Tag: faro

Travelling the Algarve by Train

For our recent trip to the Algarve we decided to forego hiring a car and see how much we could do just moving around using the local regional railway. We didn’t miss having a car but you do need to plan carefully how you will manage a visit and exactly what you want to see and do. I don’t suggest this option is for everyone but it does give a cheap option for those on a budget.

  • The Algarve Regional Railway runs from Vila Real De Santo António in the east to Lagos in the western Algarve. It is often necessary to change trains in Faro. The station at Faro can be somewhat confusing when catching a train as there are no departure boards. Even the locals can be unsure at times as to which platform to use. We found the staff to be most helpful in this regard. Most trains also have the destination on display at the front.
  • Trains to and from Lisbon connect with the regional railway at Faro, Loulé, Albufeira and Tunes. These trains have a different pricing structure and tickets can not be bought on the train.
  • Journey times are; Vila Real De Santo António to Faro is roughly an hour, from Faro to Lagos it takes 90 minutes. Trains are roughly hourly in each direction but not all trains run at weekends.
  • Tickets are relatively cheap compared to the UK. There are only two types of ticket, single and return. The cost of a return is double that of a single.
  • Tickets are not available in advance and must be purchased on the day. Not all stations on the line have a ticket office, in this case you simply purchase a ticket from the conductor on the train who come round after every stop. It’s worth noting that the conductor only deals in cash, he does not take card payments.
  • A tourist ticket is available. Called the Tourist Travelcard it can be bought as a two day or three day card. This allows you to use the Algarve line as often as you like but the days of use must be consecutive. A two day card costs 20.90 Euros and the tree day 31.90 Euros. It can only be purchased from a station with a ticket office, they are not available on the train. You may well want to check if it is actually a saving for you. Faro to Tavira is 6.40 Euros return and Faro to Lagos is 14.80 Euros for a return. We didn’t use a Travelcard for our visit.
  • It is worth checking in advance if the station of your chosen destination is actually close to where you want to go. The station at Albufeira is actually 3 miles from the old town, Lagos is much closer but it is still a reasonable walk to the old town though it is a very pleasant walk past the marina and along the river.

5 Reasons to Visit The Algarve in March

I have just returned from a fantastic week in The Algarve on Portugal’s southern coast. There is much to admire about this region, even in early March, and it makes an excellent location for a late winter break. Faro, in the central region, is the main gateway for air travellers and is well served by low cost airlines. Flight time from the UK is around 2-3 hours depending on the exact point of departure. Here are five reasons why I think you might want to consider a visit at this time of year.

It’s relatively quiet. The population of The Algarve can triple in the summer months of July and August when thousands head down to enjoy the beaches and hot sun. By comparison the winter months are much quieter with March being the last month that you can take this for granted. From April and Easter it starts to get much busier.

The weather is pleasant. The Algarve has 300 sunshine days a year with an average summer temperature on the coast of 25 celsius, it can get much hotter inland. In March the average is a very pleasant 15 degrees. There is a greater chance of cloud and rain but you would be very unlucky if it affected everyday of your stay. During our stay we had two cloudy days, one with a little light rain, and the rest were sunny and warm reaching a high of 19 degrees. It sure beats sitting at home in the cold and wet.

Flights and accommodation are relatively cheap. Not only is it cheap to get here with plenty of options using low cost airlines but there are also some good deals to be had in hotels and rental accommodation. This makes short break in The Algarve a very attractive prospect.

Restaurants and cafés are not so busy. At this time of year year you can have your choice of restaurant without having to make a reservation days in advance. Having said that the popular ones do tend to get busy by 7.30/8pm. For me one of the main reasons for visiting Portugal is eating out in the excellent fish restaurants that you can find here and in early March you haver the pick of the best.

It’s beautiful. Make no mistake The Algarve is beautiful at any time of year, white sandy beaches, clear blue ocean and a landscape inland that is undulating and covered with a vast array of different trees and shrubs. What is different here to March at home in the UK is the colour. Not only is the landscape greener because of the evergreens but is is also splashed with colour. Oranges are still ripening on trees, almond blossom covers trees with a touch of white and there are many wild flowers in bloom.