The Algarve is the bottom part of the 'I' with the Atlantic Ocean to the left (west) and below (south).

Getting there

Unless you are coming from Europe, the only choices are by sea or air. Most visitors, even from Europe, come by air to the international standard airport at Faro (half way along the Algarve). In general, those who visit by sea come on day trips from large cruise ships, and normally briefly visit Portimao and then the Monchique area by coach.

Air Travel

Most European countries have flights to the Algarve. A choice of  scheduled, low cost, and charter flights are available. Seat only deals, on charter flights, are also widely available. Some countries outside Europe also run charter flights and even scheduled flights to the Algarve especially from countries where Portuguese is widely spoken.

Faro Airport is modern, air conditioned, and well situated for visitors who are staying at either end of the Algarve. It has all the usual facilities (and problems) of an minor international airport. With its new extended departures area (operational in 2003) it is a far cry from the giant corrugated steel hanger it once was.

Inbound...

• Baggage is generally slow to reach the carrousel on arrival especially if you are on one of the main UK tour operator's flight days. The cheaper the flight then the further you and the bags have to travel from the aircraft's stand.
• Air conditioning is on the poor side with few seats to wait on for your bags and nowhere to buy cold drinks (there is a small stall selling some spirits and cigarettes).
• Toilets are poor in arrivals - often smelly and with large queues especially for the ladies. Well worth waiting if you can until you get through to the main concourse after Customs. Even better is to time your use of the plane's facilities so that you visit the onboard toilet just before the seatbelt sign comes on.
• Trolleys for luggage are free and there are lots of them.
• As well as car hire booths in the main concourse there are now pick-up facilities to the right of the terminal as you leave. These are smart, airy and have toilets close to them. A great improvement!
• If you hire a car and are heading west, apart from driving on the right you should be warned that to get to the EN125 (or to the motorway) there are several merges into fast traffic from the left. These are not obvious.
• If you are travelling to the West - well beyond the Albufeira area -  then the motorway is recommended. If not then the EN125 is a shorter, simpler and less hassle route as the motorway junction for Albufeira is somewhat complex. The EN125, although showing it's age, is more interesting, slower, and has far less traffic on it now the motorway is open.

Outbound...

There is now an odd arrangement of the check-in desks. The original ones are parallel to the road in front of the terminal but the new ones are at the right end (as you face the terminal) and at right angles to the road. It is these that seem to handle most charter flights. Once past check-in you pass into a duty free area but unusually you then have to go through Passport Control to get to the gates. If you plan to shop or eat then do this before you go through to the gates as there is little on this side of Passport Control. In 2003, tour reps are stating time and time again that there is 100% baggage screening so you should arrive early. Whilst this is true the main issue is that baggage and people handling at the airport is slow and this is the actual problem according to pilots.
 
Arriving early, so as to avoid the major queues and having your own refreshments (rolls, sandwiches, cans, etc.) is highly recommended by Davesguide!

• Car rental drop-offs are generally not at the airport pick-up places but back along the main road to Faro. Mini bus transfers to the terminal are normal from the drop-offs.
• If you are returning a hire car to the airport for an early morning flight be aware that there are virtually zero petrol stations open if you come from the western Algarve before 8am. There is one at the airport but this puts you on the wrong side of a dual carriageway for some of the drop-offs. Fill up or pay-up, though to be honest Auto-Jardim for one seem to have sensible prices if you drop-off with less than a full tank.
• Restaurant facilities are somewhat limited in the Duty Free area and nil in the Gate area.
• Air conditioning is good.
• Toilets are excellent.
• There are several duty free shops selling the normal items as well as Algarvian and Portuguese specialties. The main shop though is/was (July 03) being rebuilt. It is worth mentioning again that there are minimal shopping facilities in the Gate area.
• Duty free bargains are rare, especially for port or any other form of alcohol. A survey in 2003 showed that even in the main tourist areas, spirits, port and wine were far cheaper in the supermarkets and even better value at the specialist off-licences.
• Saturdays and Thursdays are very very crowded and the airport even in 2003 almost bursts at the seams.

