Portugal truly is a great holiday destination for tourists of any age and the country is sure to offer something for everyone to enjoy, catering for a wide range of interests. While some travellers may prefer the bustling cities of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, and Porto, others may prefer the smaller towns and areas that the country has to offer such as Albufeira, Carvoeiro and Tavira. These towns can be found in the Algarve region of the country. Today’s blog is all about the best Airports in Algarve.
The Algarve is one of the most popular areas to visit in Portugal and tourists are attracted to it as a result of the warm, sandy beaches and fantastic hot weather. The Algarve lies on the country’s Southern Coast and is home to many great golf resorts as well cliffs, mountains and caves. The best way of visiting anywhere in Portugal, including the Algarve, is to fly in from your own country on a plane. The Algarve region has a couple airports varying in size and location.
Faro Airport
The first, and most popular, airport in the Algarve is Faro Airport – also known as the Algarve Airport. Faro Airport is just under 2 and a half miles west from Faro itself. The airport opened in 1965 and, in 2010, budget airline Ryanair decided to base a total of 7 aeroplanes there making the airport a new ‘hub’ area.
The popularity of Faro Airport was very much proven in 2019 when 9 million passengers used the airport to fly in and out of the country.. Also, while the airport can be very busy, if you would prefer to fly into Faro when there are less people, it is recommended you go out of season as the airport will be a lot quieter.
In regards to transportation, it’s no secret that Faro Airport doesn’t have the best connection to public transport. As a result of this, visitors who wish to use the buses and trains in the area will have to travel to Faro. You can also book a Faro Airport Transfer. From Faro, you will be able to make use of the coastline public transport that will take you to all the major resort towns of the Algarve.
Lisbon Airport
The second airport that can serve the Algarve region is Lisbon Portela Airport, which is otherwise known simply as Lisbon Airport. The problem with this airport is that it is a considerable distance away from the Algarve region but, of course, it is possible to organise a transfer or some kind of transportation to get you to your final destination.
The airport is about 4 miles away from Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, whereas it is 171 miles from the Algarve meaning it will be a drive of approximately 2 and a half hours. The building itself has 2 terminals.
Terminal 1 is for anyone arriving into the airport after flying for a different country and it also handles most international travel coming away from the country. Terminal 2 is also used for departures but, for the most part, it is used for those flying with low-budget airlines – these airlines include Ryanair, Easyjet and Norwegian.
In regards to getting to the Algarve from Lisbon Airport, the easiest option would be to rent a car or book a transfer but this may be quite expensive so don’t worry, there are other options!
One of these options is making use of Portugal’s train service. From the airport, you will be able to get on the Lisbon Metro and ride for around 6 minutes until you reach Oriente. From here, you will be able to board a train that will take you to Faro that will take about 3 and a half hours and will cost anywhere between £19 and £27. This train runs 4 times a day so you want to make sure you plan your time accordingly. If Faro is not your final destination, the town also has public transport links that will get you to the other resorts in the Algarve region.
So, to conclude, there are 2 fantastic airports in Portugal that can both be used to get you to the country’s Algarve region in the south. Your best option would be to use Faro Airport as it is a lot closer to all the areas you are likely going to be travelling to however, if you preferred, Lisbon Airport is also available and has transport links to the Algarve. Whatever Portugal airport you choose, you are sure to have a fantastic time in the Algarve.
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