Bargain Hunters

Visit in Low Season: For some spectacular bargains, visit in January or February. Although some places may close for the winter, accomodations can often be found at a discount of as much as 50% from the peak season

Take a Tent
This is the cheapest option in the Algarve, but you must use official campsites. Sleeping on the beach is strictly prohibited and monitored carefully by the local police. There are dozens of campsites along the coast and inland, and you can expect to pay around 5 euros per adult per night for a small tent.

Stay in Youth Hostels
There are five hostels in the Algarve: Alcoutim, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Faro, Portimao and Lagos. If you don't already have a Hostelling International card from your national hostel association you can obtain a "guest card." Advance booking is recommended in the summer. Check out http://www.pousadasjuventude.pt/edicoes1/pousadas/index.asp

Rent a Quarto
Local homeowners often rent out quartos (private rooms) with shared facilities at reasonable rates. Look out for quarto signs in windows, or on notice boards, or ask the local tourist office.

Get a Youth or Senior Discount Card
Popular youth cards such as Euro 26 and Go25/IYTC provide great discounts on a wide variety of attractions and services. Senior citizens aged 65+ are eligible for a 50% discount on weekday rail travel using the cartao dourado (senior card) which can be purchased at ticket counters.

Eat with Locals
Whenever possible, eat where the locals eat. Freemaps features many of these restaurants. The food will be much cheaper than a traditional tourist restaurant.

Use Public Transportation
The public transportation in the Algarve is run by EVA and it is quite cheap and efficient.

Buy Cheap Cinema Tickets
On Mondays, cinemas across the Portugal offer discounted seats. Foreign films are subtitled, never dubbed so you can enjoy all the Blockbuster hits from back home in English. Even on other days, you will find cinema tickets cheaper here than back home

Find the local supermarket
Supermarkets such as the Intermarche offer reasonable prices on goods and a good meal can be made simply. Look at a handy Freemaps for the nearest one!

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