Algarve West Tourism Guide - Algarve West Essentials

West Algarve Basic Facts & Information

Algarve holidays are more than made comfortable by the ample facilities available in all main resorts - for example public toilets, telephone booths, ATMs, holidays shops and supermarkets, cafes, bars, and restaurants. Opening times for shops in main resorts like Praia da Rocha, Lagos and busy Carvoeiro 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 and late with a long lunch break in between. Museums and monuments tend to open from 10am to 12pm, close for lunch then reopen 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. the area code for Lagos and the west Algave is 282).

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 still 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. Some of the best Algarve out of season bases are in the West. Choose bustling Lagos and you'll find plenty going on in and around the area if the rains come, such as a choice of museums. walking around the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Algentejan e Costa Vincentina or visiting various historic sights in Sagres, Silves, Portimao and inland beautiful Monchique. Algarve car hire is highly recommended on the West Algarve, especially out of 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 likeing - different minerals in Portugese 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 written statement through the police station.

Algarve Travel Insurance for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

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.

Freedom specialises in finding insurance solutions for people living with pre-existing medical conditions. We aim to provide security and peace of mind thereby allowing the policyholder to enjoy their holiday in the knowledge that they are covered by a comprehensive insurance policy should an emergency arise. 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.

Cheap Travel Insurance Algarve West

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 climbin around inland Algare, check you're covered for all possible risks or accidents. Check the weblink right for cheap holiday insurance with 'Insure and Go', or phone Iknow-Holidays 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 on 0871 423-5056 for advice and guidance if needed.

Health Travel Insurance Advice Algarve Holidays & Lost or Stolen Passport Advice

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 available in the supermarkets as in the UK. However, you'll note that many drugs only available by prescription in the UK are available ove 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 is intense on the Algarve and you should wear a high factor sun cream at all times!

British Embassy in Portugal & the Algarve

The British Embassy office on the Algarve is situated in Portimao to the west: British Consulate, 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 Porto 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 warning on forest fires in Portugal (this may be an issue if you're spending some time inland on the Algarve around Monchique). Common sense, but 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!

Pet Travel, Pet Sitting, Pet Passports for the Algarve Portugal

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.