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The Algarve is the most southerly strip of Portugal, and benefits from a particularly favourable climate, with warm Springs running into hot Summers, yet not oppressively hot as you're cooled by coastal breezes down here. Some of the best beach resort holiday deals and budget family holidays are available in the Algarve, particularly in the central Algarve around Albufeira, Vilamoura and Quarteira. These, along with Praia da Rocha to the west near Portimao, are the oldest resorts on the Algarve coast and offer a choice of family holiday attractions. A superb choice of beaches, cheap car hire, a range of holiday excursions, historical sights and centres at both Faro and Tavira, a host of all inclusive Algarve package holiday deals, warm temperatures and sea waters, long sunshine hours, cheap flights and more are all here on the Algarve. Check the weblinks right for details on Cheap Flights Algarve, Cheap Car Hire Algarve, and health and travel insurance booking online. Alternatively phone the Iknow-Holidays Ltd Booking line direct for assitance.
The Algarve follows Greenwich Mean Time in Winter, but during the summer as of late March to late October the time shifts to GMT plus one hour. They usually do a time check on the flight over to Faro Airport. Portugal, like Spain, uses the Euro currency now and has done for a few years (In a Euro there are 100 cents and coin denominations come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 Euros. Euro notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200). It's easy to obtain more Euros whilst you're in the Algarve from ample ATM cashpoints scattered around the resorts and towns. Driving is on the right hand side, and with the relatively new A22 motorway which stretches the length of the Algarve, it's easy to get about.
Algarve holidays are more than made comfortable by the ample facilities available in all main resorts - for example public toilets, telephone booths, ATMs, holiday shops and supermarkets, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Opening times for shops in main resorts like Albufeira, Quarteira, Vilamoura and Montegordo tend to be all day in peak season from around 9am to 10pm. Off peak season may see some shops closing earlier. Supermarkets generally stay open all day these days. Pharmacies tend to be the exception, and open early morning and late afternoon, with a long lunch break in between. Museums and monuments tend to open from 10am to 12pm, close for lunch then re-open from 2pm to 5.30pm. Best to check the individual places here though!
To telephone the UK from the Algarve dial 00 44 followed by the UK area code but missing off the beginning 0, then the UK number. To call the Algarve from the UK prefix 00 351 which is the general international dialing code for Portugal. Follow this by the relevant 9 digit number, the first 3 digits of which will be the area code (eg. Albufeira's area code is 289, whilst Tavira's area code is 281).
The Algarve generally speaking is an all year round destination for budget holidays. Peak season is from the end of June to the end of September, with temperatures sometimes reaching a peak of 37 degrees centigrade in hot August. School holiday periods are obviously the busiest during this peak season so avoid those if you can. July and August is holiday time for the Portuguese. You can get the rains though from November to April. If you come to the central or east Algarve during Spring and April it's a good idea to book cheap Algarve car hire so you can get out and about to national parks, historic sites at Faro, Tavira and inland to Alcoutim and Estoi if, perchance, the weather is not so good. It's not guaranteed sunshine in the off peak months, and alongside this many of the key holiday attractions such as Aqualand close during the off peak season.
You don't need a visa to enter the Algarve via Faro Airport - just your passport (see passport weblinks to the right for renewing UK passports or getting one). Post offices/Correios are in all the Algarve resorts and main towns. You can purchase stamps here, or indeed in newsagents or hotel kiosks. Electricity in Porgual is 220 volts AC (the same as Spain). The sockets are two pronged continental plugs so don't forget your adapter!! Tap water is fine to drink, but you might not find the taste to your liking - different minerals are in Portuguese water. Buy agua com gas/fizzy water or agua sem gas/still water from supermarkets as an alternative. Petty theft problems may arise, particularly in built up resort areas. As a general rule don't leave valuables in cars and leave valuables in a hotel safe if available. Watch out for pickpockets in crowded areas especially. If you do need to report a theft, get advice from your hotel and report it immediately to the police. To process an insurance claim you'll need to get a copy of a writen statement through the police station. You're also well advised to take a photocopy of your passport with you.
Travellers to the Algarve with pre existing medical conditions needing comprehensive travel insurance for both themselves and their fellow travellers should contact Freedom Insurance Services Ltd tel no 0870 774 3760 quoting Reference No IKM01. Freedom is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority reference number 306536, and is a subsidiary of the NW Brown Group Limited, also based in Cambridge, UK. Freedom offers quality pre existing medical condition travel insurance to suit your specific requirements and needs, including medical travel insurance for both single trips and where possible annual policies.
Freedom's aim is to allow you to enjoy your holiday with the travel medical insurance you need for full peace of mind. Freedom are especially recommended for travellers with specific pre-exisiting medical conditions and they work in partnership with medically based affinity groups and entities within the NHS. Freedom employs a combination of insurance and medically trained staff, and has an emphasis on care, sensitivity and confidentiality when searching for the most appropriate pre existing medical condition travel insurance for your needs.
Although our product is especially designed for those who have undergone recent surgery or are unfortunate enough to be living with a medical condition - families, friends and traveling companions can also take advantage of the scheme.
The Freedom project works in partnership with several leading medical charities, entities within the NHS, leading travel agents and High Street financial services companies. Contact Freedom Travel Insurance Services Ltd on Telephone Number 0870 774 3760, Quoting reference number IKM01.
Holiday travel insurance cover for Algarve holidays is a must as there are many accidents, incidents and emergencies that could occur during your holiday, for example lost luggage or stolen passports. In the event that your holiday is cancelled or shortened because of illness or injury, or if your money is stolen, Travel Insurance is an imperative back-up. You'll need to check the small print on all travel insurance policies to see exactly what you are covered for.
