Living in Alte: The Honest Guide to the Algarve's Most Authentic Village

Most people looking to relocate to the Algarve start with the coast. Beaches, sea views, maybe a clifftop terrace for morning coffee. And there's nothing wrong with that. But there's a whole other version of Algarve life that most people never consider, and it looks nothing like the postcards.

Alte is about 16 kilometres north of the famous Praia da Falésia, tucked into the hills where the Barrocal meets the Serra do Caldeirão. It's one of the smallest settlements in the region, with around 426 permanent residents. There are no high-rises, no resort complexes, and no tourist trains trundling through the streets. What there is, instead, is whitewashed houses with traditional Algarvian chimneys, cobblestone lanes, natural spring-fed swimming pools, a 24-metre waterfall, and the kind of community spirit that most coastal towns lost decades ago.

We went up to Alte to meet Fiona, who runs Paradise Cycling Tours from the village and has lived here for four years. She showed us around, introduced us to the locals, and gave us an honest picture of what it's really like to choose rural Algarve life over the beach. This is what we found.

📺 This article is a companion piece to our Algarve Unlocked video on Alte. Watch the full episode for the walking tour, Fiona's full interview, and all the footage we couldn't fit here.

Where Exactly Is Alte?

Alte is a parish (freguesia) in the municipality of Loulé, sitting in the geographic centre of the Algarve on the border between the Barrocal limestone hills and the Serra mountains. If you draw a straight line south from Alte to the coast, you'd hit the western end of Praia da Falésia, or more precisely Praia do Barranco do Serro, a lovely sandy beach with cliff backdrops and lifeguards.

But that straight line is misleading. In reality, it's a good 35 to 40 minutes' drive down to the coast from Alte. The roads wind through hills, past orange groves and fig trees, and that journey time is something you need to factor in honestly if you're thinking about living here.

The closest town of any real size is São Bartolomeu de Messines, about 15 minutes' drive to the west along the N124. If you can't get what you need from Alte's two small grocery stores (plus a couple of mercearias, the smaller Portuguese grocery shops), the Continente supermarket in Messines covers most bases. Loulé, the municipality seat with its famous covered market, Saturday market, and full range of services, is about 25 kilometres to the east, roughly a 30-minute drive.

The N124 road loops around this part of the Algarve connecting Silves, Messines, Alte, Benafim, and Salir, eventually linking up with the N2 down toward São Brás de Alportel. It's actually a beautiful drive. If you haven't explored this inland corridor before, it's well worth spending a day meandering through it.

What Does Alte Actually Feel Like?

If you've spent time in the more inland parts of central Portugal, you'll know that many small villages are essentially abandoned. A couple of elderly residents, shuttered houses, an air of quiet decline. Alte is not that.

Despite its tiny population (and Fiona estimates it may have been double or triple that 50 or 60 years ago, when all the now-ruined houses were still occupied), Alte feels alive. There are cafes open, people walking in the streets, locals greeting each other. When we visited, there were children at the school (Alte has an EB1 with preschool, catering for ages 3 to 9), and the sound of them playing carried through the village.

Alte has been classified as one of the most typical villages in Portugal, and EU funding has helped preserve that character in a tangible way. One thing Fiona pointed out that you notice once she tells you is that there are no overhead power lines anywhere in the village. They've all been buried underground, thanks to EU investment. It sounds like a small thing until you look at the views. From Fiona's house, the hillside panorama is completely unspoiled by cables and poles, and it makes a real difference to how the village feels.

The streets are paved in traditional calçada (Portuguese cobblestone), the houses are whitewashed with colourful trims around the doors and windows, and the chimneys here are among the finest examples of traditional Algarvian design in the whole region. During Easter and other festivals, locals hang decorations across the streets, a tradition called "festivalar a aldeia" (festivalising the village, as Fiona put it, which we've decided counts as a word).

The Bike Cafe That Started in the 1930s

One of Alte's most charming spots, and one that's put it on the map for a very specific community, is Germano BiciArte Café. It sits on the N124 at the edge of the village, and it's part cafe, part bike workshop, part cycling culture hub.

The story goes back to the 1930s, when Pedro Domingues' grandfather Germano ran a bicycle repair and rental shop in the village. Pedro has revived the family tradition, combining a cafe serving local pastries, carob cake, and tapas with a functioning bike workshop where cyclists can get repairs and pick up spare parts.

It's become one of the classic cycling pitstops in the Algarve, alongside places like Velo Lico in Monchique. Cyclists passing through on routes around the Barrocal and Serra stop in for a coffee and a carob brownie before heading back out into the hills. Fiona, being a professional cycling tour guide, is a regular, and it was Pedro who first showed her the house she ended up buying and renovating.

When we dropped in, Fiona was supposed to be inside, but we found Pedro first and got stuck into some local specialities: a galaão (Portugal's version of a latte), fig and almond pastries, and a bolacha de alfarroba (carob cookie) that was genuinely excellent.

The Natural Springs and the Waterfall

Alte's biggest natural attractions are its water features, and they're genuinely special.

Fonte Grande is a spring-fed swimming area just outside the village centre, about an 800-metre walk from the church. The natural spring water has been channelled into a stone-lined pool, framed by grassy banks, shady trees, and picnic tables. It's not deep (waist to chest height in most places, over two metres at the deepest point), but the water is crystal clear and, fair warning, absolutely freezing even on the hottest days. In summer, locals from surrounding towns come here to cool off, and there's a seasonal snack bar selling drinks and simple food. Facilities include toilets and a barbecue area.

People swim in the river throughout the summer, and while it's not an officially designated praia fluvial (river beach), it functions as one. The only officially designated river beach in the Algarve is at Alcoutim on the Guadiana River, on the Portuguese-Spanish border.

Queda do Vigário is one of the Algarve's few waterfalls, a 24-metre cascade that drops into a deep pool surrounded by a large grassy area shaded by fig trees. To reach it, you park by the village cemetery and take a short but steep trail down (about 10 minutes). The walk back up will get your heart rate going.

Here's the honest part: the waterfall is seasonal and entirely dependent on rainfall. The Ribeira de Alte that feeds it can dry up completely during the summer months, sometimes as early as June in dry years. Spring is the best time to see it flowing properly. When it does flow, it's stunning and you can swim in the pool below. But if you visit in August expecting a cascading waterfall, you may find nothing more than a trickle.

We should also mention that the events building near the waterfall has fallen into disrepair. Broken windows, litter, and a generally neglected state. It was a bit shocking to see, and we really hope the authorities clean it up. The waterfall site itself is still beautiful, with the remnants of nine old water mills visible along the river banks, but the surrounding infrastructure needs attention.

The Church and the Village Centre

Like most Portuguese villages, Alte is centred around its church. The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Church of Our Lady of the Assumption) sits at the heart of things, with three or four cafes clustered around the square nearby.

The first church on this site was built in the 13th century, shortly after the Christians expelled the Moors from the Algarve. It was rebuilt in the early 16th century in the Manueline style, named after King Manuel I who reigned from 1495 to 1521, during the great Age of Discoveries. The main west-facing facade features a fine doorway with carved stone architraves decorated with leaves and twisted rope motifs, which is classic Manueline design.

It's worth timing your visit for when the church is open (generally around 10:30 on most days). The interior is decorated with beautiful 18th-century blue azulejo tiles featuring Baroque musician angels, and the chancel area around the main altar is genuinely impressive. Entry is a nominal fee (around €1.50 for adults).

Beyond the church, the village centre has a few key amenities: the Junta de Freguesia (local government office), a pharmacy, and a museum (Polo Museológico Cândido Guerreiro e Condes de Alte) which hosts changing exhibitions. There's also the Alte Tradition Guest House, a nicely renovated guesthouse where Fiona has her cycling tour guests stay.

The village is also known for its street art. Wander down the smaller lanes and you'll find murals and artistic interventions on walls, corners, and alleyways throughout the village. It's not Barcelona-level street art, but it adds character and suggests a community that values creative expression.

What It's Like to Live Here: Fiona's Perspective

Fiona moved to Alte about four years ago. She'd previously been living in Loulé, closer to the coast, but wanted something different: a bigger house, a garden, a view, and the freedom of a renovation project. Her budget didn't stretch to anywhere near the Loulé coast, and this was only in 2021. Prices have continued to climb since.

She already knew Alte from cycling through it. As the owner of Paradise Cycling Tours, she'd passed through countless times on training rides and client tours, and she knew Pedro from the bike cafe. When Pedro showed her a property in the village, she bought it, renovated it, and hasn't looked back.

We asked her to be straight with us about the realities. Here's what she told us.

The good stuff: Alte is right in nature. The walking, running, and cycling from her doorstep are exceptional. She's got the river pools and waterfall for summer swimming. There's a genuine community where you don't have to plan to see friends, you just walk down to the cafe and everyone's there. People leave bags of lemons and homemade cake on her doorstep. The bread man and the fish man still come around in vans, beeping their horns as they drive through the village.

The produce from the local mercearias is outstanding because much of it is organically homegrown by residents. That's proper local food, not supermarket organic with a premium label stuck on.

The village reality: Everyone knows everyone else's business. That's village life anywhere in the world, and Fiona takes it in stride, but if you're someone who values total privacy, a village of 426 people may not suit you. As she put it, "I've got nothing to hide anyway."

