It may be warm enough for the beach but don't count on the pool or sea being warm enough for swimming.
For markets have a look at these posts on my blog:
http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/lagos-algarve-markets.html
and
http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/lagos-algarve-portugal-markets.html
As regards culture and history have a look at this article on wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagos,_Portugal
If you are interested in history, a visit to the Fort at Sagres where Prince Henry the Navigator, (Infante Dom Henrique), had his navigation school is a must.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Western or Eastern Algarve?
I suspect that the Lagos area might be of interest to you.
Apart from Tavira, it is one of the only coastal towns in the Algarve to retain its traditional Portuguese Character.
There are two good local beaches - Porto de Mos and Meia Praia, both of which are ideal for kids.
Assuming you have a hire car, the coast west of Lagos is rugged and beautiful with some small villages and great small hidden beaches.
Checkout also Salema.
Apart from Tavira, it is one of the only coastal towns in the Algarve to retain its traditional Portuguese Character.
There are two good local beaches - Porto de Mos and Meia Praia, both of which are ideal for kids.
Assuming you have a hire car, the coast west of Lagos is rugged and beautiful with some small villages and great small hidden beaches.
Checkout also Salema.
Car Hire - Algarve - 2009
Try Luzcar.
http://www.luzcar.com
They can provide you with a vehicle on arrival at Faro Airport.
I have used them for years.
Although their prices may appear slightly higher than others, the prices are inclusive apart from extra personal coverage. This also includes 2nd Driver and ability to take the car to Spain at no extra cost.
AutoJardim are also reputable.
http://www.auto-jardim.com/
http://www.luzcar.com
They can provide you with a vehicle on arrival at Faro Airport.
I have used them for years.
Although their prices may appear slightly higher than others, the prices are inclusive apart from extra personal coverage. This also includes 2nd Driver and ability to take the car to Spain at no extra cost.
AutoJardim are also reputable.
http://www.auto-jardim.com/
Friday, 16 January 2009
Faro Airport to Huelva
transfershuelva.com used to operate a schedule service between Faro Airport and Huelva.
I have spoken to them and they say at present they are only operating such a service by reservation and for groups.
A hire car is not really an option unless you are returning it to Faro Airport. If this is an option, I recommend Luzcar, (http://www.luzcar.com).
I have dealt with them for years. Their prices are inclusive and they allow you to take cars into Spain as far as Seville.
As regards buses, you would need to take a local bus or taxi to Faro bus station and then one of the three daily services from Faro to Huelva.
Cubsur has all the timetables from the Algarve to Spain on his website:
http://thomasallen.home.sapo.pt/travel/001.htm
I have spoken to them and they say at present they are only operating such a service by reservation and for groups.
A hire car is not really an option unless you are returning it to Faro Airport. If this is an option, I recommend Luzcar, (http://www.luzcar.com).
I have dealt with them for years. Their prices are inclusive and they allow you to take cars into Spain as far as Seville.
As regards buses, you would need to take a local bus or taxi to Faro bus station and then one of the three daily services from Faro to Huelva.
Cubsur has all the timetables from the Algarve to Spain on his website:
http://thomasallen.home.sapo.pt/travel/001.htm
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Travelling from Seville to Faro
I am based in the Algarve in Portugal and am not fully conversant with hire car availability in Seville.
If your are planning to do a one way trip between Spain and Portugal you should use one of the majors such as AVIS/HERTZ/EUROPCAR. Be aware that their one way inter-country drop charges are generally exorbitant.
If this is a case you may wish to us public transport to travel from Seville to Faro and hire a car there.
If you are doing a return, Seville - Faro - Seville, from previous visits to Seville, however, I am aware of two car hire companies with offices just outside Santa Justa Train Station in Seville:
These are:
Atesa - http://www.atesa.es - They have an office just near the station on Avenida Kansas City.
Auriga Crown - http://www.aurigacrown.com/ - Avda. de Kansas City, 32.
Again near the train station.
If your are planning to do a one way trip between Spain and Portugal you should use one of the majors such as AVIS/HERTZ/EUROPCAR. Be aware that their one way inter-country drop charges are generally exorbitant.
