Freemaps Tips
Getting Here
Tips for Bargain Hunters
The Different Seasons of the Algarve
Money Matters
Eating Out
Shopping
Getting Here
Visa and Entry Requirements: You will need a valid passport to enter Portugal, but no visa is required for EU nationals. Those arriving from Canada, New Zealand or the USA can stay for a maximum of 90 days in any half-year without a visa. Be sure to check the Portugal Customs website before departing to ensure no changes have been made to the entry requirements.
By Air: Faro International Airport serves both domestic and foreign carriers, all of which arrive and depart from the same terminal. The airport is located 6 km outside the town, but airline ticket holders can use the free Aerobus shuttle into Faro which runs from mid-May and November. As well, all major car rental companies offer services from the airport.
By Road: A tolled motorway links Lisbon with the Algarve, taking approximately 3 hours. An alternative route is the toll-free IC1. From Spain, the Ayamonte-Huelva toll-free highway links the Algarve with the Spanish towns of Seville, Cordoba and Madrid.
By Bus/Coach: The two main coach companies, EVA and Renex offer express coach services to Faro from towns and cities across Portugal. It is best to pre-book tickets from the main bus stations. www.eva-transportes.pt or www.rede-expressos.pt.
By Train: Trains are the least expensive form of transportation, if sometimes slow. Check out timetables online at www.cp.pt or call
808 208 208
.
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Tips for 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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The Different Seasons of the Algarve
With hot dry summers and warm winters with some rainfall, the Algarve has the largest number of hors of sunshine in any country in Europe. Sea temperatures are on average lower than the Mediterranean, despite being warmed by the Gulf Stream, and are cooler the further west you go.
Spring: Spring starts early, and is probably the best time to visit, before the temperatures soar and the hordes of tourists arrive. Temperatures range from 13 to 24 degrees celsius, with 9 hours of gorgeous daily sunshine and 24mm of rain.
Summer: Hot and sunny days are common, but are often refreshed by cooling breezes on the coast; the further west you go the windier it gets. There is a constant wind on the West Coast. July and August are the hottest months and everywhere is packed with tourists and Portuguese returning from other countries where they work such as France, Germany, Canada, etc. 12 hours of sunshine fall during the days which average around 28 degrees celsius. Rainfall is rare with only 6mm falling during the season. Temperatures drop in the evenings to make it light and cool and you might even need a jacket.
Fall: Autumn days are mild, but you will need a jacket in the evening and some kind of heating in your lodgings. Late October and November are good months to travel as the tourist season is over and prices are cheaper, however some of the restaurants and shops close until Spring. Temperatures range from 10 to 20 degrees celsius, with 8 hours of sun and 70mm of rain.
Winter: January is the coolest month and you can expect wet weather lasting four days or more any time between November and April. The golfers flock to the Algarve at this time to enjoy the great golf weather and over 30 golf courses. See Freemaps for special golf offers. The beautiful almond also begins to blossom in January. Days are much shorter with 6 hours of sunshine and temperatures range from 7 to 18 degrees with up to 60mm of rain.
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Money Matters
The Algarve remains notably cheaper than northern Europe and North America. Portugal uses the Euro and money can most easily be taken out by ATMs (called MultiBanco). These are found even in the smallest towns, and you can withdraw up to 200 euros per day. Check with your bank to see whether you can use your credit and debit card and what interest and currency conversion fees you will incur. Credit cards are accepted in most hotels and restaurants, however some smaller shops and supermarkets will only accept cash. Standard bank hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 3 pm. Changing cash in banks is easy and shouldn't cost more than 3 euros commission. Banks in Portugal charge a substantial commision for changing traveller's cheques, however more reasonable fees can be found in savings banks, building societies and some large hotels.
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Eating Out
The Portuguese have elevated wining and dining to a very important national past-time. As with any important past-time a lot of custom is built up around it. If you understand the custom, your eating experiences in Portugal will be even better.
Restaurant hours are quite rigid in Portugal.
Lunch
: noon to 2:30pm (most Portuguese go at 1pm for lunch)
Lunch is almost a 'religious' experience, the real Portuguese would never consider a sandwich a lunch. Lunch is most often 3 courses with wine! And never disturb a Portuguese man if he is having lunch! Lunch is often the most important meal of the day and taken very seriously, when not in a rush it can easily take all afternoon!
Dinner:
7pm-9:30pm
In touristy areas and big cities restaurants may serve longer hours but rarely in the countryside!
If you can't find a restaurant open when you are hungry (i.e. 4pm) there is always a coffee shop open.
Couvert
:
It is normal that most restaurants will bring you bread, butter, sardine pat�, olives, pickled veggies, small cheese etc. at the beginning of the meal without you ordering it. You will be charged separately per person for these, the price for these is at the beginning of the menu. If you don't want them just say 'n�o obrigado' (no thank you) or make a little no sign and they will take them away. But most Portuguese wouldn't think of having the meal without them! It is what they eat while waiting for the 'real' food. I did say dining was a national pastime!
House Wine
:
Often the 'vinho do casa' is a very good domestic Portuguese wine and can be almost half the price of the other wine. Do try it, by the bottle, half bottle and sometimes in jars. Price and quality will very according to restaurant and region. To order just say 'Vinho do Casa faz favor'.
To Order:
The sign that you are ready to order is that you close the menu book, otherwise they will think you are still deciding.
The Table is Yours:
Once you have started a meal in any REAL authentic (not touristy) Portuguese restaurant you would NEVER be rushed or pushed from your seat for someone else. The table is yours for the evening. They will not even dare to bring you the bill until you have asked for it. If they bring you the bill without you asking, it is definitely not an authentic Portuguese restaurant but one catering only to tourists.
Daily Specials
:
Normally served only at lunchtime in typical Portuguese restaurants, they can be excellent. Ask the server what the 'prato do dia' is. Well worth a try. Just look at the other tables, many will be eating it! Some restaurants serve half portions, (called meia dose) actually they are more like 3/4 portions at less the price than the full portion. Most often meia dose is plenty!
Vegetables
:
Most Portuguese eat their vegetables in the form of soup (always homemade) or salad so many restaurants will not serve vegetables with the main meal. If you want them just say: 'legumes faz favor', normally you will not be charged any extra for this. Also if you want French fries be sure to specify this (batata fritas).
Tipping
:
In spite of what many guide books say (where do they get this information?) tipping is never included in the bill. In 28 yrs of living in Portugal I have never had a tip included in a bill except in the very rare tourist type restaurant run by foreigners. 10% is usually fine, more if you really enjoyed the waiter, food and service!
Coffee shops:
Portuguese favorite pastime is 'taking coffee'. The national snack's include: 'beefanas', fried pork sandwiches, 'prego' a fried beef sandwich, and rissois small bite-sized 'pastas' of fried cod, or shrimp mixed with potatoes. Also try 'torradas' delicious toast buttered on both sides! and toasta mixta mixed ham and cheese toastie. The burgers here are not particularly good as there are usually prefrozen packaged ones.
Ordering Coffee:
Portuguese life revolves around the all important 'Coffee Times'. As much a part of the culture as sunshine & the sea, sardines & cod. The coffee break is when much serious business is conducted; lovers meet, grandmothers gossip & show off the new grand babies & old men get together for chess. Men flirt across the table with interested women
