unique pine forest ecosystem, which is an important habitat of the Common Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon). These timid reptiles are extremely difficult to see. The forest is the perfect place to escape the summer crowds, and there are pleasant, shaded footpaths across the 440 hectares of forest.

The shaded paths of the Mata Nacional da Dunas Litorais.

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