If this is a case you may wish to us public transport to travel from Seville to Faro and hire a car there.
If you are doing a return, Seville - Faro - Seville, from previous visits to Seville, however, I am aware of two car hire companies with offices just outside Santa Justa Train Station in Seville:
These are:
Atesa - http://www.atesa.es - They have an office just near the station on Avenida Kansas City.
Auriga Crown - http://www.aurigacrown.com/ - Avda. de Kansas City, 32.
Again near the train station.
Coach from Lisbon to Serta / cernache do bonjardim
Sorry for the delay in reply!
I was on a rush trip to Lisbon and Seville.
You do not say where you are flying from Lisbon to.
Easyjet have flights from Lisbon on Saturdays to
London Gatwick
London Luton
Madeira
Milan
Paris CDG.
I will therefore only be able to give you generalised advice.
Firstly, very few direct long-distance coaches go directly to Lisbon Airport.
You will probably need to get to Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station and then to the Airport.
There are Rede Expressos http://www.rede-expressos.pt/ buses from Cernache Bonjardiim to Lisbon Sete Rios as follows:
CERNACHE BONJARDIM LISBOA (174 Kms)
Depart Arrival Price Frequency
09:15 12:00 11.00 Daily Except Sundays and Mondays if public holiday
15:45 18:30 11.00 Sundays and Mondays if public holiday
19:45 22:30 11.00 Daily
For buses from Lisbon Sete Rios to the Airport see the following post on my blog:
http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/lisbon-airport-buses-to-centre.html
I was on a rush trip to Lisbon and Seville.
You do not say where you are flying from Lisbon to.
Easyjet have flights from Lisbon on Saturdays to
London Gatwick
London Luton
Madeira
Milan
Paris CDG.
I will therefore only be able to give you generalised advice.
Firstly, very few direct long-distance coaches go directly to Lisbon Airport.
You will probably need to get to Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station and then to the Airport.
There are Rede Expressos http://www.rede-expressos.pt/ buses from Cernache Bonjardiim to Lisbon Sete Rios as follows:
CERNACHE BONJARDIM LISBOA (174 Kms)
Depart Arrival Price Frequency
09:15 12:00 11.00 Daily Except Sundays and Mondays if public holiday
15:45 18:30 11.00 Sundays and Mondays if public holiday
19:45 22:30 11.00 Daily
For buses from Lisbon Sete Rios to the Airport see the following post on my blog:
http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/lisbon-airport-buses-to-centre.html
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Bikes on the Faro to Porto train
According to this page on the CP/Portuguese railways site,
http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=e15cf9e12a584010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD#8
Bicycles can be transported on Alfa-Pendular and Inter-City trains provided they can be dismantled and stored in the baggage racks or under the passengers seat.
To be honest, I have never seen any one taking a bike on one of these trains.
http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=e15cf9e12a584010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD#8
Bicycles can be transported on Alfa-Pendular and Inter-City trains provided they can be dismantled and stored in the baggage racks or under the passengers seat.
To be honest, I have never seen any one taking a bike on one of these trains.
Monday, 12 January 2009
Free Public WiFi Albufeira
According to www.algarvedigital.pt the only free wifi access in Albufeira is at the Camara.
See:
http://www.algarvedigital.pt/algarve/index.php?module=Access_Point&func=list&location=alb
See:
http://www.algarvedigital.pt/algarve/index.php?module=Access_Point&func=list&location=alb
Trip to Lisbon Report.
Had to go up to Lisbon yesterday from Lagos, so a short report.
Left Lagos at 13:30 by hire car provided by Luzcar.
Took the Motorway on-ramp at the Total Service Station on the road to Praia do Luz / Sagres.
Joined the A22 and ran 10kms to Bensafrim and joined the EN 120.
Followed this road through Aljezur, Rogil, Maria Vinagre, Odeceixe, into the Alentejo and then onto to Odemira.
From Odemira, continued on the N120 to Cercal. (Very windy road.) From Cercal, took the N262 to Alvalade where I turned left onto the IC 1 (old Lisbon to Algarve arterial road. ). After 5 minutes stopped in Mimosa at the last Restaurant on the left going North.