Getting to things: Loulé is about 20 minutes away. Messines is 12 to 15 minutes. The nearest coast (Olhos de Água and Vilamoura area) is about 35 minutes. It's not far, but it does require a car for almost everything beyond the village itself.

Learning Portuguese: Fiona strongly recommended learning the language. It's not strictly essential, but it transforms your experience. She pointed out that Alte's local school offers free Portuguese lessons for residents, an intensive programme of three months at three sessions per week, three hours each. One of her neighbours, an American who recently moved to Alte, went through the programme and came out speaking solid Portuguese.

The trajectory: One of the things Fiona valued about Alte was that it's still on an upward trajectory. In the three and a half years she'd been there at the time of filming, several new places had opened, including a new restaurant and a pizzeria that literally opened the week before our visit. Compared to the villages just a couple of valleys to the north, which are on the edge of serious depopulation, Alte still feels like it's attracting people and growing, slowly.

Where to Eat In and Around Alte

For a village of its size, Alte punches above its weight on the food front. And if you extend the radius slightly, the options multiply quickly.

In the village itself, O Folclore is the standout, with a large terrace offering views over the hills and a menu of reasonably priced local dishes (daily specials in the €8 to €12 range). It's also home to Alte's unofficial mascot, a donkey called Baltazar, who provides unsolicited entertainment. Doçaria Água Mel (the "Doseria Aua Mill" in our video's auto-captions, which we apologise for) is a wonderful pastry shop worth visiting for coffee and traditional Algarve sweets. Germano BiciArte Café is ideal for tapas, carob cake, and that pre- or post-ride coffee. And there's also Javali Sentado for Portuguese tapas, with a standout boar burger.

Beyond the village, Fiona rattled off several places that locals frequent in the surrounding villages: spots near Cernadais to the northeast, Paderne to the south, and Benafim to the southeast. The point being that even though Alte itself is small, you're never far from a good meal if you're willing to drive 10 or 15 minutes through some beautiful countryside to get there.

Getting to Alte (and Getting Around)

Let's be direct about this: you need a car.

Alte does have bus service. According to the video, there are around five buses a day to Loulé via Vamus Algarve, though the website was down when we tried to verify exact schedules (a frustratingly common experience with Portuguese public transport websites). The bus routes that do serve Alte depart from Loulé, but frequencies are low and journey times are long. You could technically manage with taxis or ride-sharing apps, but for daily life, a car is essential.

The good news is that driving around the Barrocal is a pleasure. The roads are quiet, the scenery is gorgeous, and you can reach Messines in 12 minutes, Loulé in 20 to 30, or the coast in about 35 to 40. Free parking in Alte itself is easy, with spaces near the roundabout at the village entrance (next to the statue of José Cavaco Vieira, a local son who left for Lisbon but eventually returned to settle permanently in Alte).

The nearest train station is Messines-Alte, though it's still a drive from the village.

A Literary Footnote

Here's a lovely piece of trivia: in James A. Michener's novel The Drifters, Alte serves as the main setting for the Algarve chapter. The story goes that a customs officer recommends the village to the protagonists because he wants them "to know Portugal at its best." That was written decades ago, and you could argue the sentiment still holds.

Alte's most celebrated son is the poet Cândido Guerreiro, born in the village and now commemorated with a museum and a set of azulejo panels at Fonte Pequena displaying his portrait and poems. His most famous verse describes Alte as the place "where waters run singing the songs of fountains and mills." For a village of 426 people, that's quite a literary legacy.

Cycling in the Barrocal

It would be remiss to write about Alte without mentioning cycling, given that it's become one of the Algarve's most important cycling hubs.

Fiona's company, Paradise Cycling Tours, runs guided rides, multi-day cycling holidays, gravel tours, and cycling retreats across Portugal, with many of the Algarve-based rides starting from Alte itself. She's a qualified Level 2 cycling and triathlon coach and has raced at domestic level in the UK, Portugal, and Ireland. Her operation brings clients from around the world to Alte, and many of the guided Algarve rides start at €120 per day from the village.

But you don't need to be on a guided tour to enjoy cycling here. The Barrocal is brilliant for road and gravel riding. The terrain is rolling, the roads are quiet, and the routes through orange groves and limestone hills are among the prettiest in southern Portugal. The N124 loop connecting Silves, Messines, Alte, Benafim, and Salir is a favourite circuit, and Germano BiciArte Café is the natural pitstop.

The Via Algarviana, Portugal's long-distance walking and cycling trail from Alcoutim to Cape St. Vincent, also passes close to Alte, making the village a natural staging point for anyone tackling sections of that route.

Is Alte Right for You?

Alte suits a very specific kind of person, and it's worth being honest about that.

