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london to a beach town for four days..

Posted by (victoria, Canada) on

Hi , we are looking at a 10-12 day trip to London in July ( must fly in and out of London ) but would really like a 4-5 days visit to a beach town in Portugal .
Requirements and wishes are:

Easy to get to if we fly from London on some cheapo airline ( we have used Ryanair and Easyjet and like them) .. we will not be renting a car so somewhere we could get to by train or bus in under 2 hours.

Nice beach.. we prefer coves over long plain stretch of beach.. Prefer the Med over the Atlantic.

Fun small city or town with lots of cafes etc..
We are two middle aged woman so don't care about wild party and nightclubs so much.. but we like lively cafes and will stop in a bar or two.. We realize in summer places will be busy ,but would prefer a tad busier than a place that rolls up the doormat at 10 pm..

Posted by
80 posts

Hello pat,

If you prefer the waters of the Mediterranean over the Atlantic, then your only choice would be to take plane to Faro airport... even though it is still Atlantic, it is in southern Portugal and gets the currents from the Mediterranean. In Faro you can take a train to Lagos or Portimão - both located less than 2 hours from Faro.
About nightlife, I believe that Portimão (and surrounding area) has more to offer.

Enjoy Portugal ;)

Posted by
6113 posts

None of Portugal lies on the Med - it's the Atlantic. The warmest sea will be on the Algarve, although the further west you, the colder the sea will be and it will be windier.

The Algarve will be full of tourists in July and nowhere will close at 10pm!

Ryanair tends to have more flights from Stansted airport and Easyjet from Luton or Gatwick to Faro, although there are other options too. These flights have been available for months and the cheapest seats will already have been sold. Travelling midweek is usually cheaper. It usually takes me about 7-8 hours from home to the Algarve, depending on which resort I am visiting and it may take you slightly longer getting to the airport from central London.

Under 2 hours from Faro airport covers virtually the whole of the Algarve. Many of the smaller coves such as Furnas and Figueira beaches need a car to access.

Lagos has a mix of coves and long, straight beaches and plenty nightlife and by public transport would be closer to the 2 hour transfer time. Hiring a car and driving is easy in Portugal and will make exploring easier.

Carvoeiro may also suit, but is quite hilly.

Heading east from Faro, most of the beaches are out on a barrier island, reached by regular boat services, but the sea is warmer and it is less windy. This area has more Portuguese tourists than Brits, French and Germans. Tavira is a charming place, less affected by new development than the parts west of Faro. Any of the resorts between Tavira and the Spanish border would suit your requirements.

Accommodation for the summer months is booking up fast on the Algarve.

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