| THE
PINTADOS ALGARVE FAQ
Frequently
Asked Questions about holidays in . . . and moving, to the
South of Portugal.
1.
What has the Algarve got to offer?
What
indeed!? Beautiful scenery, an excellent climate, comparatively
cheap cost of living and friendly people is a good list to
be going on with!
For
a few examples, see our 'location'
page.
2.
What IS the climate like?
Being
so much further south than the UK for example, the temperature
here (even in the mountains) is generally 5-10 degrees Centigrade
higher. Or, put another way, you need on average, one or two
layers of clothes less here than you would in Britain.
Similarly,
it's much dryer with far fewer rainy days . . . and even when
the weather is overcast here it's generally brighter and quite
comfortable to be out of doors.
To
see what's it's like here now and to compare to your current
weather, see
the BBC weather pages.
3.
So is it an 'all year round round' destination?
Well,
probably not . . . at least, not judging by the very cold
and wet February we've just expereinced! . . . and the fact
that old Portuguese houses were not built for such weather.
Nor do we have the guaranteed sun in the winter months that
the Canary Islands or Madeira (or more exotic places like
the Caribbean) have . . . but it is, on average, considerably
warmer and dryer than in Northern Europe. When did you last
wear a T-shirt outside in December or enjoy a paddle in the
sea in January?
In
the winter the weather can be variable. Whilst Feb 2006 saw
hail and considerable rain and many dull, damp days, in November
& January we had many long spells of clear blue skies
and hot enough days to sit out for lunch and generally live
outside during the daytime.
Algarve
Springs and Autumns can be compared to the summers of Northern
Europe . . . consistently warmer and dryer . . . and ideal
for exploring the countryside.
4.
What about money, time zone and such essential things?
Portugal
has the Euro which is easy to obtain and use. You typically
get 1.4 to 1.45 Euro to the British Pound.
Portuguese
banks seem to be friendly, helpful places . . . likewise the
Correos which is what they call their Post Office. Usually
in such places if you ask Fala Ingles? (Do you speak
English?), they'll say A little and proceed to give
you all the assistance you need.
Portugal
is in the same time zone as the UK . .. NOT an hour ahead
like Spain, France, etc. If you look at a map of Europe, you'll
see that Portugal is actually at a similar Westerly position
to Eire.
Any
European national with a valid passport can enter Portugal
and stay here. There's some debate as to exactly how long
one can stay without getting extra documentation and what
permits etc. are needed. Many immigrants from Northern Europe
seem to stay here indefinitely on just their original passports!
5.
Is it cheap?
We're
finding that many food, household and day-to-day things cost
in Euros what we used to pay in Pounds - i.e. it's 40% cheaper!
Obviously there's exceptions and this doesn't work if you
carry on buying all the UK or other imported brands, but by
buying local versions . . . and certainly when eating out
. . . we've found that the promise of living more cheaply
is holding true. For example, the two of us today had an excellent
3 course lunch for under €20 - total! This was the tourist
menu which are often, as on this occasional, superb value.
For
those thinking of moving here, the warmer clime also means
FAR lower heating bills.
6.
What's the food like?
Obviously
that's a matter of taste, but we're well pleased with both
the quality and value of food when we eat out. As in most
places there's a range of cafe's and restaurants and you pays
your money and takes your choice. The Portuguese do a good
line in pork or lamb chops and some excellent fish and seafood
dishes - one of their specialties is a cataplana - a sort
of fish stew served in a large lidded copper vessel.
For
vegetarians who don't eat fish, options are often limited
but omelettes and salads are usually available and vegetarian
restaurants are beginning to get established here. We'll endeavour
to list one's we've identified on our
Iberian links page, though few have web sites.
For
those self catering, most towns still have a daily fruit and
veg market (weekday mornings) in their market halls and we'd
certainly recommend the greengrocers in Monchique. Most places
of more than a few houses also have a supermercado (yes, you've
guessed it - supermarket) which vary from very small and thus
limited to places you can get most things . . . or at least
most things Portuguese.
If
you feel you need imported food or a wider selection or large
volumes cheaper, you'll have to go to one of the international
hyper-markets. All large towns will have either a Modelo,
Lidl, Intermarche or E.Leclercs. As with big chains anywhere,
some things are good value and high quality . . . some isn't.
Intermarche (e.g. Lagoa) is the best, we find, for cheeses
. . a wonderful selection including many sheep's and goats
cheeses.
NB
Except in one or two places along the south coast tourist
resorts, you will NOT find multi-national burger or pizza
bars. This we regard as a positive thing, since it encourages
us to try the local cafes and cuisine . . . which is usually
great.
