Francisco Álvares (c. 1465 in Coimbra – 1536~1541, Rome) is a Portuguese missionary and explorer.

In 1515 he travels to Ethiopia as part of the Portuguese embassy to emperor Lebna Dengel accompanied by returning Ethiopian ambassador Matheus.

The embassy arrives only in 1520 to Ethiopia where he joins long sought Portuguese envoy Pêro da Covilhã.

There he remains six years, returning to Lisbon in 1526-27 having written a report entitled Verdadeira Informação das Terras do Preste João das Indias ("A True Relation of the Lands of Prester John of the Indies").