Algarve Information

Climate
With a typically Mediterranean climate all year round, the Algarve, offers a lot of sunshine and only rare periods of cloudy weather or rain. The air temperatures in the Summer vary between 24ºC and 29ºC, whilst the water temperature ranges from 21ºC to 24ºC. In the Winter we can enjoy mild weather with temperatures between 15ºC and 18ºC and water temperatures between 15ºC and 19ºC.

Currency
The currency in Portugal is the Euro. For non residents in the Euro zone, money can be changed at any bank, as long as you provide proper identification. Most international credit cards are accepted at ATMs.

Accommodation
The region offers a huge variety of accommodation. Hotels, Aparthotels, Inns (Estalagens), Motels, Tourist Villages and Apartments, Boarding Houses (Pensões Residenciais), Tourism in the countryside (Turismo no Espaço Rural - TER), Pousadas de Portugal, Youth Hostels (Pousadas de Juventude) and Campsites may easily be found throughout the Algarve. Internet reservations are common procedure for all the accommodation types.

Emergencies
The national emergency number is 112. Just dial it if you find yourself in distress. It is a free call and can be answered in several languages: Portuguese, English and French. For any medical issue, you should address to the local Health Centre ( Centro de Saúde). Please only use the emergency services at the hospitals in very serious cases.

Driving
Driving in Portugal is made on the right side and safety belts are compulsory at all times in all kinds of vehicles. Motorcyclists are required by law to use helmets. The use of mobile phones while driving is explicitly forbidden by law except when hands free equipment is used. In built-up areas speed limits is 50 kilometres per hour, outside towns 90 kilometres per hour and on motorways 120 kilometres per hour. For children up to 12 years of age specially adapted seats are compulsory.

Telephones
Public telephones can either be found as coin-operated or requiring the use of cards which can be bought at stationers and newspaper stalls. Don't forget to dial 00 before the country code when you want to call abroad.

Post Offices
The opening hours of post offices from Monday to Friday are from 08.30am to 6.00pm. There is also a large number of automated post-boxes/stamp machines on the street.

Getting there

The Algarve can easily be reached from anywhere in Europe, as it has good accessibilities. Locate the A22 motorway which connects Vila Real de Santo António to Lagos and choose one of the many roads that lead from it to the coastal cities and inland towns. Driving from Lisbon, the A2 is the most direct route that links the Portuguese capital to the Algarve.

For those who wish to arrive by train there are several connections from Lisbon to the Algarve such as the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades (intercity) trains.  From Vila Real de Santo António to Lagos there are Regional connections. Timetables can easily be found from the Portuguese rail service (CP) or at Tourist Information Offices.

A nationwide and regional network of buses ensures the traveller can get to the region peacefully and without effort.

Regarding air transport there is a large number of international airlines using Faro International Airport which has turned into one of the most important ones in the country reaching yearly around 5 million passengers. The journey between the airport and the city of Faro can be made either by bus or taxi.