Faro Airport to Vilamoura by bus

There are no direct buses from Faro Airport to Vilamoura. One either has to take a taxi or a private airport transfer.

One can also take a bus from Faro Airport to Faro City Bus Station and from there get a bus to Vilamoura. However, frequencies are not that good.

Cubsur has the times for the above services on his excellent website here:
http://thomasallen.home.sapo.pt/travel/003.htm

For Faro to Vilamoura services see his site here:
http://thomasallen.home.sapo.pt/travel/002w.htm

Loulé Aerodrome Project

If one reads this page on the Loule Camara site (http://www.cm-loule.pt/index.php?option=com_noticias&id=369) and the reports in the Portugues press, this project in Loule refers to a new general aviation airfield handling light aircraft and exec jets, not a commercial airport.

One of the reasons for siting it next to Cimpor is that is will be close to Vilamoura so that the Hoi-polloi can park their exec jets. I understand that will be like the one at Tires, Cascais outside Lisbon. (http://www.aerodromo-cascais.pt/)

This certainly would free up landing slots at Faro for commercial flights. I think, from memory, that Faro can handle up to 22 flight movements per hour.

Getting the smaller aircraft out of there would certainly allow for more commercial traffic at Faro, particularly, in peak summer periods.

Lagos vs Faro - Hostels and How to get here

I would recommend Lagos any day over Faro,

Faro, although the capital of the Algarve, is really an administrative centre and not a travel destination. The old centre around the Sé (Cathedral) is small.

Lagos, however retains the feel of a historic Portuguese town while having great beaches as well as restaurants and night life. The west coast, if you have a car, is well worth exploring.

I must declare an interest here....I live in Lagos.

As regards hostel accommodation, the Pensão MarAzul is great but be aware that a dirty great big car park is being built right behind it at present.

If you are hostelling and on a budget have a look at the following.

http://3monkeys.me.uk/monkeyhouse/
(Good food at night in their cafe next door )

http://www.risingcockhostel.com/
(In-crowd destination - But you are always well looked after by Mama)

http://juventude.gov.pt/Portal/Lazer/pt/PLagos.htm
State-Run Youth Hostel

http://www.goldcoasthostel.com/
Gold Coast Hostel

For information on getting to Lagos, have a look at the articles on the following page on my blog:

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

Cascais vs Algarve

You have not stated when you are travelling. I live in Lagos and would always recommend a visit here.

However, you are in Lisbon for only a week. Cascais is only 25km from Lisbon and although the sea front is perhaps not as natural as Lagos, it is very pleasant.

To be direct, I think that if you are visiting Lisbon in the run up to winter, there are other places better worth visiting than Lagos at this time of year given the travel time.

You will need at least 3 days in and around the Lisbon/Sintra area. I would recommend you consider alternative days trips (by train) to Porto and/or Coimbra and by Bus to Evora. There are historic towns such as Obidos, Alcobaça and Batalha which can be easily visited in a day from Lisbon on organised tours.

Lagos to Morocco

The only logical and direct way to get from Lagos to Morocco via Algeciras on a budget is by bus via Seville.

1) Lagos to Seville (Price one way € 20:00)

Take the twice daily coach service from Lagos to Seville Plaza das Armas bus staion.

Lagos Sevilha 06:30 13:00
Lagos Sevilha 13:45 20:15

2) Seville (Prado ) to Algeciras (Fares unavailable but will not be expensive.)

There are at least two companies operating this route:

TG Comes

Timetable here: http://www.tgcomes.es/horarios_33.htm

Linesur also operates this route but no online timetables.


You will need to get a local C4 bus between Estacion Plaza das Armas to El Prado Bus Station which runs from just after 6 in the morning till 23:30.

Faro to Malaga

There are no direct flights between Faro and Malaga or between Faro and airports in mainland Spain. To fly you would have to route via Lisbon and Madrid as the TAP/Air Portugal direct flights are expensive.

The only public transport route between Faro and Malaga is by bus.

Alsa.es have a daily departure as follows:

FARO dept: 01:45
MALAGA arr: 08:45
Current Price: €40.00

It is also possible to take the twice daily DAMAS/EVA buses from Faro to Seville and then get another bus to Malaga.

For more information see Cubsur's very useful website here:

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

Horse riding on the Algarve

Not sure one is allowed to ride on many beaches any more in Portugal.

I have not seen many Lusitanos down here around Lagos. They tend to hang out more up in the Alentejo.

However, try contacting the Harmann's at QPA.

Website here:

http://www.qpahorseriding.com/

They should be able to help.

New Route from Summer 2010 - Manchester - Madeira

Finally, a announcement not from Planet Ryanair!! :))

Jet2.com have announced they will be operating Manchester to Madeira from Summer 2010.

See:

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090910/FREE/909109995/1175

and (in Portuguese)

http://www.presstur.com/site/news.asp?news=21895

Lagos - restaurant suggestions

Depends where you are staying and if you have a car.

One of my favorite local Portuguese restaurants is Prato Cheio. See this article on my blog which has a link to it.

http://barlaventostravelblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/restaurante-o-prato-cheio-lagos.html

If you like fish, try a bacalhau (cod) dish, if its on the menu. The Portuguese have at least 365 ways of preparing them. My favorite is Bacalhau à Bras.

Many Portuguese restaurants have "Pratos do dia" - (Daily Plates) or Menu of the Day. Usually freshly cooked and very good. I would recommend avoid dishes with "Grão" or meat dishes called "Rojões" until you acclimatise.

Another good local restaurant is "Os Asinhas".

Map ref here:

http://mapas.sapo.pt/?M=37.096817,-8.673522,16,Z;37.096817,-8.673522,As+Asinhas,1

Estrada da Ponta da Piedade,

lote 24, loja A

Lagos

The two restaurants above are outside the city wall and away from the tourist centre...which is why I like them! :)))))))

Lisbon airport to Lourinha - Porto Dinheiro

As regards the Lisbon to Lourinha segment, you will have to get to Lisbon Sete Rios Bus Station as no long-distance buses leave from Lisbon Airport.

To get from the Airport to the Bus Station you will need to catch the Aeroshuttle Bus (CARRIS Bus Nº96) in the direction of Sete Rios Bus Station and Praça de Espanha. This operates daily, every 30 minutes between 7am and 11pm.

You will then need to catch a Rede Expressos Bus as follows:

Lisbon Lourinha
Sete
Rios
Bus
Station
Dept: Arr:

13:30 14:40 Daily Service
15:45 16:55 Daily Service

There is a local bus going towards Torres Vedras operated by Barraqueiro that leaves Lourinha at 16:45 and arrives in Ribamar at 16:55. Ribamar appears to be the closest point with a bus stop to Porto Dinheiro.

There does not appear to be any suitable early morning return bus the following Saturday.

Return:

Lourinha Lisbon Sete Rios
Dept: Arr:

07:25 08:35 Daily Service