Restaurante S. Sebastião de Mimosa,Mimosa
Tel: 269 595 202
Transit time to Mimosa by this route was 1hr. 40 mins.
It was a beautiful clear day, although very cold. A bit of Sunday traffic. The Alentejo was beautiful with blue skies, green pastures and lots of happy sheep, pigs and locals.
From Mimosa, headed North up the IC 1, past Grandola until I came to the N10 just past Marateca.
Turned right and after 1km entered the A2 Motorway to Lisbon. Everything was find until I arrived 2km from the 25 de Abril Bridge over the Tagus. However, the A2 between Palmela and Coima is being widened to three lanes. Work will continued through 2010. Until then, the Vasco da Gama bridge may be a better option for accessing Lisbon from the South.
There were the usual Sunday trippers coming back from the South Bank and substantial queues which meant that it took the 20 minutes to grind past the Almada and Costa Caparica off-ramps before getting to the tolls at the Bridge.
After that it was an easy run over the bridge, coming off right at the Marques de Pombal off-ramp and through the new tunnels to Marques de Pombal. (Note strict radar/photo 50 km/hr speed controls in place in the tunnels). Turned right down Avda. de Liberdade and dived into the Restauradores Public Parking at the bottom on the Avenida. Transit time by this route with stops and the delay at the bridge about 4 hours.
Overnighted at the following:
Residêncial Florescente
Rua Portas de Santo Antão, nº99
1150 - 266 Lisboa
Tel: +351 213426609
Fax: +351 213427733
E-mail: geral@residencialflorescente.com
web: www.residencialflorescente.com
This hotel had been recommended by German friends here in Lagos. It is a 2 1/2* hostelry doing B&B.With 6th Floors is a newly refurbished old Lisbon 5 storey building. The rooms have been repainted and refubished. They are warm and comfortable, with clean bathrooms but not deluxe. The price was good to this time of year.
The hotel is opposite the Teatro Coliseu, 2 blocks from Rossio and Rossio Station.
Two notes of caution: The wifi was not working and the staff are nice but 2 generations behind in their IT skills.
The Hotel website is a disaster and when we called to book, still had to send a fax to confirm.
When we arrived the receptionist, who was very pleasant still took 10 minutes to check us in, owing to problems "with the computer". Being an IT nerd myself methinks that a lack of training was more the reason. Even speaking Portuguese it was hard work.
We were on our way to see a performance at the Teatro Chapito near the Castelo São Jorge. From the Hotel is was easy to walk down and across Praça Figueira and then down to Rua dos Correios 223/225 where one finds the Restaurante Cesteiro. We have eaten here before, Not to touristy as it serves Bank staff during the week and very good Portuguese Food. The Bacalhau was wonderful, as was the Caldo Verde Soup. However, I had to chase them to heat the soup up for me, as it was done "Lisbon style" whereas I like my soup hot.
After dinner it was a 12 minute-walk uphill to the Chapitu on a cold but clear night. Wine on the terrace overlooking the Tagus bridge and then to see "O Tempestade", a visual take of Shakespeare's the Tempest, produced by John Mowat and performed by the "Companhia de Chapitu", with Jorge Cruz, Marta Cequeira, Tiago Viegas. As usual, a brilliant performance by these excellent young Portuguese Actors.
Returned the same way to Lagos today. A couple of notes. Being Monday a lot more heavy traffic on the road, It is obvious that many truckers are being told to avoid using Motorways to save on tolls. The Old Lisbon - Algarve IC 1 was very busy with heavy vehicles as a result and slow down our return transit on this route to 4 hours. However, the countryside is beautiful.
It is also noticeable as a result that the road pavement between Marateca and south of Grandola has been badly deformed. So a bumpy ride on this route. In future, unless this route is improved, I will probably join the A2 motorway at Grandola South and pay the tolls to get to and form Lisbon.
Left Lagos at 13:30 by hire car provided by Luzcar.
Took the Motorway on-ramp at the Total Service Station on the road to Praia do Luz / Sagres.
Joined the A22 and ran 10kms to Bensafrim and joined the EN 120.
Followed this road through Aljezur, Rogil, Maria Vinagre, Odeceixe, into the Alentejo and then onto to Odemira.
