As the train rambled on and the scenery shifted from a bustling city to empty fields and rolling hills, I sat in my economy seat trying to understand the announcements so that I did not miss my stop…The Algarve is an area of Portugal encompassing the Southern Coastline that can be reached from Lisbon by car, train, plane or bus. I opted for the train. A 3 hr. 45 minute commuter train ride from Lisbon with nothing but occasional announcements that may or may not be intelligible, even to the locals. Finally, I arrived at my station (I think)… Loule!!! A tiny station welcomed me and after a 12 minute Uber ride from there, I found myself at an amazingly beautiful beach resort. A 5 minute walk to the marina and a short boat ride to incredible historic towns and even a National Park! Welcome to Algarve, the riviera of Portugal. All aboard!

Getting There

There are several ways to get to the Algarve. You can fly to Faro from Lisbon. You can rent a car and drive from anywhere in Portugal. You can also take a bus or the local commuter train from Lisbon. The bus takes a very long time so I took the train. My train departed from Lisboa Entrecampos Station but I would recommend taking it from one station further away as it felt a little safer and less chaotic. The trip cost under 30. USD round trip at the time I travelled. The trip took under 4 hours. Barely. A long, slow, rambling 4 hours. Are we there yet??

Things to Do

I based myself in Villamoura and took day trips to the surrounding beaches and towns…here are a few things to do nearby…and in Villamoura.

Take a local ferry from Villamoura to Albufeira– This was actually my favorite day in The Algarve. I bought my tickets online the day before on Get Your Guide On. I walked over to the marina and located the stand where they gave me a bracelet and told me to wait. A thrilling catamaran swept 4 other passengers and myself out to our final destination,,, Albufeira! After a beautiful ride by boat to the port, there was a very long climb up to the town. I stumbled upon a “tuk tuk” with my fellow boat passengers and we split the ride up (10. euros total for all 3 of us). Apparently the tuk tuk’s are a big deal here. People decorate them and paint them all different colors. They were everywhere! If I had a tuk tuk I might paint it to look like a cow, white with black spots and write “Lets get moooooooving” on it. Then I would a tip jar that says ” Cow tipping appreciated”. Anyway, back to Albufeira. You can spend at least an hour or two exploring the town. Drifting in and out of the shops, browsing at the street markets and stopping to have lunch at any one of the outdoor cafes. Then there’s the beach! One way to get there is to go through a cool tunnel at the end of town. If you bring your own towel, the beach is free. If you want to sit in one of the chairs with an umbrella, you will pay 20. euros or more. I was content with my “borrowed” hotel towel and a hat. There are also some really adventurous cliff walks around the beach, but there are warnings about the ground not being stable. I know people that should wear that same sign. I did a portion of the walk until I got a little nervous and turned around. You can walk back down (about 20 or so minutes) to the ferry at the end of your day in Albufeira…no need for a tuk tuk. Be sure to know the schedule of the ferry as they did not run that often.

Travel Tip; The ferry only cost 15. Euros R/T when I was there, which I found incredibly reasonable. The boat ride took an hour each way and that alone was a fun thing to do. I booked in advance to ensure I had a seat, but it was not crowded in May. Summer may be a whole different scene.

Visit the Medeival city of Faro– Another favorite day I had in Southern Portugal! Faro had quite a variety of things to do, so I would recommend getting there as early as possible (or even staying there). The Faro Cathedral is worth visiting. Climb the 15th century tower to enjoy picture perfect views of the city and coastline. Don’t miss the Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos). They say there are over 1,000 bones and skulls lining the inside, but whos counting? It’s smaller than I expected, but absolutely feels like creepiness overload. My kind of place…The main shopping street, Rua de Santo Antonio had a lot of cute shops selling handmade pottery and many of the restaurants had fresh seafood on their menus. There is also a Nature preserve right outside the city gate. You can buy tickets to take a boat tour of the nature preserve/coastal lagoon to view birds and flamingos. The best part about it? The water is as calm as glass and short boat rides leave right from the marina! Easy peasy! Not a flamingo in sight when I was there though.

Travel Tip; If you are staying in Villamoura, Faro is about 45 minutes away. I took the Flixbus from Quarteira Bus Terminal which was super easy and straightforward. Drops you off right outside the entrance to town and across from the marina. It was cheap, clean and reliable. You can buy tickets online (about 10. euros one way) and they even assign you a seat number. You can also drive there if you have a car. From Villamoura, a $5. Euro Uber will bring you to the bus station.

The Chapel of Bones has limited hours and is located inside the Igeja do Carmo (5 minute walk from the marina) I would suggest making that your first stop. Obviously for some, it was their last stop.

Faro is a very walkable town. Easy to navigate. Even I did not get lost. There is a tourist office right at the entrance to town if you want to grab a free map. Catch the bus back where it drops you off.

Rent a Bike at the Villamoura Marina- Even if you stay in a different town, The Villamoura Marina is extensive, impressive and worth a visit. Renting a bike to ride around the marina and along the beach is a fun way to see everything. Waterfront restaurants are abundant here. I had some amazing meals at the marina! There are many shops in between and offices selling boat tours, renting jet skis and offering all sorts of water sports. You can ride the bike along several beaches on a paved path with great views of the Atlantic.

Take a speedboat to see the Benagil Caves-This is one of the most popular things to do in the Villamoura area. I however, did not do this. I wanted to. I really did. It did seem a little touristy, but that’s not why I didn’t do it. I am prone to seasickness..and this tour promised a ” thrilling intense ride on a speedboat that will take you out into the open sea where you will seek out dolphins before heading to the caves.” Translation; ” You will be holding on for dear life, screaming in horror all while getting soaked…and possibly vomit on dolphins”.The brochure had a picture of a speedboat catching air with a bunch of tourists screaming in excitement, or so it seems. Good times. Trips can be booked online or down at the marina.

Enjoy a day at the Beach- There are several beautiful beaches in and around Villamoura. The main beach is directly east of the marina in Villamoura. There’s also a famous beach west of this known as Falesia Beach with amazing red and gold clay cliffs. Praia de Quarteira is another beautiful beach 20 -30 minute walk east of Villamoura Marina. Collect sea shells, rent a chair, take a swim and relax!

Where to Stay

Hyatt Regency Villamoura- This hotel was in a great location …2 minute walk to the beach and 5 minutes to the marina. The pool area was lovely and beds were comfy.

Where to Eat

Tai Tai- This is a great Chinese/Tai restaurant right on the marina in Villamoura.Prices are reasonable and of course, the wine is cheap! But why no fortune cookie? Are fortune cookies an American thing?

Capriccio- I had a very good pesto gnocchi here. Grab a table at the window for beautiful views of the marina. It’s a few places down from Tai Tai.

The Mayflower- Another good place to have dinner on the marina.They have a large selection of amazingly prepared seafood.

Some things to mention…. Villamoura and the surrounding towns in Algarve are known for their party atmosphere. They seem to attract a lot of British golfers. A lot. So many. The Christine of the 1990s could party with the best of them until the sun came up. But now? Not so much. And I am certainly not into golfing. However, I still had a great time. Just be aware of the atmosphere if you are planning a visit.

The prices were higher in Argave then in other parts of Portugal that I visited.

So, If you decide to visit The Algarve and find yourself on the local train heading out of Lisbon, keep an eye out for me. I may still be riding the rails there, desperately trying to hear the announcements and decipher where to get off!