Plan your trip
Straight answers to the questions people ask before they book, checked against official timetables, laws and weather records.
Getting here
Faro Airport to LagosEvery way to get from Faro Airport to Lagos, with real journey times, current fares and the winter bus timetable that catches people out.Faro Airport to AlbufeiraHow to get from Faro Airport to Albufeira, with Aerobus times for summer and winter, the evening bus most people miss, taxi and Bolt fares, and why the train is a poor fit.Faro Airport to TaviraThere is no direct bus from Faro Airport to Tavira. Here is how to get there by car, by bus and train via Faro station, or by taxi, with current fares and the last trains.
Getting around
Do you need a car?Yes, for most trips. Here is why public transport works poorly for beaches, how the buses and trains really perform, and how to rent a car at Faro Airport without nasty surprises.Toll roads in the AlgarveThe A22 Via do Infante has been free since 1 January 2025. Here is the law behind it, why the toll gantries and cameras are still standing, and when you still need a toll device in Portugal.
Where to stay
When to go
The Algarve in NovemberNovember in the Algarve brings mild days, quiet beaches and lower prices, but how much rain and wind you get depends on the year. Here are the averages, recent examples and our honest advice.The Algarve in DecemberDecember can be bright and mild or wet and windy in the Algarve, and the last four years show both. Here are the averages, real recent Decembers, and why we would usually pick October or November first.
Good to know
Beach flags and cliff safetyWhat the beach flags mean in Portugal, when lifeguards are on duty, why Algarve cliffs collapse, and a map of where the coast is high cliffs and where it is flat sand.How tides change the beachesThe Algarve has two high tides a day and a range of up to about 3.5 metres. Here is what that does to the coves, how to read a tide table, and how the coastline itself keeps changing.