Portugal what to do?

I was told it was quieter and more relaxed than 'The strip' (which we avoided completely) but there was still tons of bars with people trying to lure you in with free shots and stuff.

There are some more chilled places (Snoopy's bar) but a lot of them are just tacky and loud.
 
VincentHanna said:
Also went to 'The Landsend' of Portugal - Cape Saint Vincent.

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That can be OK or very good depending on weather, sometimes it's just a nice vantage point to view from but catch it on the right day and it's really bizarre, mist swirling around your feet and a huge temp drop in last few hundred yards
 
Rotty said:
That can be OK or very good depending on weather, sometimes it's just a nice vantage point to view from but catch it on the right day and it's really bizarre, mist swirling around your feet and a huge temp drop in last few hundred yards
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That sounds pretty cool, does that even happen in the summer months? I'm going to Portugal in June, I might have a look into going there.
 
Jimbeam3678 said:
That sounds pretty cool, does that even happen in the summer months? I'm going to Portugal in June, I might have a look into going there.
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its been like it in June for us and another time in June it was a standard day

must be fairly common as there are vans selling woolly jumpers as you approach :p
 
If we wanted to travel around the algarve by train / bus how much do you think it'd set us back over 10 days, spending 3 or 4 days in faro then remainder travelling to other towns?

I know 0 Portuguese language too.
 
I think my girlfriend could manage to drive over there, but she'd be anxious and might struggle at times and it'd take the enjoyment out of a holiday, I need to learn to drive, I went cycling in the Algarve in nov 2015 and the roads are pretty easy, drivers are good generally, the only driver issues was UK cars funnily enough.
 
Rotty said:
it is a very easy place, just one road from one end to the other :)
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She's got nervous driving through York before and driving down the A19 I'm not sure it's worth it though? I'd hate to risk ruining a holiday convincing her to rent a car because if she decided not to use it we'd have wasted money.
 
willhub said:
My girlfriend can drive but she's a nervous wreck on UK roads and she doesn't enjoy driving as a result, not sure how she'd find driving on roads in Portugal? It's tricky I'm really not sure how to plan this holiday ahhgrr!
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Do NOT hire a car! Seriously, some people may say it's easy, but if she's not a confident driver, avoid car hire. For a start, the car controls are on the 'wrong' side, and with every driving system reversed it'll just make her panic and hate it.

Jono said:
Take a baker rifle and run around being Richard Sharpe
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:D Now, if only somewhere in Portugal would let you do this, with the uniforms, storming a fort etc... I'd pay!
 
Will have to budget public transport for a week or so, would it be expensive, the only time I've used public transport there was train Faro to Portimao and I can't remember if it was 5 Euro or 15.
 
A quick one on driving in Portugal.

For the most part, it is pretty easy. However...

1. They cannot drive for toffee
2. Tolls are everywhere, we drove from Cascais to Porto - around 20 Euros each way on tolls. Cascais to the Algarve was around 35 Euros in tolls (however, the road was clear all the way through as there is a back road alternative to avoid the tolls)
3. Back in the day, the rule on a roundabout was that the person on the roundabout would stop to let people join the roundabout (the reverse to what it is in the UK). This has now been changed to how we have it now. However, the old biddies still act like it was before, and carnage ensues. Lisbon airport roundabout still gives me nightmares.
4. Make sure you amp up the aggressiveness during driving to 11.
 
Lisbon is an awesome place! lots to see and do there.
it was very hot when I went with my mates.

the language is hard and the birds are ugly btw lol
 
Went with my gf (Portuguese) last year, even if I didn't have a native with me it would be easy to get about as pretty much everyone spoke to me in English when she told them I was. Didn't really do a lot bar drive to Spain to pickup some medication, mainly lounged around in Faro.
 
Just to be clear Albufeira is a total hole. Went there for a night out last month and got attacked and robbed. Apparently its rife there nowadays.
 
Thread revival.

Thinking about going back in September for 8 nights. Would stay at Lagos again for 4 nights and visit Lisbon for a day but would anyone recommend anywhere nearer the Spanish border to stay that is coastal for 4 days? We didn't really go that way last time.

September seems more expensive for accommodation than April was for some reason. Approx 50% more. (After UK school holidays finish)
 
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Sod the Algarve, its more British than Portuguese these days. Lisbon is where its at :p

Portuguese are some of the most calmest people I've ever met...until they get behind the wheel of a car. Then the red mist descends and its a nightmare from there. :p

Public transport within Lisbon is peanuts and good...there is little point on hiring a car if you're just around Lisbon. Even then the train links within the country generally speaking is excellent and valued well.

Portuguese lesson for all:

Hello - Olá
Yes - Sim
No - Não
Thank you - Obrigado/Obrigada (male/female)
Please - Por Favor


Portugal is proud of its cuisine, make sure you try local dishes, some I can recommend:

Alheira - its a type of choriço
Bacalhau - lots of variations, its cod fish. Always good
Cabrito - Baby goat, its delicious
Feijoada - Its a mixture of beans, rice and some other bits, very tasty and warming when its cold
Francesinha - heart attack epic sandwich

Just to name a few.

Plenty of tourist stuff going on in Lisbon. Also don't worry about the language barrier, in big cities most people speak at least basic English and the restaurants etc will speak very good English, tourism is important for the country.

Come and enjoy, it was 35C here yesterday. Lovely :D
 
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