Alvor to Fatima

A direct service between Alvor and Faro by Public Transport does not exist.

Your best option would be by bus.

Please see these articles on my blog from last year. This deals with a trip from Lagos.

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Fatima

Alvor is between Lagos and Portimão and in my opinion your best bet would be to get a taxi or local bus into the centre of Portimão where you could connect with the services quoted.

I have published a copy of the relevant timetable on my blog here:(click to enlarge)



There is a direct bus service to Lisbon from Alvor operated by RENEX. However, this terminates at Gare Oriente and does not provide convienent connections to Fatima Services which leave from Sete Rios.

Trains are not that easy either as you have to transit Lisbon and disembark at Caxarias, 10km (6 miles) outside Fátima. There are only a few buses a day between Caxarias and the Sanctuary.

The only other means of transport would be by car. If you took at hire car, you should be aware that the main routes are toll-motorways.

Fatima lies about 350km North of Albufeira, in the Algarve. Alvor lies 50km from Albufeira via the A22 motorway. Total distance is circa 400km each way. If you have a car you can do a long day trip as follows:

- Follow the signs from Alvor of the A22 motorway
- Turn right onto the A22 motorway in the direction of Faro and Espanha.
-After +- 60km head onto the E01 / A2 / IP1 motorway toll road in the direction of Lisbon
-After 2 hours follow the signs for the A13 Santarém
-On arriving in the Santarem Area, head onto E01 / E80 / A1 / IP1 Motorway.
-Continue until you see the off-ramp for Fatima.
-Exit for Fatima.

Sanctuary at Fatima - Contact Details

If you are trying to visit Fatima at any time the followinng may be of use:

Santuário de Fátima
Information
Ap. 31 2496 908
Fátima
Portugal

Tel. 249 539 623
Fax: 249 539 609
E-mail: info@fatima.pt

web: http://www.santuario-fatima.pt

Santarem Hotels

Santarem is not far from Lisbon and other tourist centres such as Fatima which is why there are a few hotels there.

Have a look at the following:


http://www.hotelalfageme.com/
Hotel Alfageme*** - Santarém

Hotel do Prado*** - Santarém
hotel.prado@mail.eurest.pt


http://www.maisturismo.pt/hsantarem
SANTARÉM HOTEL

Lagos to Fatima

It is possible to do it by normal bus...it will be a long day but doable as long as you are only going to visit the Sanctuary, and spend few hours on pilgrimage.

Eva Transportes have a bus departure (Mondays to Fridays) from Lagos Bus Station at 05:45 arriving Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station at 09:30.

There is a Rede Expressos bus leaving Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station at 10:30 arriving Fatima at 11:55h.

For the return there is a Rede Expressos Bus from Fatima at 16:30 h arriving Lisbon Sete Rios at 18:00 h.

There is an Eva Transportes bus from arriving Lisbon Sete Rios at 18:30 arriving Lagos Bus Station at 22:15. There is one bus after this at 20:30 if you miss this one.

Rede Expressos Website (Only Portuguese)- http://www.rede-expressos.pt/0010.asp

Eva Transportes -
http://www.eva-bus.com

Return Trip should cost about e 55.00 per person.

Vilamoura to Fatima

The most direct route from Vilamoura to Fatima by public transport is by bus from Quarteira, the town right next to Vilamoura.

Bus operator Rede Expressos offer several services daily via Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station.

The following is an extract from there current schedule:(Double Click on the + sign below to enlarge )



By train, you would have to get a service from Loulé Station, 6km from Vilamoura to Lisbon Gare Oriente.

See the second part of this post on my blog for more details:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/algarve-albufeira-fatima.html

carvoeiro to fatima

I presume you mean Carvoeiro in the Algarve, not Cabo do Carvoeiro!

According to google maps, the distance is 361 km,taking about 3 hours 19 mins, and a long part on toll motorways.

Algarve - Albufeira - Fatima

Fatima lies about 350km North of Albufeira. If you have a car you can do a long day trip as follows:

-Exit Albufeira on the EN 125 direction Guia.
-Turn right onto the IC1
-After 1km turn right onto the A22 motorway in the direction of Faro and Espanha.
-After 6km head onto the E01 / A2 / IP1 motorway toll road in the direction of Lisbon
-After 2 hours follow the signs for the A13 Santarém
-On arriving in the Santarem Area, head onto E01 / E80 / A1 / IP1 Motorway.
-Continue until you see the off-ramp for Fatima.
-Exit for Fatima.

