Lisbon, Portugal - Sete Rios Train station to Cais do Sodre Train Station

There is no direct metro line between these two stations.

One can take the Green(Linha Verde) and Blue(Linha Azul) Metro lines between the two, changing at Baixa Chiado Station.

Carris.pt 758 bus runs directly between Sete Rios Station and Cais de Sodre Station.
Every 10 minutes during the day. Transit time depending on traffic about 35 minutes & one gets to see Lisbon.

Details here:

 …transporteslisboa.pt/pt/…

Cascais, Portugal - Comments on where to eat reasonably

We were in Cascais a couple of weeks ago.

We ate at two restaurants, neither of which were expensive and where the food was good.

Pateo do Petisco - http://bit.ly/pateodopetiscocascais

I had an açorda das gambas (traditional alentejo bread stew with prawns which I love) which was to die for! It came in medium sized saucepan and would have done both of us! Cost was about 9.50€

The restaurant is located on the top floor of the old Cascais Market, where as a kid I used to see live poultry and wabbits being sold. The market is now a type of "Space" and there are other restaurants around there that look good as well. If I am correct we came out at about 13,00€ per head including drinks.

One should book as it is clear that it is very popular.

O Apeadeiro - http://bit.ly/oapeadeiro

Found this on our first night. Good Portuguese food.

A bit pricey at the top end of the menu, but I had a good traditional Portuguese meat dish.

Again we both got out for under 15€ per head including drinks.

The food court on the top floor of the Cascais Vila Shopping Centre opposite the station has a range of eateries and on a good day wonderful views over the Tejo Estuary towards Caparica.

There are also two excellent Pastelerias/Cafes in Cascais run by the same group ( http://www.sacolinha.pt/ ) which also do small set dishes of the day (pratos de dia)!

I had soup and a vegetable lasanha type thing for about 5.00€

We go to this one near the Hotel Cidadela:

sacolinha.pt/onde-estamos/sacolinha-25-abril/

There is also a branch here:

sacolinha.pt/onde-estamos/sacolinha-cascais/

Alvor, Algarve, Portugal - Public Transport to/from Lisbon, Portugal

Alvor is becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination.

However, there are poor local public transport links linking Alvor to the train and bus stations at Portimão, the nearest main centre.

The bus company Renex.pt is the easiest option to travel directly from Lisbon to Alvor.

Bus timetable in pdf format is here:

http://renex.pt/Files/Horarios_SUL.pdf

I use RENEX if I need to get up to Lisbon Airport from Lagos, (final stop after Alvor) overnight, or to Porto as the connections are very easy..

At present, there are seven buses daily each way between Alvor and Lisbon.

These buses stop half-way up the motorway to Lisbon in the Alentejo for 15 minutes for a coffee, loo-stop and generally admiring the countryside or Alentejo night sky.

It is a pain one can't book online, but as long as one is at the ticket office at the Gare Oriente Bus Station, 30 minutes in advance, there is usually no problem with tickets..   

Lagos, Algarve, Portugal - Travelling to/from Lisbon & Seville by Public transport

Visiting Lagos in the Western Algarve region of Southern Portugal.

Here's some tips on how to get to Lagos by public transport from both Lisbon, Portugal and Seville, Spain.

Travel to/from Lisbon, Portugal

There are both long distance buses and trains connecting Lisbon to Lagos.

Depending on time of year, there are approximately 18 services a day.

Train :

One takes either a cp.pt Alfa-Pendular or Intercidades train with destination Faro, from one of two Lisbon main stations, Gare Oriente or Entrecampos. One changes at Tunes, a village in the interior of the Algarve countryside to a local train to Lagos. This takes about an hour.

Alfa-Pendular at Estação do Tunes, Algarve

The current timetable in pdf format can be found here:

http://www.cp.pt/StaticFiles/Passageiros/horarios/horarios/PDF/ap_ic/porto_lisboa_faro_lagos.pdf

Bus/Long Distance Coach::

There are three operators:

- EVA-Transport Mundial / Rede-Expressos who operate a combined direct(with stops) long-distance coach service from Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station to Lagos and v.v.

Lisbon/Lisboa Sete Rios Bus/Coach Station - 2015

- Renex.pt which operates a long-distance coach service(with stops) from Lisbon Gare Oriente Bus Station to Lagos.

Transit times are between 03hrs 45mins and 04hrs30mins

Travel to/from Seville, Andalucia, Spain 

There are three operators.

- EVA-Transport Mundial / Dama-sa.es who operate a combined direct(with stops) long-distance coach service to/from Sevilla Plaza das Armas Bus Station to Lagos and v.v.
- Alsa.es also operates as service to/from  Sevilla Plaza das Armas Bus Station to Lagos and v.v.

