Packing for the Algarve is really packing for two climates: the fierce horizontal sun outdoors, and the air-conditioned or stone-cooled indoors. Layers solve both.
Year-round essentials
High-SPF sunscreen (buy it at home; it costs more here), polarised sunglasses, a refillable water bottle, and shoes that can manage cobbles and cliff paths. Swimwear belongs in every suitcase from April to October.
Summer additions
A wide-brimmed hat, airy linen or cotton layers for evenings ashore, and a light long-sleeve for boat trips — sea breeze plus sun is the classic Algarvian sunburn. Reef shoes earn their place on any rocky-cove itinerary.
Winter and shoulder months
November through March wants a proper jacket for evenings, a rain shell, and closed walking shoes for damp stone lanes. Daytime often stays shirt-sleeve warm — pack for spring-like variability.
Small things with outsized value
A dry bag or zip pouch for phones on boats, a compact picnic kit for market days, cash for island kiosks, and a plug adaptor if you're coming from beyond Europe. Leave room for olive oil and tinned sardines going home.