In summary, Faro tends to be a rather quiet and pleasant airport, but not on Saturdays or Thursdays especially from May to November.

By Car

It is obvious, when in the Algarve, that a lot of visitors from northern Europe come by car. With the exception of those brought by British tourists these are left hand drive vehicles. There are also a lot of vehicles owned by long stay visitors. This leads one to believe that it is easy to visit by car. While this may be true for the southern European countries, those who wish to travel from the northern parts of Europe face a daunting journey.

A fair number of registration plates show a UK origin. This means that they have either come across the channel by ferry (or more recently by the tunnel) or have come across to Santander in northern Spain by ferry (some 24 hours) then travelled down to the Algarve.

Until recently, this journey from North to South in Portugal would have taken two long days, however, with the extensively improved motorway links to Lisbon, it is possible to do this in a day. The disadvantage of this  is that drivers are exhausted for the next two days and have seen very little of the beauty of Portugal.

A number of UK ex-pats have found what they claim to be a better route to the Algarve. This is to head from France into Eastern Spain at the earliest point and then use the excellent North/South Spanish Motorway and major road system to Seville. The other claimed advantage is that Spanish petrol gives more miles to the Litre than UK or Portuguese fuel.
 

By Train

It is possible for the visitor from Europe to travel to the Algarve by train, however, the author has never met anyone who has boasted of doing this. Portuguese trains are slow, scruffy and work to a laid back timetable.
 

By Coach

There are coach services from most European countries to the Algarve. They are generally cheap when compared to going by air, but can be far more demanding of both patience (with other passengers) and endurance.

Travel within the Algarve

Although some people do not venture away from their villas or hotels, most visitors to the Algarve seem to want to look around. The two most popular options, by far, are to take a coach tour or to hire a self drive car. Both have their pros and cons, but, for the person who wants to see the real Algarve, and not places tarted up for regular coach parties, then car hire is a must.

By Car

As mentioned above, there are a large number of car hire companies at the airport, however unless a car is included, for instance in a villa package, a lot of tourists hire in their resorts. This removes the need to try and negotiate Portuguese roads and also find a villa or hotel when tired, often in the dark after a late flight. As of 1997 picking up a car at the airport has become much easier in that there is now a much better junction with what was the main east-west Algarve road (EN125). Many visitors now avoid the EN125 and head for the international grade motorway to get to their accommodation though, if heading to the Albufeira region, the EN125 is recommended by Davesguide as a better route. The other thing that raises concern is that often the hire representative in  the resort operates out of a briefcase - this is pretty normal and so one should not panic!. It should be mentioned though that when several planes land at the same time then it can take a couple of hours of queuing to get your car. 

Important note for 2003 - road signs have not caught up with the availability of the new Motorway plus recent renumbering of national roads and so can be very, very, very misleading.  The East-West international standard motorway is still signed as the IP1 in places but is now the A2. The old IP1 heading to Lisbon is now the A2 and not even the same road as far as one can tell. Buy a good quality and up to date map. Whatever it is called, the East-West (West-East) motorway is of excellent quality and not like the old "motorways" the Algarve had.

The only hire firms that have had negative reports to date are Avis, Hertz, and National (as used by Lunn Poly a  British tour company).

Hire cars can be arranged by resort reps, hotel receptions, or by walking into a car hire shop. The standard of the vehicles is good, though do check around and inside before signing acceptance. Prices vary and, in general, the bigger local names offer the better deals along with good service. Petrol is available in major towns and along major roads but is hard to find out in the countryside. Do watch out for hire companies recommended by your tour rep. Often you can get a better price by phoning the hire company direct. Somebody has to pay the rep's commission!

