Why Not Algarve?
A friend of mine was interested in Portugal tourism so he travelled to the country in late autumn last year. He and his wife toured the south coast of Algarve, visiting one small town after the other. According to him, the food, comprising mostly of seafood dishes, was divine, and so was the homemade wine. It must have been an amazing experience for sure.
Portugal has about 497 miles, or 800km, of coastline to cover. To see as much of it as possible, you’re going to need reliable transportation. Needless to say, you’re best off using motor travel to see as much of the country as you can. A new highway has recently been constructed linking Porto to the north with Lisbon, the nation’s capital, to the south. Another road leads from Lisbon to Faro, the regional capital of Faro. Plus there’s an extensive network of secondary roads to follow leading into small towns and villages. Basically, all you need is a good map to point you in the right direction.
You might as well start with the southeast and work your way west along the coastline. If you start off from Faro, which is the regional capital, head towards Lagos near the tip of the southern part of the country. Algarve covers the length of the southern shoreline, along the Mediterranean Sea. Use the back roads or travel along the Lisbon-Castro Marim road, also known as Route IP1.
Algarve has two things going for it: it’s gorgeous and relatively cheap. According to what my friend told me, the best places to stay are small coast vacation rentals, like bed and breakfasts, which start at about $30 per person, or even less depending on the season. You get great service even though accommodations may be limited. You may not have high-speed Internet access for instance, but then again, why would you need it while on vacation?
Rest assured, there are plenty of ocean resorts to visit as well, so if you need something a little fancier with swimming pools, saunas, fancy restaurants and the works you’ll find them. There’s quite a few in Lagoa for instance, where you can sample some excellent wines. Lagoa is located on the western coastal part of Algarve, but east of Lagos. You’ll also want to visit Albufeira, Loulé, and Vilamoura, which is a swishy resort town. Be prepared to pay as much as $320 per night if you choose a resort, although you’ll undoubtedly find something more reasonably priced.
In terms of cuisine, the Algarve people are big on seafood. Expect lots of stews with various types of Mediterranean fish, squid, octopus and so forth. If you can’t deal with so much frutos do mar, as they call it, the region is also known for its pork dishes. Be sure to wash it all down with as much wine as you can, unless you’re driving of course.
Speaking of which, you’ll want to rent a dependable car. Although there are taxi services and public transportation to take you around, not to mention railways, you’re going to want to stop and take in the scenery fairly often. Your best bet is to start your trip with an Algarve car hire service.
Fly in to Faro Airport and rent a car with Yor-Car.com, which was recommended to me by my friend. The rental agency has great rates that are perfect for driving through the region for an extended stay. Your mileage has no limits within Portugal and the rate you are quoted is the final price, nothing else is tacked on. From November through March, expect to pay about $165 for a four-door sedan per week. Or go economy with a two-door hatchback and pay only $93.
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