The best presentation on these services can be found on Cubsur's excellent site here:

http://algarvebus.info/001.htm

Cascais, Portugal - 2015 - Best Tourism Year ever

In an article, published today in the Portuguese online daily observador.pt, it is reported that the town of Cascais, situated on the north side of the estuary of the Tagus, 30 kms west of Lisbon, had its best ever year for tourism.

Cascais, situated at the terminus of the "Linha da Cascais", the suburban rail line that runs from Lisbon's Cais de Sodre station, has long been a destination for the upmarket tourist segment.

However, these figures confirm qualitative data over the past two years from online sources such as Tripadvisor.com, that increasingly tourists in general are looking at Cascais, and Estoril which lies in the Cascais Council area, as desirable destinations.

The bulk of visitors originated from the UK, Germany, Holland, Sweden and France. Visitors from Spain also favor the area, it being an easy drive from the Madrid region.



In part the development of low-cost flights into Lisbon Airport by airlines such as ryanair.com, easyjet.com, transavia.com, vueling.com are contributory factors. However, the write also believes that the fact that the Cascais region offers a range of tourist products, apart from beaches, makes it increasingly desirable. The proximity of the region to both Sintra and Lisbon also adds to the region's desirability.

However, there are a couple of issues that, in the writer's opinion, may restrict substantial future development of visitor numbers:

1. Lack of direct reasonably priced public transport services such as direct buses/scheduled limo services  to Lisbon Airport. A direct hourly bus service from Cascais Station via Estoril Station to Lisbon Airport via the A5 motorway /CRIL would be a great improvement, especially with more airlines such as monarch.co.uk starting direct services to Lisbon Airport in 2016.. 
2. Insufficient tourist accommodation, particularly in the budget/independent traveler end and apartment/villa rental sectors of the market. 

  .

Top Restaurants in Lisbon,Portugal - 2015

Portuguese on-line Tourism Website has today announced the list of top restaurants in Lisbon for 2015 under the "Lisboa à Prova – Concurso Gastronómico" - competition.

"3 Garfos" - (Three Forks)(Top)

• A Travessa 
• Belcanto 
• Eleven Feitoria 
• O Nobre 
• Restaurante Lapa 
• Varanda

"2 Garfos" - (Two Forks)

• 1300 Taberna
• A Cevicheria
• Bistrô 4
• Cantinho do Avillez
• Duplex
• Enoteca de Belém
• Estórias na Casa da Comida
• Flor-de-Lis
• Flores do Bairro
• Grill D. Fernando
• Leopold
• Lisboa à Noite
• Lisboète
• Mensagem
• Mini Bar
• O Bem Disposto
• O Talho
• Panorama
• Peixaria da Esquina
• Rossio Bar Terraço
• Sala de Corte
• Salsa & Coentros
• Sessenta
• Tabik
• Tasca da Esquina
• Via Graça
• Viva Lisboa
• Volver de Carne Y Alma
• Xapuri Bistro.

"1 Garfo" (One Fork)

• 151 One Five One
• 2 à Esquina, Iguarias e Petiscos
• 5 Oceanos
• A Casa do Bacalhau
• A Fábrica de Santiago
• A Tapadinha, Cozinha Russa
• A Tasca do Tio Candinho
• A Travessa do Fado
• Adega da Tia Matilde
• Adega Machado
• Apicius
• Aromas e Temperos
• Aura Lounge Café
• Bastardo
• Bellalisa Elevador
• Bistro Edelweiss
• Blend
• Brasserie de L’Entrecôte – Chiado
• Brasserie de L’Entrecôte – Parque das Nações
• Café Lisboa
• Cantina da Estrela
• Carmo
• Cervejaria Portugália – Belém
• Chefe Cordeiro
• Coffee Shop Rendez Vous
• De Castro Elias
• Delícias de Goa
• Dinastia Tang
• Este Oeste
• Everest Montanha – Avenida do Brasil
• Faz Figura
• Fumeiro de Santa Catarina
• Grei
• Grelhados de Alcântara
• Gustus e Sushi Alentejano
• In Bocca al Lupo
• Jockey
• Kampai
• La Paparrucha
• Le Moustache
• Lost In Esplanada Bar
• Madragoa Café
• Maria Catita
• Marisqueira D’Pescador
• Mercearia de L Praino
• Meson Andaluz
• Mô Petiscaria
• Moules & Beer
• My Story Rossio
• Nogueira´s Fire Food
• O Guarda-Mor
• O Mercado
• O Polícia
• Oficina do Duque
• Oito Dezoito
• Open Brassserie Mediterrânica
• Páteo Velho – Ordem dos Médicos
• Pimenta Rosa
• Pizzaria Lisboa
• Pizzaria Luzzo
• Restaurante Bordalo Pinheiro – Radisson Blu Hotel
• Restaurante Carnalentejana
• Restaurante D’Bacalhau
• Sacramento do Chiado
• Sagrada Família
• Salsa Rosa Bistro
• Sem Dúvida
• Senhor Peixe
• Servejaria
• Solar dos Leitões
• Solar dos Nunes
• Sushi Café Amoreiras
• Sushi Café Avenida
• Tapa Bucho
• Tasca Urso
• Tentações de Goa
• Tertúlia do Paço
• The Decadente
• The George
• The Insólito
• The Old House
• Trivial
• Tsubaki
• U Chiado
• Uai!
• Varanda de Lisboa
• Very Important Picanha
• Vicente by Carnalentejana
• Wasabi Sushi Bar
• Zambeze.

