Algarve · Month comparison

September vs May

September ranks #1 overall vs May at #2. The golden month — 28°C, sea at its warmest, families back at school.

September warm light on Algarve cliffs

September

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The golden month — 28°C, sea at its warmest, families back at school.

  • ↑Sea at 23°C (warmer than July), light winds, prime kayak/SUP weather
  • ↑Med Cup sailing in Vilamoura early September
Praia da Marinha cliffs in May light

May

#2 of 12 months

Best match

Tied with Sep as the best Algarve month — 24°C, dry, beaches reopen properly.

  • ↑Praia da Marinha and Benagil cave accessible without queues
  • ↑Sea hits 19°C, swimmable for most
FactorSeptemberMay
Weather score
10
9
Value score
6
7
Crowd score
6
7
Events score
7
7
Atmosphere
10
9
Avg high temp28°C24°C
Monthly rain18mm20mm
Daily sunshine9hrs10hrs

September trade-offs

  • ↓Atlantic surf swell starts building late month — west-coast beaches roughen
  • ↓First small storm typically rolls in around 25-30 September

May trade-offs

  • ↓Late-May half-term brings UK families and 20% rate jump
  • ↓Atlantic west coast (Sagres) still windy and 3-4°C cooler than Faro
See all 12 months for Algarve →September in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Algarve. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →