Ryanair - New route - Faro - Glasgow Prestwick

Ryanair have today announced a new twice weekly route from Glasgow Prestwick to Faro operating Wednesdays and Sundays beginning 29th October 2008.

My guess is that having burnt their fingers with the Faro - Madrid Route last year which we desperate still need and before that Faro - Girona, Ryanair, are sticking to developing routes out of Faro where others have already paid for the route development. In this case, Globespan with their services from Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports.

I hope that this route is more successful and that Ryanair, as is often the case, do not cancel the service a couple of months later without announcement.

This could be a useful addition to services between the Algarve and Scotland, but be very careful booking to far in advance.

Travel from Madrid to Castelo Branco

At present the traditional train route between Madrid and Lisbon is not operating.

There is a once daily service however, operating overnight:

Dept: Madrid (Chamartin) 22h45
Arriving: Entroncamento 06h37

There is a train departing:

Dept: Entroncamento 07h46
Arriving: Castelo Branco 10h01

There are no direct through bus services Madrid to Castelo Branco.

One would have to take a bus Madrid - Lisbon Sete Rios and then another bus Lisbon Sete Rios - Castelo Branco.

Lagos supermarket

Have a look at this page on my blog:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Lagos+Supermarkets

If you come of the A22 at exit one (Lagos), continue until you hit the second roundabout and bear left in the direction of the centre. After 200m, you will arrive at another roundabout continue straight on. You will see on your right the newly refurbished Intermarche Supermarket. Turn right at the next Traffic lights and right again and you will see the Supermarket Car Park.

As regards things on have a look at this link:

http://www.visitalgarve.pt/visitalgarve/vEN/NaoPerca/?Data=2008-6-16

Algarve-wide but its not a big region.

Lisbon to Merida

The Spanish Bus company, www.alsa.es shows a regular daily coach service leaving Lisbon Sete Rios Coach Station (Metro - Jardim Zoologico) several times a day. The service transits Lisbon Gare Oriente Bus/Rail Station 15 minutes later. Journey time is about 4hrs.45 mins.

The following is the timetable. (Click to enlarge)

Lagos - Plus becomes Pingo Doce

The discount store formerly known as Plus,
on Avenida da Republic in Lagos, has now become part of the Pingo Doce Chain.

Opening hours are 09:00 to 21:00 including Sundays.

Getting to France from Portugal

As regards air, only AirFrance.fr operate direct daily services between Lisbon and Bordeaux but the one way prices are high. You might get a better deal buying a return and not using the return sector.
Easyjet.com have just launched a flight from Lisbon to Lyon. They also operate Lyon to Bordeaux. You might find this useful.

As regards Brittany, it is very difficult. My partner and I had to visit friends near Carhaix, over Christmas and after hours of working on flight combinations from Faro and Lisbon, I ended up hiring a car and driving.

Another option would probably be from Lisbon via a UK airport (either London Gatwick / London Stansted or Bristol) on Easyjet.com or a combination of Easyjet / Ryanair.

A final option could be by Easyjet.comm - Lisbon to Paris Charles De Gaulle and then TGV train from Charles de Gaulle to your destination. See www.sncf.fr for more information.

Be aware that you may have to spend a night en route.

Faro Airport to Salema

The following is a timetable using buses operated by EVA Transportes which will get you from Faro Airport to Salema on a Monday in September.

Faro Airport 10:47
Faro Bus Station 11:05 Bus 14 or Bus 16
FARO Bus Station 12:30
LAGOS Bus Station 14:40 Daily
LAGOS Bus Station 15:10
SALEMA 15:42 Daily

Regretably, there is no combination of bus or train that would allow you to travel from Salema to Faro Airport on Monday to arrive by 08:15.

It would have to be a taxi at about € 90.00 or you would have to travel down to Faro the night before and spend the night there.

Lisbon - Tavira - Sagres - Lisbon

Firstly, it is all eminently possible within the time frame outlined.

Assuming you are arriving Lisbon Airport, picking up your car from there and leaving for the South straight away, I would suggest that you proceed straight to Tavira via the Vasco da Gama Bridge, A2 toll motorway and the A22 Via de Infante motorway.

Viamichelin.com gives the following details:

Costs 44.79 EUR
Toll 17.85 EUR
Petrol 26.94 EUR

Transit Time 02h52 (Allow 3hrs 15mins with stops.)
Distance 299km

As regards the return, I suggest that you use a combination of the A22 and EN 125 Algarve coastal arterial roads to visit the places you wish to see. I recommend visiting Silves and Lagos definitely.

I suggest you might want to base youself in Sagres while exploring the Western Algarve. I can recommend the Albergaria Mareantes as a medium cost quality B&B. To make a reservation, contact Maria de Jesus via the details shown on this page.

http://www.paraisolpraia.com/index.php?content=contact

For the return to Lisbon, I recommend that you follow the N268 from Sagres through Vila de Bispo to the Alfambra junction, then the N120 through Aljezur, Rogil, Odeceixe, Vila Nova Milfontes. Depending how often you stop this should not take more than 4 hours.

North at Vila Nova de Milfontes, turn left at Brunheiras and visit Porto Covo, awind swept beach on this Alentejo coast.

Then head North to Sines. I would not recommend staying in Sines as it is a port town. Head North from Sines up the N261 - 5, the N 261, and the N 253-1 to Troia.

There are hotels there or you can cross the Sado Estuary on the car ferry and visit Setubal, (recommended). There is an Ibis Hotel just out of Setubal in the N10 heading south which I can recommend. There is also a Novotel there as well.

From Setubal you are only 40 minutes by motorway from Lisbon Airport via the Vasco Da Gama Bridge.

I often drive Algarve - Lisbon - Lagos by both routes and a non-stop transit time takes me no longer than 4 hours.

If you want to reduce costs, take the I would suggest that you proceed straight to Tavira via the Vasco da Gama Bridge, A2 and leave the toll road at off ramp 6 - Marateca. Get onto the N10/IC1 south and continue till you come to the A22 Guia intersection. Follow the on ramp for Faro and continue till you come to the Tavira of ramp.

Note that the speed limit on the N10/IC1 is 90 km/hr. The are regular police checks. Allow an extra 75 minutes at least if using this route.

Hope this helps.

Southern Portugal

Evora is not just the chapel of bones but also Roman Ruins, a delightfuly typical inland town and university town.

I would suggest that Lagos is a better option than Faro. Although Faro has a small lovely old centre it is the administrative capital of the Algarve and its beaches are a ways away.

Lagos is historic, its beaches are accessible and in my opinion more fun.

There are twice - daily buses operated by Damas/Eva between Lagos and Seville on weekdays between October and the end of May. In summer the buses are daily.

You can find the timetable here on Cubsur's excellent site:

http://thomasallen.home.sapo.pt/travel/001.htm

Have a great trip.

Travel from Malaga to Lisbon

Air Portugal - Tap operate regular flights from Malaga to Lisbon but the one way ticket price is ridiculous - in the order of € 364 per person at the end of June 2008. You may get something cheaper by buying returns.

A combination of low-cost flights involving airlines such as Spanair/ Clickair/Easyjet/Vueling on the route from Malaga to Lisbon via Barcelona or Madrid may be your best bet by air.

By long distance coach, www.alsa.es operate an overnight daily bus service as follows: