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| Portugal is the most western country on the European continent and the only one belonging to the GMT time zone. |
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The Algarvians speak a special “idiom” due to the accent which is even harder to understand than standard Portuguese.
When staying in one of the tourist areas, communication in English is always possible without problems and in most restaurants the menu is multi-lingual. Further inland, however, a phrase book may be of help, especially when trying to communicate with older people. Unplanned contact with the police may also be difficult in English – also, beware of making comments in your native language: many of the younger Portuguese have either grown up abroad or learned languages at school and will probably be able to understand! |
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Portugal has been a participant in the European Monetary Union since 1998 and introduced the Euro as the official currency on January 1st, 2002. In some cases however, prices of luxury properties are indicated in GBP due to the importance of the British market.
VAT is currently 21%. |
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The Faro International Airport has dispatched more than 5 Mio passengers in 2006. Faro, the Algarve’s capital, can be accessed by plane within 3 hours from most European destinations. Other nearby airports: Lisbon, Seville and Jerez (both in Spain). ).
Flight schedules and flight booking: ►►HERE |
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In addition to the well known international companies, several local providers offer reliable services at significantly lower prices.
Discounted car hire:►►HERE |
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As in other countries on the European continent, Portugal drives on the right.
Speed limits are 50km/30mph in urban, 90 km / 54 mph on open roads and 120 km/72mph on motorways.
Further information: ►►HERE
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The Algarve's geographical position gives it some special bioclimatic features. Although situated by the Atlantic Ocean, it has a temperate climate with Mediterranean characteristics, more than 3,000 hours of sunlight per year and a low annual average rainfall.
Actual weather conditions and a 5days forecast: ►►HERE
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| Golf courses, green fees and tee times |
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The Algarve is on of the most sought-after golf destinations on the European continent. Golfers have the choice of more than 30 golf courses with different characteristics, several more are under construction or in the planning phase. They all are in a very good shape due to the favourable climatic conditions.
Discounted green fees an d tee times reservation: ►►HERE
Attention: Early booking recommended during spring time and falls! |
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The Algarve boasts a shoreline of more than 200 km and over 150 beaches, 46 of which currently fly the Blue Flag, the quality seal awarded by the FEE.
The best known beaches: ►►HERE
Here you will also find information on water sports facilities, family friendly beaches and those suitable for handicapped persons. |
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Prices of hotels, holiday villas and apartments can vary significantly depending on the season. Whenever possible, try to avoid the Portuguese holiday months of July and August and book before or after the high season.
A great selection of hotels, holiday villas & apartments: ►►HERE |
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Algarvian cuisine is dominated by fish and seafood and further inland you can also find excellent restaurants offering traditional rural dishes at moderate prices.
Information on the local cuisine, regional specialities and fish & seafood available on the market: ►►HERE |
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The Algarve has much more to offer than great golf courses and beautiful sandy beaches. The tremendous earthquake and tsunami in 1755 damaged most buildings, but fortunately there is still much to discover: from prehistoric times, the Roman period, the Moorish occupation, the era of discoveries until modern times.
Further information: ►►HERE |
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| The standard of service by Portuguese mobile service providers is excellent. Should you intend to stay for a longer period, you may consider buying a pre-paid card from one of the providers: TMN, Vodafone or OPTIMUS to avoid the high roaming costs. |
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An increasing number of hotels already offer Internet access via DSL in your room at no extra charge. Others possess a business centre with Internet access and/or a hotspot. Prior to booking you should ask whether there is Internet access and the cost for such a service.
Privately owned holiday villas and apartments which are rented out do not normally have a telephone or Internet connection. In these cases, please ask where the nearest Internet café is situated. |
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| Navigating the Algarve-Portal |
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| Information in the Algarve-Portal is structured by themes and regions. You can also search for a name, by using an alphabetical list or the sitemap. Tips on how to navigate: HERE |
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