By train, the trip is not easy!

You would need to get a train from Albufeira Station, actually situated at Ferreiras, 8km from Albufeira to Lisbon Gare Oriente.

You would then need to get a train from Lisbon Gare Oriente to Caxarias (About 1 hours 15 minutes.) and then a bus from there to Fatima at: 7.00, 8.45, 10.45, 13.45, 15.05, 17.05 e 19.10

For trains from the Algarve to Lisbon you can download the timetable in pdf format via my blog here:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com

Scroll down on the right until you come to the panel entitled:

>> Algarve & Portugal - Travel Transport Links

select: Portuguese Railways - Summer 2007 - Lisbon - Algarve Faro/Lagos Timetable

For the timetable Lisbon to Caxarias

select: Porto - Lisbon - Porto Train Timetable

Note that although there is a station marked Fatima it is not close to the Sanctuary. (Caxarias is the station to use.)

Rede Expressos, a national coach company, operate services from Albufeira Bus station to Lisbon Sete Rios Coach Station. From there, there are services to Fatima.

Unfortunately their online timetables are not easily viewed as the website is old. You can see their timetable here:

http://www.rede-expressos.pt

There are several departures daily, depending on time of year and season with a transit time of about 5 - 7 hours hours with a change in Lisbon.

It is best to check at Albufeira Bus Station prior to travelling.

Seville to Porto via the Algarve Coast and Lisbon

There is so much history on the route you have outlined that books have been written about it.

From prehistoric times when men erected dolmens and worshipped the setting sun near Sagres, through the eviction of the Moors, the Portuguese Voyages of discovery to the Napoleonic Wars when Wellington erected the Lines of Torre Vedras north of Sintra your route will take you through such a wealth of History that it is impossible to recommend one and not the other.

However, here is a list you could start with:

On entering Portugal at Ayamonte from Spain:

Castro Marim - Medieval Castle
Tavira - Founded by the Romans and now traditional Portuguese coastal town.
Faro - See the old town
Lagos - Where I live! See the following link for a synopsis I have just written on this area

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/must-see-do-around-lagos.html

Going North:

Alcacer da Sal - Battle and Fortress
Setubal - Setubal and Palmela Castle
Lisbon - at a minimum

- Castelo São Jorge
Find the Chapitu Restaurant near by and sit on its terrace having lunch and enjoy the view over the Tejo

see:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2007/06/lisbon-restaurants-with-views.html
(This is on my blog. If you don't get the full url just go to my blog - details below and search for chapitu.)


- Belem Monument
- Jeronimos Monastery
- Palacio - Queluz

Sintra - Pena Castle

Heading North -

Obidos - Old walled city
Batalha - Cathedral
Alcobaça - Monastery
Fatima - Catholic Sanctuary
Coimbra - one of the oldest Universities in Europe
Nazare - Old traditional Fishing Town
Porto - 2nd City of Portugal, Potr Wine, Douro Valley

Have a browse of my blog where you may find other posts of note:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com

If you are genuinely interested in Portuguese History get hold of the following book:

Portugal - A Companion History by Dr. José Hermano Saraiva. (In English) - ISBN 1 85754 211 8

This a short but very good overview of Portuguese History by a gentleman, although now in his late 80's continues to present weekly history programmes on Portuguese T.V. on some esoteric aspect of Portuguese History.

Enjoy youself

Lisbon to Evora and Fatima

Lisbon to Evora.

You have two options:

1) Rail - 3 x Trains from Lisbon Gare Station Oriente to Evora

08:10
14:10
18:10

(Summer Timetable - Transit time +-2 hours)

Return

06:44
13:44
18:44

2) Buses from Sete Rios Coach Station to Evora. (Metro Jardim Zoologico)

Timetable here -

http://www.rede-expressos.pt/

Warning site only works with the Evil Empire's IE5.5 plus browser!!!!

As regards Fatima I understand that rede-expressos operate buses also on this route. There are no trains nearby.

If you are going to do both places, hiring a car may be more sensible.

Lisbon to Evora is about 90 minutes. (Note: Toll Motorway)

Lisbon to Evora about 90 minutes (Note: Toll Motorway)

Hope this helps