One
thing about
locally run restaurants is that they can rarely if ever be
considered fast-food. To enjoy a meal in Portugal allow plenty
of time for it. To keep you entertained whilst the main meal
is being prepared the better restaurants provide a couver
which often includes some excellent olives and even cheese.
The usual offering is sardine pate and fresh bread . .. which
at least takes the edge off the hunger. You pay for the items
you eat of the couver.
7.
And the drink?
Portuguese
wines are excellent. So good in fact that we're writing a
book reviewing them! There is a huge selection with vinho
from the local co-operative not only cheap but full of flavour
and highly enjoyable . . . with few if any after effects.
There's
also a fair selection of local beers all of good value. Our
preference is for Sagres . . . as a lager style and Sagres
Bohemia which is a dark beer that will probably satisfy even
CAMRA drinkers!
As
for spirits, that's probably even a more a matter of personal
taste, but the local specialty is Medronho . . . distilled
from the fruit of the Medronho bush . . often know as the
strawberry tree. This schnapps type drink is very variable:
it CAN be smooth and tasty . . . it can also be like paint
stripper!
Also
available are spirits created from Fig, which I personally
have vowed never to touch again, and Almond (Amdenoa). . .
which is, to my palette, nectar. And don't forget the Port!
8.
What about the water?
Tap
water is generally drinkable. Many more outlying homes (such
as ours) have water that's piped directly from a spring up
the nearest mountain. It's rather like having mineral water
on tap!
9.
How do I get to the Algarve?
There
are numerous airlines that run cheap flights into Faro - the
Algarve's own modern and efficient airport. For example:
Easyjet
- from Luton, etc.
Monarch
- from Gatwick, etc.
Flybe
GB
Airways
Thomsonfly
- from Coventry
If
you're travelling from outside the UK or Germany, you'll probably
need to fly into Lisbon (Lisboa) and get a transfer to Faro
. . . or change in the UK.
To
see what flights are available into Faro from your area: see
the airport's web site
10.
What about public transport in the Algarve?
Along
the coast and up to Lisbon there is a choice of bus/coach
and train for short and long distance travel:
Train
Info
Coach
Info - from the main company here, EVA
There
are rural bus services, though they tend to be few and far
between . . . and there's none within walking distance of
Quinta Pintados.
All
the towns of any size have taxis which we're told are good
value.
11.
And driving?
The
A22 motorway runs all along the South coast from Spain. It's
a good road and usually quiet by the standards of UK motorways.
Other main roads between towns are usually good, although
they can get very windy and narrow in the hills. Some municipalities
don't seem to care about their roads, so in these areas (e.g.
Aljezur on the West coast) even main roads can be rough and
pit-holed.
To
get really into the mountains or to visit most mountain dwellers
you'll need to go 'off road' down tracks used mainly for loggers
trucks. You'll thus find that most locals have . . . and need
4 wheel drive vehicles of one sort or another.
You'll
also see three wheelers and very small cars powered by motorbike
engines . . . which apparently don't need a licence to drive.
These vehicles are incapable of going much above walking pace
so can be a bit of a hazard! Particularly as, at the other
extreme (in a typical Portuguese contradiction) are the cars
and drivers who belong (or think they belong) on a race track!
Another
hazard on the more remote roads are dogs. The Portuguese do
not generally keep their dogs on leads and they're often wandering
around the roads. . . and seem to take great delight in jumping
out in front of passing cars. We have a theory that they're
employed by a Road Safety campaign and get extra chewy bones
each time they make a car slow down suddenly!
Having
said all that, the roads here, particularly North of the A22
coastal motorway, are SO quiet and peaceful and driving is
generally a really pleasure.
Oh,
we DO drive on the right here!
There
are numerous places to hire cars, both in the Algarve and
on the 'net before you travel . . . or look out for fly-drive
deals. We've used Europcar a few times are felt we had good
deals and very good service.
12.
What about the language?
In
and around tourist areas, English is spoken in most places
where you're likely to need to be understood. In places off
the main routes, the locals may well speak no English . .
. but it's amazing what can be achieved through sign language!
As with any other 'foreign country' the more effort we make
to learn and use Portuguese, the more we'll be appreciated
and our needs catered for.
Portuguese
language structure is similar often to Spanish, but pronunciation
can take some getting used to. (Sounds like Russian to me!)
However, to anyone with a smattering of Spanish, Italian or
French it will come easily.
13.
Is there a health service and can anyone access it?
Portugal
has a health service in a similar way to the UK. We're told
that if you have a European passport you can access it directly
. . . although you may have to pay at the time then reclaim
the amount. As to the standard of care, that depends who you
ask and what your expectations are. As with most places, if
you want quicker service you have to go private. there are
many health insurance schemes available
If
you're living in Portugal and earning, then you're meant to
pay National Insurance contributions to pay for this and other
services.
