Lagos - Meia Praia - Palmares Development.

I think I mentioned in a previous post that some new earthworks had started down the Alvor end of Meia Praia.

Was down there again this afternoon and we have now no less that 15 scrapers and large mine type dump trucks hauling sand and dirt out of the land below the hill at Palmares.

They have created to enormous hillocks!

It appears that the earthworks are associated with an extension of the links at Palmares and which appears will include a large lake.

It appears that Lagos Camara has taken a leaf out of the Obama Administration's book with all the new construction going on. Don't worry about the economic crisis - Lagos says "Yes, we can!"

Will keep everyone posted.

Train travel-Malaga-Lisbon

There is no direct Rail line between Lisbon and Seville. You would need to route via Madrid.

There is only one daily overnight rail service between Lisbon and Madrid.

The following articles on my blog may be off interest.

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Lisbon+Malaga

Zut Alors! Finalmente! Allelujah! Easyjet announces Paris - Faro

Finally, after years, it appears that Faro is to have a direct low cost summer link to Paris Orly three times a week as from 11th July 2009.

With the more than 2 million people in the Ile de France area having links with Portugal, a direct link to the Algarve Region of Portugal has been long overdue. It will also open a new market for French tourists and a great new destination for all those living in the Algarve!

See the links below for information:

http://www.presstur.com/site/news.asp?news=18652


http://www.easyjet.fr/fr/reserver/index.asp

http://www.tourmag.com/Easyjet-Dubrovnik,-Faro-au-depart-de-Paris-et-Lyon-Pise-cet-ete_a30394.html

Version Française:

Enfin, après des années, il semble que Faro aura un lien aerienne "low-cost" d'été en provenance direct de Paris Orly, trois fois par semaine à partir du 11 Juillet 2009.

Avec plus de 2 millions de personnes dans la région Ile de France ayant des liens avec le Portugal, un lien direct vers la région de l'Algarve au Portugal a été attendu depuis longtemps. Il permettra également d'ouvrir un nouveau marché pour les touristes français et une nouvelle destination pour tous ceux qui vivent dans l'Algarve!

Regardez les liens ci-dessous pour plus d'informations:

http://www.presstur.com/site/news.asp?news=18652


http://www.easyjet.fr/fr/reserver/index.asp

http://www.tourmag.com/Easyjet-Dubrovnik,-Faro-au-depart-de-Paris-et-Lyon-Pise-cet-ete_a30394.html

Finalmente, após anos, parece que Faro tera um vol baixo custo directo para Paris Orly três vezes por semana a partir de 11 julho 2009.

Com os mais de 2 milhões de pessoas na região de Ile de France quem ter ligações com Portugal, uma ligação directa ao Algarve Região de Portugal faltava há muito tempo. Também irá abrir um novo mercado para turistas franceses e um grande novo destino para todos os que vivem no Algarve!

Veja os links abaixo para obter informações:

http://www.presstur.com/site/news.asp?news=18652


http://www.easyjet.fr/fr/reserver/index.asp

http://www.tourmag.com/Easyjet-Dubrovnik,-Faro-au-depart-de-Paris-et-Lyon-Pise-cet-ete_a30394.html

Lagos to Lisbon (Overnight) by train or bus

The fastest route by public transport from Lagos to Lisbon is by bus operated by Eva Transportes taking 3hrs. 45min. Return Fare is € 34.20.

If you go to my blog at:

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/

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

»» Algarve & Portugal - Travel Transport Links

You will find two entries -

>> Eva Bus Service - Lagos to Lisbon Sete Rios

>> Eva Bus Service - Lisbon Sete Rios to Lagos

These will give you direct access to the relevant timetables.

Renex also operate a service on this route - there is also a link in the panel to their timetables. However, this service takes longer - up to 5 hours if traffic in Lisbon is bad.

The train is pleasant but takes longer. Unless you get up very early and get the 6:11, you miss the best part of the day. However, the train trip is a great way to see Portugal and crossing the 25 de Abril bridge as you enter Lisbon on a sunny day is worth the extra effort.

The following is an extract from the current timetable.



Click on the image to enlarge.

Prices are currently up to € 21.00 per person each way.

Coimbra to Porto - Early Saturday morning

Firstly, you are travelling on a Saturday morning and need to allow yourself at least 30 minutes to get from central Porto to the Airport by Metro. This means you would need to get the 06:15 service from Metro Trinidade as there are only services every 30 minutes at this time on Saturday mornings.

The timetables for the trains between Coimbra and Porto for April are not online yet. However, according to www.cp.pt (Portuguese Railways) the first train at present on a Saturday morning leaves Coimba_B Station at 6h40 and arrives at Porto at 8h35. So this option is obviously not possible.

However, the bus operator Rede-Expressos (http://www.rede-expressos.pt) have a bus leaving Coimbra at 03:00 arriving Porto at 04:25. It would then probably be best to get a taxi to the Airport.

This is the only option that seems to work.

Alternatively, you will have to travel up to Porto the night before and overnight there.

Lisbon to Malaga

If you are on a budget there is a route via Beja and Seville taking about 8 hrs and which avoids most of the tolls.


View Larger Map

Lisbon Airport to Fatima

If you used are to driving an automatic shift Stateside, remember to specify an automatic when you book your hire care for Lisbon Airport.

Most cars this side of the pond are manual shift.

Some of the items on this page of my blog may be of interest:

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

Here is the gazeteer from Google Maps for the Route:

Driving directions to Fátima, Ourém, Portugal
120 km – about 1 hour 8 mins

Portela Airport Portugal

1. Head northeast 0.3 km
2. Turn left toward Av. de Berlim 0.1 km
3. Slight right at Av. de Berlim Go through 1 roundabout 0.4 km
4. Turn left at Av. Cidade do Porto (signs for Sul/A12/A1) 0.1 km
5. Take the ramp onto E01 2.9 km
6. Continue on A1 Partial toll road 113 km
7. Take exit 8 toward Ourém/Fátima/Batalha Toll road 0.4 km
8. Continue straight Toll road 0.8 km
9. Take the ramp to Ourém 0.2 km
10. Merge onto N360/Av. Papa João XXIII 1.6 km
11. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Estr. de Minde/N360 0.4 km

Fátima,Ourém, Portugal

The link to the map is as follows:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Lisbon+Airport,Lisbon,+Portugal&daddr=Fatima,+Portugal&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=37.15781,-8.734502&sspn=0.25392,0.589828&g=Bensafrim,+Lagos,+Portugal&ie=UTF8&ll=39.113014,-9.20929&spn=0.988818,2.359314&z=9

Algarve (Lagos/Alvor/Portimão) to Valencia

There are no direct public transport links between the Algarve and Valencia. Further more there are no low cost airlinks between Lisbon and Valencia.

The distance is about 929kms.

The only realistic options are:


1) Air from Faro Airport.

Air Berlin have a regional hub in Palma de Mallorca. Their summer timetables may yet change. At present they are showing a flight Faro - Mallorca - Valencia (change in Palma) for a very reasonable price.

The only problem is that at present it only shows as operates as a through connection on Wednesdays.

site: http://www.airberlin.com

1) Bus/Air -

Renex Bus from Alvor to Lisbon Gare Oriente. Taxi/Airport Bus to Lisbon Airport

Then low cost airline Vueling/Easyjet to Madrid and then low cost airline Clickair/Spanair/Ryanir to Valencia.

2) Bus/Bus

Take the Daily EVA/DAMAS bus from Portimão to Seville and then connect with an alsa.es bus from Seville to Valencia.

Check Cubsur's site here for information on the Portimão to Seville Services:

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

Alsa schedule is below:

Current Daily Departure schedules : SEVILLA - VALENCIA

Seville Valencia
depart arrive € €
10:00 21:25 49,86 94,73
10:00 21:25 49,86 94,73
16:30 02:15 next day 56,79 107,90
16:30 02:15 next day 56,79 107,90
22:00 09:15 next day 53,20 101,08

See: www.alsa.es

It may also be possible to get a low cost flight from Seville to Valencia but I do not recommend it as getting to Seville Airport from the Algarve is a pain unless you have a car.

Train is not an option as there are no suitable cross Iberian Peninsula services.

Buying tickets for alsa.es bus services in the Algarve

I checked with the EVA Ticket in Lagos last night.

They advise that they sell tickets for the alsa.es service from Faro to Seville and onwards. However, tickets must be purchased the day before travel. Also they can only be purchased on working weekdays and only between 10:00 and 12:00 and 14:00 and 17:00 as they have to phone through to an agency. This is what was confirmed to me on the phone by EVA Faro.

I have no plans to visit Faro at present but next time I am there will check this out again with EVA there.

In Flight Catering Complaint!

I very rarely publish links to comedy - travel or otherwise!

However, the following link will take you a copy of a letter to Sir Richard Branson.

It is one of the most erudite and hysterical complaints about in-flight catering I have seen in a long time.

Enjoy!

http://timesnews.typepad.com/news/2009/01/apparently-sir-richard-branson-thevirgin-bossthought-this-was-the-funniestletter-of-complaint-hed-ever-received------dear.html