Algarve Day Trips
The Algarve is small enough that you can take day trips to many locations along the coast. I would recommend staying in the Benagil area and going east or west from there. In the Algarve, day trips are easy via train, car, bus, or boat for closer locations. Below is what we did in a single day based out of the Benagil area. We used our Eurail pass for the train part of this day trip.
Portimão
We woke up early and headed to Portimão via an Uber as it would have cost about the same to go to the train station closest to us. However, this saved us about 45 minutes and gave us time to look around Portimão before taking the train to Lagos.
Portimão is a beautiful town with old buildings; sadly many need a lot of work to bring them back to their previous glory. Walking through the streets you see some beautifully restored homes and others that need cosmetic work at best. We spent about an hour walking through neighborhoods before heading to the station for our train.
Lagos
Lagos is one of the more western cities in the Algarve and is a tourist destination for many. The city has modern infrastructure and has spent a lot of money creating a boardwalk area with shops, restaurants, and a marina. Many foreigners live or vacation here due to the infrastructure, climate, affordability, and English is spoken everywhere.
It seemed like we walked up and down every street in Lagos over a few hours. Therefore, we were starting to get hungry and we found a neat little café on one of the tourist trap streets to grab some food. They had sandwiches and other nibble-worthy foods. It was a great place to plop down and relax while watching people stroll by.
Unfortunately, we had more to see and it was our last day in the Algarve. We needed to make the best of it and keep moving. Therefore, we left the tourist area and went to an old castle, and walked along the beach. Lagos is a beautiful and modern city with all the amenities you would want or need. Although it is a tourist destination, it still had a relaxing local charm.
Back to the Villa
The trains run roughly every hour, so we started making our way back to the station. We were strolling along and enjoying ourselves and not wanting to rush. Unfortunately, we arrived just after the train left; we missed it by 5 minutes.
Therefore, we either needed to find something to do for about 45 minutes, take a bus, or Uber back to the villa. The decision was made to take an Uber and there were a few fairly close by. It was only 30 euros for a 35-minute trip.
While waiting for the Uber, 4 or 5 English students asked if we wanted their leftover beer. They had about 15 beers in a bag. Unfortunately, they were heading to the airport and wouldn’t be able to drink it before leaving. Therefore, being the thrifty guy I am, I said sure and I took the bag with us. That bag is now in my car for shopping trips to the store. It is a good reminder of this trip. I left most of the beers at the villa.
Not Enough Time
Unfortunately, we only scratched the surface of what the Algarve has to offer. Therefore, if you want to see the Algarve, you will need at least a week or longer.
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