The full article, (in Portuguese can be found here): http://bit.ly/1P2qxat

Sources of Wedding Planners - Algarve and Portugal

This is a resource where I will periodically post updated links on known wedding planners capable of helping organising weddings in in Portugal and also the Algarve region of Portugal.

Courtesy of Twitter - Algarve Wedding Resources

Tweets about wedding algarve

Courtesy of Twitter - Portugal Wedding Resources

Tweets about Portugal Weddings

Lagos, Portugal to Lisbon, Portugal using eva-bus.com

I use the EVA bus/coach service from Lagos to Lisbon frequently.

The service from Lagos calls at Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Lagoa and then proceeds DIRECT NON-STOP to Lisboa Sete Rios Rodoviarío (bus station).

Lisboa Sete Rios Bus Station

IT DOES NOT PASS GO! IT DOES NOT COLLECT €200!!

Transit time from Lagos is 3hr45mins.

There is NO STOP between Lagoa and Sete Rios! This takes about 2hrs45mins

There is an on-board toilet and occasionally, a cafe service.

If the bus is full it can be fun!!.

On-board EVA Bus leaving Lagos, Portugal

Rede-Expressos and RENEX buses from Lagos to Lisbon do stop en-route, usually at the Aljustrel Service Area on the A2 Lisbon - Algarve Motorway. Transit Time is longer (up to 4hrs30mins) but, at least, one has 15 minutes to stretch one's legs. If one, takes the overnight RENEX service, and there are no clouds, one has the opportunity to marvel for 15 minutes at the beautiful night sky over the Alentejo!

Between the three bus services, there are, at least, 16 daily services between Lagos and Lisbon. In Summer frequencies increase.

Lagos Bus Station

A Final Point! The Renex service has its Lisbon terminal at Gare Oriente Bus Station which is only 3 Metro stops from Lisbon Airport.

Vacances au Portugal - Appartement à louer - Lagos, Algarve

Rêvez-vous d'un endroit isolé vert et agréable pour vos prochaines vacances?

“La mer?”

“...Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs..” ?

“ La mer bergère d'azur...Infinie!” ?

Prés de la ville historique de Lagos, située sur la 1e etage de Casa Beachcomber, un ancien “country-club” entourée d'un jardin verdant, existe le “Balcony Apartment”.

Balcony Apartment

Avec des vues du balcon vers la belle plage de “Meia Praia” et l''Atlantique, cet apartement est idéal pour les voyageurs seuls ou les couples.

Composé d´une chambre avec lit matrimonial, salle de bain en-suite, une cuisine bien équipée, et salle, c'est une destination ideal pour ceux que veulent des vacances tranquilles, mais avec l'accès facile aux restaurantes, supermarchés et la plage.

en savoir plus, cliquez ici

The current best way to get to Granada from Seville by Public Transport

There is currently no train service between Antequera and Granada, as the line is being upgraded to AVE/TGV standard.

The work is way behind schedule.

I was in Granada over Christmas and chatting to the tourist operators there, it is clear that there is no confirmed public date for the start of service.

Driving from Seville to Granada it was clear from the road after Antequera, that although much of the civils are now completed, a lot remains to be done on track laying and completion of catenary and power supply.

So for the moment, bus is the only option.

I have checked the Spanish press since returning and there is talk of the line being open in the 1st quarter 2016. However, there are problems with station facilities in Granada.

Methinks this is going to run for a while.

Update: 10 January 2016 Article in the Spanish press about the railway line to Granada:

http://www.granadadigital.es/retraso-del-ave-por-las-obras-en-la-linea-bobadilla-granada/

However, Visit Granada!!!!

It was my 4th time and I love it!

Flights between Lisbon(LIS), Portugal and Sevilla(SVQ), Spain

Direct Flights flights from Lisbon(LIS) to Sevilla(SVQ) are not that rare.

The current ana.pt timetable(January 2016) for the route shows:

Two flights daily Sunday to Thursday (morning/evening)

Three flights daily on Friday

One flight daily on Saturday (SVQ/LIS)

One flight daily on Sunday (LIS/SVQ)

48 seater ATR 42-600 turbo-props operated by Portugalia on behalf of the parent company, TAP-Air Portugal. (www.flytap.com)

This represents over 600 seats per week in each direction.

Obviously, if one cannot wait, then a car may be quicker and one gets to see a bit of the countryside.

I suspect that there is additional capacity on the route, particularly, low-cost.