14.
What about dentists and opticians?
These
are NOT included within the health service, but are widely
available in all larger towns. From what we've heard, they're
of a high standard . . . but you'll have to pay for the service
at the time . . . or have appropriate insurance.
I've
had to make use of 'Dentista' in Monchique and would certainly
recommend her - very caring, very skilled . . . and no more
expensive than the UK charge ON the NHS!
15.
Is there any good shopping?
Depends
what you mean by good shopping! if you want fashion shops
and designer goods then you'll need to go to Algarve Shopping
in Gaia or to Portimao . . . although even here you'll not
find many international names.
The
beauty of most Algarve towns is that they still have town
centres with local, specialist, shops in which you can browse
and perhaps find some good local crafts or bargains. One of
the specialties of the area is products made from locally
grown cork: it's amazing what they can do with it!
16.
And buying a house?
The
boring bits first: you need to have a Fiscal Number (NIC)
before you can do any serious financial business in Portugal.
Our lawyer sorted this out for us since it seems to be the
main ID (Other than passport for non Portuguese) that's asked
for here.
It's
normal here to pay a deposit (say 10%) with a provisional
contract which is binding . . . whilst the legal mechanics
take their lengthy course. In our case, and this is apparently
not at all unusual, we paid 50% and moved in! OK, the place
wasn't legally ours until 4 months later (when we could get
started on serious renovation) but we were living there .
. . only 2 months after we'd seen and liked the place.
Property
in the Algarve (except perhaps some of the posher coastal
locations) is considerably cheaper than in Spain . . . certainly
if you're willing to buy an old quinta (farmhouse)
and able to do it up. Up in the mountains there are many such
properties for sale (Se Vende) often with large chunks
of land . . . indeed the authorities seem keen to keep land
and buildings together and to have owners who actually live
here: much of the forested areas is owned by folks in Lisboa
who aren't around to keep an eye on it . . . e.g. to reduce
risk of fire.
17.
Forest Fires?
Over
recent decades much of the Algarve (and indeed Portugal and
across Europe) has seen widespread fires across the forested
hillsides. For a few years the land looks scorched and barren,
but it doesn't take long for nature to reassert itself . .
. particularly as much of this area is eucalyptus which sprouts
again after fire . . . and grows rapidly.
New
laws are coming into force to require land owners to clear
land of fallen trees, dry undergrowth etc, where it could
put property at risk or enable fires to spread.
The
flip side of this is that burning wood as fuel is positively
encouraged . . . and wood burning stoves are excellent for
keeping homes warm in the short winters.
18.
Is renewable energy used?
Yes.
There's a large wind-farm being constructed on the Serra de
Monchique and a number of suppliers of solar water and PV
systems. Even the main store for electrical supplies, Rolear,
has solar water systems available.
A
wide range of eco heating and decorating products are available
from Porta Verde -
EM for example.
We're
told that tax credits are available for such systems.
19.
Talking of heat, what the 'sun & beach' life like?
Wonderful!
It comes in two forms: the south coast including some large
tourist developments and the west coast which is a national
park and so free of development. Both are Atlantic coasts,
so cooled by Atlantic winds which make them, to our mind,
much more pleasant than the scorching Mediterranean beaches
of Spain. The west coast is rugged and favoured by surfers,
but both have miles and miles of beautiful beaches with fine
sand. They're clean, often having the European Blue Flag for
cleanliness. Whilst the popular south coast beaches can get
crowded in mid summer, out of season they're picturesque .
. . with plenty of restaurants nearby. The west coast is just
great for getting away from it all.
With
plenty of remote rocky coves there's plenty of opportunity
for naturist, particularly on the West coast. There are a
number of accepted naturist beaches - see
link.
20.
and Art?
Faro,
Tavira, and more recently Lagoa seem to be the places in the
Algarve which have more going on in terms of visual arts events.
Monchique has a very tasteful gallery with a rotating exhibition
programme of work by local artists, as well as touring exhibitions.
Aljezur also has a gallery within the museum showing work
by local talent - this summer they had art in the streets
- mainly large canvasses hung outside from buildings to striking
effect.
..and
culture?
Apparently
the Portuguese spend more on coffee and fags than on books
and theatre. But
cinemas can be found in the larger towns like Portimao and
Lagos. Most small towns have a civic centre which is used
as a theatre, but Faro has a famous and recently refurbished
theatre, well worth a visit (it's at the top of the road past
the launderette).
These
notes represent our personal experiences. We can't guarantee
you'll have similar ones. We feel we were ready for the Algarve
and have been lead here. Likewise, we're making a real effort
to learn the local ways, accept the way things are here and
not expect everything to be the same as it was in the UK .
. . after all, the whole point of moving was for a change!
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