Do compare prices carefully as some prices include everything but others have very fine print saying that certain vital items (like Collision Damage Waiver [CDW]) are extra. Some even "forget" to include the VAT in the prices! It is highly recommended by Davesguide that you take out the CDW. "CDW excess" is the latest "extra" along with personal accident insurance. If you have your own travel insurance then you probably already have personal accident insurance. As for the CDW excess - take it or leave it as you wish.

If you plan to hire any vehicle and want to go "off road" be sure to check the insurance covers this. Even four wheel drive vehicles are often excluded from going "off road". This is crazy so check what is permitted and even what a road is defined as!!! 

In general, driving in the Algarve is not too bad, but not too easy either. The police are helpful but also strict and speed traps, with "on-the-spot" fines, abound. You need to carry photo ID (Passport) and the hire papers with you when driving - don't carry everyone's passport though!!!. If you haven't driven in the Algarve for a few years then you will be pleasantly surprised at the improvements made since your last visit. Journey times, hassle and stress have been reduced by many road improvements. These not only include the upgrading of the EN125 which covers almost the length of the Algarve, but also by the building of fast motorway links to both Spain and Lisbon. Journeys that were very challenging are now even enjoyable. For instance the journey from Albufeira to Cape St. Vincent used to be a grind of four hours but now can normally be done in one and a half.

If you are going to drive then do buy a map in the Algarve. The road system is changing almost on a monthly basis and the chances are the map you buy (say in the UK) will be well out of date. Road signs appear to be put up well after roads are opened so they are often not to be trusted hence the need for a good map!

The driving standard is poor. In most cases accidents are not caused by the Portuguese but by tourists. The British often drive on the wrong side of the road and even along the wrong side of dual carriageways, others, including the British, drink too much and still think that they can drive safely. The Portuguese police are very tough on drink driving with low alcohol limits and operate random checks so be warned.

As for accidents, Portugal has one of the highest road death rates in the popular tourist world.
The following list of road deaths per 100,000 of population (OECD Figures 1995/96) is not for the faint hearted!

• Great Britain 6.7
• Australia 10
• Germany 12
• Ireland 12
• Italy 13
• Belgium 16
• Spain 16
• USA 16
• France 17
• Greece 20
• Portugal 33
  

Road Quality - Portugal has a road system that is rapidly advancing towards northern European standards but, given the high accident rate and even worse death statistics it is worth mentioning that the Portuguese definition of a road type may not match your own expectation. Three main differences are very much worth emphasising...

• They drive on the RIGHT. The author has met (and so far survived) a number of British drivers who believe otherwise!
• Turning left on roads such as the EN125 is often performed by turning right into a specially prepared loop road. This then brings you at right angles to the road you want to cross with better visibility and protection. Often these loops will not be at the point you want to cross but further on. This allows you to cross the road and join traffic going in the opposite direction so that your turning is a simple and safer right turn. The turning to Zoo Marine when coming from Albufeira is like this and even then it is pretty scary!
• Motorways until very recently in the Algarve were somewhat different to what you might expect. Some, although indicated by blue motorway signs, were no more than high speed two way roads. Traffic could often cross in front of you; there were very minor turnings (sometimes dirt tracks); You might have met animals and carts, either on the hard shoulder (if there was one), or crossing the "motorway" itself. The Algarve to Lisbon "motorway" was like this! Today (2003), apart from some poor or out of date signage, the motorways are generally of international standard. The A2 East-West motorway is an excellent road and will eventually reach most of the the far western Algarve.

On Foot

Hitch-hiking is said to be safe, and can be successful but, in general, only the ex-pats or locals offer lifts.
 

By Train

It is possible to travel around by train but they are rather poor in both service and quantity. The other problem is that in some cases the name of a station bears little relationship to the geographic name. Albufeira has a railway station in name only since the actual line and station are several miles north of the town. As for integrated timetables, well, both trains and buses are normally on the same day.
 

