Today, we begin the end of our trip to Portugal.
We journey south to the Algarve, the beautiful southern coastline of Portugal. It is a region blessed with glorious sandy beaches, picturesque fishing towns and a glorious climate. There is over 200 km of coastline, a mountainous interior and tranquil nature reserves, all to discover. Plus, English is widely spoken here. It is also one of the least expensive beach destinations in Europe.
We will stay in Albufeira, which has something to appeal to everyone. There is the party focused "Strip" street of bars, clubs and excessive revelry. Meanwhile, 2 km on the other side is the "Old Town". It is near to several golf courses, the ancient city of Silves, and the beautiful rock formations of Benagil. The high temperature might reach 80, but it cools off nicely each evening.
These next 3 days are "open" for you to enjoy as you wish. I, of course, will have a plan for my days.
Wake up and get to the Redes Expressos bus station by 9:30am. Why not the train? The train station and bus station are located in the same block in Lisbon. Oriente station is the name. The train drops us off quite far from Old Town Albufeira where we are staying. It also has stops. There is a direct bus that takes and hour less total for the trip. The bus station is less than a mile from where we are staying. We can go round trip for under $10. I believe it's our fastest, easiest, most comfortable and cheapest option to get down to the Algarve.
Once we get off the bus, we'll grab a couple of Bolts and get to our lodging. I believe we should be checked in and settled by 3pm. The rest of the night, I might wander through Old Town and check out the vibes. I'm going to bed early tonight... I imagine some of you will be out LATE!