Alte could be a great fit if you genuinely love nature and outdoor life (walking, cycling, running, swimming in natural springs). It works well if you're comfortable with a small, close-knit community where everyone knows each other, if you don't need the coast on your doorstep and are happy driving 35 to 40 minutes for a beach day, if you want authentic Portuguese village life rather than an expat enclave, if you're open to learning Portuguese and integrating into local culture, or if your budget doesn't stretch to coastal property prices and you'd rather invest in a renovation project with views.

Alte might not suit you if you want easy access to restaurants, shops, and nightlife without getting in the car. It's probably not ideal if you prioritise beach proximity for daily life, if you find the idea of everyone knowing your business uncomfortable, if you depend on public transport, or if you want a ready-made social scene with a large English-speaking community.

As Fiona put it, "I honestly don't think I could have chosen somewhere that suits me better." But she also knows herself well enough to know she's the right person for it. She's active, she works from home (or from the road with her cycling business), she speaks Portuguese, and she thrives on the quiet rhythm of village life.

If that resonates with you, Alte is genuinely special. It's one of the last places in the Algarve where you can still experience what Portuguese village life felt like before tourism reshaped the coastline. And at property prices that still make coastal residents do a double-take.

Practical Details at a Glance

Location: Municipality of Loulé, approximately 25 km northwest of Loulé town, 16 km from the coast Population: Approximately 426 residents (village); 1,997 in the wider parish (2011 census) Nearest supermarket town: São Bartolomeu de Messines (15 min drive) with a Continente; two small grocers in the village itself Drive to coast: 35 to 40 minutes (Olhos de Água / Vilamoura area) Drive to Loulé: 20 to 30 minutes Drive to Faro Airport: Approximately 50 minutes via the A22 Public transport: Limited bus service via Vamus Algarve; car strongly recommended Healthcare: Pharmacy in the village; Centro de Saúde (health centre) in Alte; hospital facilities in Loulé or Faro Schools: EB1 school with preschool (ages 3 to 9); free Portuguese language classes for residents Key attractions: Fonte Grande natural swimming area, Queda do Vigário waterfall (seasonal), Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, Germano BiciArte Café, Polo Museológico Cândido Guerreiro Annual events: Semana Cultural de Alte, 1 de Maio celebrations, BTT cycling event (25 April), Carnival

Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Alte

Can you live in Alte without a car?

In theory, yes. The village has a couple of grocery shops, a pharmacy, cafes, and restaurants within walking distance. There is a limited bus service to Loulé. But in practice, you'll need a car for anything beyond basic daily needs, including supermarket shops, medical appointments beyond the local health centre, and trips to the coast. Ride-sharing apps like Bolt and Uber work in the Algarve, but response times in rural areas can be slow.

How much does property cost in Alte compared to the coast?

Alte offers significantly lower property prices than coastal towns. During our visit, we spotted renovation projects listed for as little as €70,000, which is a fraction of what even a modest apartment costs in places like Albufeira or Vilamoura. Of course, renovation costs need to be factored in, and they can vary widely depending on the condition of the property and scope of work. But if you're working with a smaller budget and don't mind a project, Alte opens up possibilities that simply don't exist on the coast.

Is Alte too remote for retirees?

That depends entirely on your lifestyle. If you enjoy nature, community, and a slower pace of life, and you're comfortable driving 20 to 30 minutes for anything the village doesn't offer, Alte can be a wonderful place to retire. The village has a pharmacy, a health centre, cafes, restaurants, and a genuine sense of community. Loulé and Messines are both within easy driving distance. Where it gets harder is if you have mobility issues that prevent driving, or if you rely heavily on specialist medical services that require frequent trips to Faro or Portimão.

What's the expat community like in Alte?

Small but growing. Alte isn't an expat hub like Vilamoura or Lagos, and you won't find a large English-speaking community. But Fiona mentioned several international residents who've settled in recently, including an American couple. The key difference is that in Alte, you're integrating into a Portuguese community rather than an expat one. Learning Portuguese makes a huge difference to your quality of life here, and the free language classes offered at the local school are an excellent starting point.

When is the best time to visit Alte?

For the swimming and the waterfall, the warmer months (May to September) are best, though the waterfall may dry up by mid-summer in low-rainfall years. Spring is ideal for seeing the Queda do Vigário at full flow while the countryside is green and wildflowers are blooming. The Semana Cultural de Alte takes place around the end of April and is a great time to experience the village's cultural life, with music, folklore, dancing, and arts and crafts. If you're visiting to assess Alte as a place to live, try coming outside peak summer to get a feel for the genuine daily pace of the village.

Thinking about relocating to the Algarve? Whether you're drawn to village life or the coast, we can help you find the right fit. Explore our full range of relocation services or get in touch to start the conversation.