Getting There
Faro is serviced by many of Europe's big airlines. You can reach the Algarve from anywhere in the UK. Average time is 2.5 hours flying.
Bournemouth, Southampton, London Gatwick, London Luton, Stansted, Norwich, Birmingham, East Midlands, Doncaster, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow………all service the Algarve throughout the year. The following airline links will help you choose the departure and date to suit your needs and the availability of Privada.
Getting Around
It's a must to have a car. The roads are easy and sign posts are regular. We provide very easy to follow instructions on how to get from the airport to the villa and once there we also provide directions on how to get to various places (the coast, supermarkets, restaurants).
During your stay we provide you 24/7 support with any queries or information required so please call us, we will ensure you have all our contact details on arrival.
Below are just some of the hire car companies at Faro airport but we also recommend you spend an hour or two on the internet to find out if any others are offering better deals.
The local area
The Ria Formosa Natural Park is one of the most amazing places of the Algarve, not only for its variety of landscapes but also because of its unique location. Elected as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Portugal, this is one of three protected areas not to be missed during your holidays in the Algarve. This is a unique coastal lagoon which is constantly changing due to the continuous movement of winds, currents and tides.
Classified as a Natural Park in 1987, the Ria Formosa encompasses an area of about 18 000 hectares, and is protected from the sea by 5 barrier-islands and 2 peninsulas: the Peninsula of Ancão that the locals call island of Faro, the Barreta Island also known as Ilha Deserta, the Culatra Island (where the lighthouse of Santa Maria is located), the Island of Armona, the Island of Tavira, Cabanas Island and, finally, the Peninsula of Cacela. This awesome area extends along the leeward coast of the Algarve through the municipalities of Loulé, Faro, Olhão, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António.
Due to these natural features and its geographical location it was included in the list of wetlands of world-wide interest defined by the Ramsar Convention. In this protected area you may witness many different habitas such as barrier-islands, marshes, tidal flats, islets, dunes, saltpans, fresh water lagoons, agricultural areas and woodlands which hold an impressive diversity of flora and fauna.
A paradise for birdwatchers, the Ria Formosa is considered an important bird area (IBA) and is part of the Natura 2000 Network. This is one of the most important areas for aquatic birds in Portugal, hosting on a regular basis more than 20,000 birds during the wintering period. The area is also very important as a stop-over point in the migration routes between Europe and Africa and it provides shelter for rare species in Portugal such as the Purple Swamphen, the symbol of this Natural Park and for other emblematic species like the colorful flamingos.
On this Nature Park we can find other endangered species such as the chameleon - a reptile that only exists in the south of Portugal and the seahorse, where we have one of the largest populations of seahorses in the world.
Can’t praise this villa enough. Excellent location for town and for the various beaches. In a lovely peaceful spot with everything you need if you wanted a day at “home” . We loved the outdoor barbecue area with its own pizza oven. We have booked again for later on in the year. Thankyou owners for an excellent property and 1st class service.