From Odemira, continued on the N120 to Cercal. (Very windy road.) From Cercal, took the N262 to Alvalade where I turned left onto the IC 1 (old Lisbon to Algarve arterial road. ). After 5 minutes stopped in Mimosa at the last Restaurant on the left going North.
Restaurante S. Sebastião de Mimosa,Mimosa
Tel: 269 595 202
Transit time to Mimosa by this route was 1hr. 40 mins.
It was a beautiful clear day, although very cold. A bit of Sunday traffic. The Alentejo was beautiful with blue skies, green pastures and lots of happy sheep, pigs and locals.
From Mimosa, headed North up the IC 1, past Grandola until I came to the N10 just past Marateca.
Turned right and after 1km entered the A2 Motorway to Lisbon. Everything was find until I arrived 2km from the 25 de Abril Bridge over the Tagus. However, the A2 between Palmela and Coima is being widened to three lanes. Work will continued through 2010. Until then, the Vasco da Gama bridge may be a better option for accessing Lisbon from the South.
There were the usual Sunday trippers coming back from the South Bank and substantial queues which meant that it took the 20 minutes to grind past the Almada and Costa Caparica off-ramps before getting to the tolls at the Bridge.
After that it was an easy run over the bridge, coming off right at the Marques de Pombal off-ramp and through the new tunnels to Marques de Pombal. (Note strict radar/photo 50 km/hr speed controls in place in the tunnels). Turned right down Avda. de Liberdade and dived into the Restauradores Public Parking at the bottom on the Avenida. Transit time by this route with stops and the delay at the bridge about 4 hours.
Overnighted at the following:
Residêncial Florescente
Rua Portas de Santo Antão, nº99
1150 - 266 Lisboa
Tel: +351 213426609
Fax: +351 213427733
E-mail: geral@residencialflorescente.com
web: www.residencialflorescente.com
This hotel had been recommended by German friends here in Lagos. It is a 2 1/2* hostelry doing B&B.With 6th Floors is a newly refurbished old Lisbon 5 storey building. The rooms have been repainted and refubished. They are warm and comfortable, with clean bathrooms but not deluxe. The price was good to this time of year.
The hotel is opposite the Teatro Coliseu, 2 blocks from Rossio and Rossio Station.
Two notes of caution: The wifi was not working and the staff are nice but 2 generations behind in their IT skills.
The Hotel website is a disaster and when we called to book, still had to send a fax to confirm.
When we arrived the receptionist, who was very pleasant still took 10 minutes to check us in, owing to problems "with the computer". Being an IT nerd myself methinks that a lack of training was more the reason. Even speaking Portuguese it was hard work.
We were on our way to see a performance at the Teatro Chapito near the Castelo São Jorge. From the Hotel is was easy to walk down and across Praça Figueira and then down to Rua dos Correios 223/225 where one finds the Restaurante Cesteiro. We have eaten here before, Not to touristy as it serves Bank staff during the week and very good Portuguese Food. The Bacalhau was wonderful, as was the Caldo Verde Soup. However, I had to chase them to heat the soup up for me, as it was done "Lisbon style" whereas I like my soup hot.
After dinner it was a 12 minute-walk uphill to the Chapitu on a cold but clear night. Wine on the terrace overlooking the Tagus bridge and then to see "O Tempestade", a visual take of Shakespeare's the Tempest, produced by John Mowat and performed by the "Companhia de Chapitu", with Jorge Cruz, Marta Cequeira, Tiago Viegas. As usual, a brilliant performance by these excellent young Portuguese Actors.
Returned the same way to Lagos today. A couple of notes. Being Monday a lot more heavy traffic on the road, It is obvious that many truckers are being told to avoid using Motorways to save on tolls. The Old Lisbon - Algarve IC 1 was very busy with heavy vehicles as a result and slow down our return transit on this route to 4 hours. However, the countryside is beautiful.
It is also noticeable as a result that the road pavement between Marateca and south of Grandola has been badly deformed. So a bumpy ride on this route. In future, unless this route is improved, I will probably join the A2 motorway at Grandola South and pay the tolls to get to and form Lisbon.
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