By Bus

Buses as distinct from coaches are generally good. They cover most of the Algarve, though probably not when you want to use them. A most unusual feature of these buses is that they tend to travel alone and not in groups of two or three as for instance buses do in London and elsewhere. Fares are good value but since they actually serve the community, rather than the tourist, they wind about via CDEF... while going from A to B. There are express buses between the major towns. You should be aware that some of them require tickets to be bought in advance from local agents
 

By Taxi

Taxis cannot be flagged down in the street, but must either be requested by 'phone or at a taxi rank. Your receptionist will 'phone for one if you ask. Taxi ranks are located in the centre of most towns. In general they are cheap (good value even, if you have four passengers) and the drivers can be very helpful indeed. Tour firms often use taxis for airport transfers when there are only a few people for a specific resort. As for identification taxis are black and green and mostly modern Mercedes saloons.
 

By Coach

There are coaches everywhere. They manage to get into the most narrow of lanes and cause traffic jams throughout the Algarve especially when they are collecting or dropping off tourists. The coach drivers are excellent and highly skilled (One must make the distinction between coach drivers and mini-bus drivers - the later, in general, try to own the road).

An extensive range of coach tours is available and can be arranged by hotel reception, tour reps. and travel shops in the main tourist areas.

Security and Safety

These days the Algarve is no worse for crime than elsewhere in Europe. A lot of people would say that it is better than most, in that crime rates are lower than the European average. There are, of course, those who prey on the tourists but often these are not locals but ex-pats.

In most cases, crimes involve theft, from cars and rooms. Although it is impossible to guarantee perfect freedom from criminal incidents, it is possible to persuade the criminal to bother someone else. The following will help to avoid the attentions of those who want to ruin your visit:-

• Keep your valuables in a hotel/room safe and don't carry more around than necessary. Safes are cheap to hire.
• Don't flash your wealth about either in cash or goods.
• Don't leave your baggage unattended even in the reception area.
• Avoid ground floor rooms in hotels and apartments. Try to get an upper floor room. In the case of villas if there are security shutters/screens do use them.
• Lock your doors at night but do leave the key in the inside of the lock in case of a fire.
• Do beware of leaving the patio or balcony doors open at night or unattended during the day. Most can be accessed from the next apartment.
• Ladies - Do carry your handbags on the side away from the roadside to deter motorbike based snatchers. Don't leave them open with your purse on top especially in supermarkets.
• Make sure that car windows are closed and valuables hidden away when leaving the vehicle. Do try to plan ahead so that you are not seen putting valuables into the boot when you stop at a place where you are going to leave the car.
• Lock the doors on your car when travelling. This prevents snatchers from opening the door and getting away with cameras, handbags etc. if you are caught in a jam or stopped in a queue. It is worth placing handbags and cameras down in the foot well out of direct view.

Two other warnings are worth making; avoid the hawkers of gold rings, chains etc., and unless you are very keen on buying a timeshare, don't accept the offers made by street agents. If either of these entrepreneur types causes you a problem then report it to your tour representative or to the local tourist office. Incidentally, it is illegal for timeshare sellers to hassle you from a car and this along with the car registration should always be reported!

In 2001 with the strength of the British pound the timeshare sellers are very much concentrating on British visitors.

In 1998 a new timeshare scam was reported...

"Thought I might mention that in Albufeira there are people offering British couples scratchcards to win a free holiday or duty free packs. If you have a winning card they say all you have to do is take a tour around a hotel and the holiday is yours. They assure you they aren't selling Timeshare and whisk you away in a taxi. When you take the tour around someone IS trying to sell you a sort of timeshare but disguised under a different name. The holiday is only one weeks accommodation at their hotel during which they will try and sell it to you again. Flights and transfers aren't included and it is self catering. Don't fall for it like we nearly did".

This scam is still operating!!! In 2000 one visitor, to the author's knowledge, is several thousands of pounds worse of having dealt with a Spanish based Company. Another visitor reported the same scam in Carvoeiro in early 2002 and it has been seen several times in 2003.

Think paranoid... A few precautions will deter most opportunist redistributers of wealth. They are there, but why give them a chance to ruin your holiday?