Portugal – Info for New Travellers
Someone recently asked me for some information on travelling in Portugal, I realised that a few times now I have written down some info for people or market places on their maps. I thought it would be a good idea to actually type something up and save to the computer to refer to. Hopefully some newbie travellers to Portugal will find this helpful and maybe even people who have been before might find some other places to visit on their next trip :)
Some
park ups and some cool places to visit and a few tips for newbies on
the road in Portugal :)
Some of the best things about Portugal
and vehicle living/travelling are:
-
The abundance of free water at the many springs, look for them off the main streets in villages and towns. Many villages still have the old wash houses where there is always water.
-
The many free park ups suitable for all sorts of vehicles, too many really to list although I will list a few but free parking is the way to go unless you need the amenities a campsite offers or it’s high season. Free parking is easier out of season for sure.
-
The lack of traffic on the roads makes for lovely driving conditions and no traffic jams (well maybe in Lisbon!)
-
The people are friendly and welcoming, it goes a long way to learn a few words of Portuguese.
-
Cheap food and drink at the bars and cafes, if you think Spain is cheap, try Portugal!
Some of the downsides about Portugal and
vehicle living/travelling are:
-
The police can try and find any reason to fine you, we have been lucky but other van dwellers report being fined for free parking. Make sure you are legal and carrying all the necessary things like warning triangle and high viz jacket. Be friendly and polite and move on as soon as asked. Unless there is a sign saying no parking then you should be able to talk yourself out of a fine unless the cops just want to be bastards!
-
In the summer holiday time you will get moved on by police if you are in a tourist area.
-
In the rural areas most people over 40 do not speak English so be prepared with a phrase book!
Park ups and places to visit loosely in
the order of starting on the south coast at the border with Spain and
heading west and then north following the coastline and dipping
inland now and then! These are all places we have visited and enjoyed
except a few that have come highly recommended to us that we haven’t
visited yet!
Vila Real de Santo Antonio – We found
our dog here 5 years ago at a free car park where people stayed all
winter, they have now turned it into a proper aire and you have to
pay a few Euros a night to stay. At the north of the town on the edge
of the river.
Alcoutim – Massive zip slide over the
river from Sanlucar de Guadiana in Spain. We haven’t been yet but
it looks awesome!
Olhao – Some good places around here to
park up for free, we stayed near Aldeia de Marim in a small beach car
park with no problem.
Ameixial – Park up at spring on N2
north of the village. We haven’t been here but have been told it is
nice.
Silves – Massive free park up full of
plastic fantastics, mainly people who wont go any further west in the
winter as they say it gets too windy! Head north towards Silves on
the N124, look to your left as you approach the town and you’ll see
it. It’s basically on the south edge of the town by a School,
Sports centre and skate park.
Lagos – Nice enough town, we didn’t
park up there but we did visit Ponta da Piedade the amazing rocks in
the sea there. Beautiful but you need a boat to explore properly!
Barranco – Best free park up in the
Algarve (actually the whole of Portugal) is Barranco beach near
Sagres. It’s a long time hippy/surfer beach and there is always a
mix of alternative people, surfers and holiday makers in vans, buses
and trucks. From Vila do Bispo (where the nearest Lidl is) follow the
N125 east to the next village of Raposeira, at the traffic lights
turn right, pass the few buildings on your right and then take the
next right turn (if you get to the old wash house on your right you
have gone too far!) This road is only tarmac for the first 100 metres
or so and then it is a dirt track but fine for all vehicle types even
in bad weather. After 3km the track has been surfaced with bricks and
the last 2km are on the bricks (watch out for the potholes!) Park on
the brick car park area rather than nearer the beach if you don’t
want the police to move you on! Lidl is the nearest supermarket at
Vila do Bispo where there is also free WiFi at the library which you
can pick up from outside. There is also an old wash house where you
can get water although we always use the wash house/water point near
the turning for the track to the beach mentioned above.
Sagres area – There are lots of other
nice beach park ups in the Sagres area, you can walk along the cliffs
from Barranco east to the next beach where you will find some vans
and then further along between Salema and Vale da Raposa there is
Boca do Rio where people go a lot. The beaches on the west coast at
Vila do Bispo are nice and further up north on that coastline there
are places to park at Cappapateira. Sagres itself is a nice small
town with a nice beach.
Aljezur – Nice town with good bars,
cafés and souvenir shops. There was a charity shop here that sold
English books (a godsend sometimes after months on the road!) Also
there is a solar shop just north of the town on the industrial estate
off the N120.
Odeceixe – Heading north on the N120
pass the left hand turn for Praia de Odeceixe (although it is quite
nice there but not for big vehicles!) cross the river and take the
immediate left. Follow the track for 5km to the beach. At the very
end there is a beach car park with signs that say no overnight
parking but double back a bit and there are some wide laybys where
there often a few vans.
Cabo Sardao-Cavaleiro – Head as far as
you can go towards the coast on the M1124, go around the football
pitch and there is some great free parking near high cliffs where
storks nest. Worth a stop there for lunch even if you have no plans
to stay the night as the storks nests on top of narrow cliffs are a
pretty awesome sight!
Vila Nova de Milfontes – Heading north
before you get to the town whilst still on the N393 turn left before
the river and you can park on the river edge near the restaurant.
Sines – Avoid the industrial hell hole
at all costs, nothing to see of any beauty here unless you like
pipes, chimneys and factories!
Sesmarias – There is a car park at the
beach where we stopped for lunch but there was other campervans that
had stayed a few nights with no problems.
Evora – Beautiful old town with a
creepy bone chapel (a must see!) The town is surrounded by Neolithic
sites the most impressive being Cromeleque dos Almendres, the largest
site in Iberia and one of the oldest in Europe. There is a car park
and is fine to free park for a few nights. In the nearby village of
Guadalupe there are free public toilets and cold showers! The tourist
information office in Evora will give you good maps of the area.
Monsaraz/Telheiro – Between these two
villages lies Cromeleque do Xares, we haven’t been there yet but
from experience Neolithic sites in Portugal (and Spain and France)
are usually a good place to park up for a few nights.
Areia – Take the N247-6 north out of
the village, at the T junction turn left onto the N247, take the next
right to a beach side park up. We haven’t been here but are told it
is nice.
Baril do Alva – Beautiful free aire
near the bridge over the river. Big hippy/alternative expat community
in the area and worth staying when the hippy/craft market is on (3rd
Saturday of every month).
Covas – Lots of pine forest in this
area to get lost and park up in. Be wary if you are in anything
bigger than a panel van as some of the villages have very tight
streets.
Gois & Arganil - Big
hippy/alternative expat community in the area and lots of places to
park up.
Markets
Pick
up the free English papers for the local area (mainly in the Algarve)
for information on things going on. Please check before turning up as
these details are from 2015
Algarve:
Monday
Barão de São Miguel: In the streets
around the city centre - general market. First Monday of each month,
08:00-13:00
Algoz: Next to Junta de Freguesia - gipsy
market selling hand-crafted items made of wicker, wood and ceramics,
as well as household and dry goods. Second Monday of the month,
08:00-13:00
Aljezur: Next to Escola e Jardim-de
Infâncias. Igreja Nova - general market. Third Monday of each month,
08:00-14:00
Silves: Largo da Fissul - fresh
vegetables, fruit, clothing, textiles, shoes and household items.
Third Monday of each month, 08:00-13:00
São Bartolomeu de Messines: In the
market square between Rua Antonio Aleixo and Rua 1 Maio - gipsy
market. Fourth Monday of each month
Tuesday
Alvor: In Estrada da Torrealta - gipsy
market selling hand-crafted items made of wicker, wood and ceramics,
as well as household and dry goods. Second Tuesday of the month,
08:00-14:00
Thursday
Azilheira: Close to the urban centre -
general market. Held on the First Thursday of every month,
08:00-13:00
Fuzeta: Next to the Fuzeta camping park -
gipsy market. First Thursday of every month, 08:00-13:00
Vila do Bispo: In the market square -
market selling hand-crafted items made of wicker, wood and ceramics,
as well as household and dry goods. First Thursday of each month,
08:00-13:00
Boliqueime: In the town centre - gipsy
market. Last Thursday of each month, 08:00-14:00
Friday
Alcantarilha: In the streets around the
city centre - fruit, vegetables, flowers, clothes, textiles and
shoes. First Friday of the month, 09:00-14:00
Monchique: Largo Sao Sebastiao - gipsy
market selling hand-crafted items made of wicker, wood and ceramics,
as well as household and dry goods. Second Friday of the month,
08:00-14:00
Saturday
Alvor: Flea market First Saturday of each
month. Located in area near the river. 08:00-18:00
Benafim: Rua 25 Abril - general market.
First Saturday of the month, 09:00-14:00
Lagos: In the municipal stadium - general
market - first Saturday of the month
Castro Marim: 2nd Saturday of each month
selling regional products, vegetables, fruit, dry clothing, footwear,
confectionery and crafts. Located in the market area
Loulé: In Cortelha - gipsy market
selling hand-crafted items made of wicker, wood and ceramics, as well
as household and dry goods. Second Saturday of the month, 08:00-14:00
Vila Real Santo António: Praça Marques
de Pombal - flea market. Second Saturday of the month, 10:00
Caliços: Next to the bus terminal - flea
market. Third Saturday of the month, 08:00-13:00
Tavira: In Rua Vale Carangueijo - Gipsy
market. Third Saturday of the month, 09:00-13:00
Monte Gordo: Next to the Tourist Office -
flea market. Fourth Saturday of the month from 10:00
Tunes: Rua 1 Maio, next to level crossing
- gipsy market selling handicraft made of wicker, wood and ceramics,
as well as household and dry goods. Fourth Saturday of the month,
08:00-13:00
Sunday
Almancil: At Algarve Stadium - flea
market. Every first and third Sunday of the month, 07:30-14:00
Portimão: In Parque de Feiras e
Exposições – general market. First and third Sunday of each month
Azinhal: In Castro Marim - general
market. First Sunday of the month, 08:00-13:00
Almancil: Next to the C&S school -
flea market. Second Sunday of the month, 08:00-13:00
Faro: Close to the Mercado Abastecedor in
Estoi - general market. Every second Sunday of the month, 08:00-14:00
Ferragudo: Baixa de Ferragudo - flea
market. Second Sunday of the month, 08:00-13:00
Lagos: Chinicato - flea market. Second
Sunday of each month
Espiche: Restaurant Quinta dos Areoes –
flea market. Third Sunday of the month.
Vila Real Santo António: Vila Nova de
Cacela - gipsy market. Third Sunday of the month, 08:00-13:00
Barão de São João: Large hippy/craft
market. Fourth Sunday of each month. Recinto do Polidesportivo
(sports area) 8600 (I am reliably informed that this is a great
market to go to!)
Lagoa: In front of the Fatacil building -
flea market. Fourth Sunday of the month, 11:00-16:00
Rogil: Next to the new church - gipsy
market. Fourth Sunday of the month, 08:00-13:00
Tavira: Santa Catarina: Rua 1º Maio -
flea market selling hand-crafted items made of wicker, wood and
ceramics, as well as household and dry goods. Fourth Sunday of each
month, 08:00-13:00
Central Portugal:
Baril do Alva: Next to the bridge over
the river - Hippy market 4th Saturday of the month 09:00-13:00 (Great
market, lots of expats and other Europeans, free aire for campervans
right there)
Some of the places mentioned are featured
on my website and/or blog at www.positive-evolution.org.uk
Useful websites
E-Beira
– Community website for the Beiras region - http://e-beira.com
Pure
Portugal – Property for sale in central Portugal -
http://www.pureportugal.co.uk/
Portugal
News in English - http://theportugalnews.com/
Central
Portugal Blog - https://portugalholidayguide.wordpress.com/
Wild
and Not Wild Camping Map - http://www.furgovw.org/mapa_furgoperfecto/
Propertery
for sale including in Portugal - http://www.greenshifters.co.uk/
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