A wide choice of Travel Insurance policies are available, (check the Holiday Travel Insurance weblinks right for details and booking online). Double check you've the right travel insurance policy to suit you and your family. Cheap travel insurance is not always best, although most will opt for it. If you're undertaking some extreme watersports around Algarve resorts or an activity holiday trekking, mountain biking or climbing around inland Algarve/Monchique, check you're covered for all possible risks or accidents. Check the weblink right for cheap holiday insurance with 'Insure and Go', or phone the Iknow-Holidays booking line direct for advice and assistance.
Huge costs have been incurred to individual holidaymakers who have discovered that cheap travel insurance policies did not cover particular accidents and emergencies. If you're planning to undertake watersports such as jet skiing or para-gliding, or other potentially dangerous sports it's advisable to ensure you're covered for such activities in the event of an accident (the company providing the rides is likely not to have inclusive insurance cover. Holiday makers have been caught out here.
The EHIC health card (which replaced the old E111 health form - obtain one online via the weblink right) will only cover you for basic health care, not for things like repatriation or air ambulances if needed. You could end up with a health care bill of 20,000 pounds or more. The risk isn't worth it! Check the health advice for travel weblinks to the right for advice on travel insurance cover, and additional health insurance cover. The NHS 'Fit for Travel' website is particularly useful for health travel advice, and taking out travel and health insurance. Phone iknow-holidays booking line for advice, guidance and travel insurance booking.
All British Citizens with UK passports travelling to the Algarve are advised to obtain European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC), and indeed on top of this additional Medical health insurance cover. EHIC cards have now replaced the old E111 form! EHIC cards are free, and very easy to obtain, either online via the weblink right, or by obtaining an EHIC form from your local post office. EHIC entitles UK travellers to emergency medical treatment whilst in the Algarve and Portugal on the same terms as Portuguese nationals. However, the EHIC will not cover things like on-going medical treatment, medical repatriation or non-urgent medical treatment.
The Department of Health (see weblink right) advises additional comprehensive medical and travel insurance alongside obtaining your EHIC. Numerous English Doctors and Dentists operate around the Algarve. Pharmacies have big green crosses outside them - you'll need to visit these for even basics such as headache tablets as these are not generally available in the supermarkets as in the UK. However, you'll note that many drugs only available by prescription in the UK are available over the counter without prescription in Portugal. This is due to the fact that pharmacists in Portugal are actually highly skilled paramedics. Santitary towels and tampons tend to be even more expensive in Portugal than in the UK, so it's a good idea to bring your own and save money!
Travellers with particular medical conditions are advised to take out additional health cover, to insure health cover for all eventualities. Check the NHS 'Fitness for Health' website (to the right) which offers excellent advice on things like taking care in the sun and dehydration and the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. For advice on lost or stolen passports whilst in the Algarve check the British Embassy Lost or Stolen Passport advice weblink right. British Embassies in Portugal, including the office at Portimao, can issue emergency passports if needed which are valid for a single journey to the UK. Only the Lisbon British Embassy can issue 10 year passports. See the weblink right for the necessary procedures involving completion of a C1 form for adults and C2 form for under 16s.
Around 3 million British Tourists, advise the Foreign Office, visit Portugal every year and many of these visitors head to the Algarve. Most visits to the Algarve are trouble free, and where accidents and incidents are experienced they are usually connected to beach safety, road safety, sun burn and sun safety and overconsumption of alcohol. It's important to remember that all year round the sun can be intense on the Algarve and you should wear a high factor sun cream at all times!
The British Embassy office on the Algarve is situated in Portimao to the west: British Consulat, Portimao, Largo Francisco A Muricio 7-1, 8500-535 Portimao, Algarve, Portugal. Tel: 351 282 490 750. Office hours are from 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Other British Embassies in Portugal are situated in Lisbon, Funchal on the island of Madeira, Sao Miguel on the Azores and at Oporto in Northern Portugal. The Portimao office however will be your main contact should you need to contact the British Embassy in an emergency whilst in the Algarve. The main Lisbon British Embassy Office is at Rua de Sao Bernando 33, 1249-082 Lisboa. Tel: 351 21 392 4000.
It's well worth having a read through the travel advice on Portugal and the Algarve from the Foreign Office on the weblink right. There's some particularly useful advice on car hire and road safety, beach safety and following beach flag warnings, local laws and customs and more. Click on the 'What we can do to help' link when things go wrong.
Other advice details listed on the Portugal page of the Foreign office include warnings on forest fires in Portugal (this may be an issue if you're spending some time inland on the Algarve around Monchique). It's common sense but bears repeating - DON'T throw cigarettes out of car windows! The Foreign Office also warns of companies in Portugal and the Algarve trying to sell memberships to Holiday Clubs. They''ve received numerous complaints about these. Visitors to the Algarve and Madeira particularly are advised to be careful when handling such contracts. A report is due to be produced on the subject - but to be totally safe best to avoid them altogether!
Another holiday essential you may want to consider is pet sitting services for your pets whilst you are abroard. Pet sitting services are becoming extremely sophisticated, to the extent of not just pet sitting but also offering other services such as taking care of your business whilst you're on holiday, a live in pet sitting service and keeping an eye on burst pipes and other household emergencies.
Absentia Pet Sitting Service is an excellent pet sitting company choice (see their website link to the right). They offer individually tailor-made pet sitting packages to suit your needs and requirements. For advice on pet travel, obtaining pet passports and general advice on taking your pet abroad check the DEFRA pet travel weblink right.
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