Portugal over Christmas and New Year (1 Viewer)

[Oscar]

Hi,
We're mulling over the idea of a trip to Portugal mid December for a few weeks, and wondered if anyone had any recommendations in Portugal to spend Christmas and New Year. We've not got any firm ideas but somewhere that has a bit of entertainment would be good. Doesn't have to be the Algarve, we thought the Silver Coast looked interesting. Assume we will need to book over this period? Thanks

 

[chaser]

Hi,
We're mulling over the idea of a trip to Portugal mid December for a few weeks, and wondered if anyone had any recommendations in Portugal to spend Christmas and New Year. We've not got any firm ideas but somewhere that has a bit of entertainment would be good. Doesn't have to be the Algarve, we thought the Silver Coast looked interesting. Assume we will need to book over this period? Thanks

We useually go to sol e mar, in albufeira either in December or January for a couple of weeks it is incredibly cheap and Ryanair go for about twenty quid each if you pick your flights, cheaper than stopping at home and usually pleasant weather.

 

[Oscar]

Thanks, I should have made it clear we will be taking the motorhome and the dog!

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[busby]

Thanks, I should have made it clear we will be taking the motorhome and the dog!

Cant see much being open away from The Algarve,,,,BUSBY,,

 

[Stewart J]

Algarve probably the best area, if your members of the C &CC we enjoyed this rally in January/February. http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/european/portugal/algarve/turiscampo

 

[busby]

Algarve probably the best area, if your members of the C &CC we enjoyed this rally in January/February. http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/european/portugal/algarve/turiscampo

Touristcampo must be one of the best sites in Europe,,,,BUSBY,,

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[Oscar]

Algarve probably the best area, if your members of the C &CC we enjoyed this rally in January/February. http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/campsites/european/portugal/algarve/turiscampo

Thanks for that - we are members of C&CC so will have a look

 

[Oscar]

Can you take your dog on public transport in Portugal? Thanks

 

[busby]

Can you take your dog on public transport in Portugal? Thanks

Don't know but car hire is very cheap in the winter,,BUSBY,,

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[chaser]

Don't know but car hire is very cheap in the winter,,BUSBY,,

Anyone wanting car hire in faro, try zest , we have now used them three times and they are absolutely brilliant, no extra charges no fuel thing and best of all cheap.

 

[Lot lover]

Can you take your dog on public transport in Portugal? Thanks

Yes but you or it (can't remember which) will have to be in a cage or muzzled.

 

[Stewart J]

Anyone wanting car hire in faro, try zest , we have now used them three times and they are absolutely brilliant, no extra charges no fuel thing and best of all cheap.

Cost us £90 for a two week hire through Zest all in, extra driver, unlimited mileage and an upgrade to an almost new Seat. Others staying longer paid somewhere in region of £130 for 28 days ( the maximum hire length then returned it for another on same deal)

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[Minxy]

Just one thing to be aware of if you've never been to Portugal is that it is on the same timeline as the UK so the nights will be 'darker' for the time of day than say if you were in Spain which is an hour later.

 

[JJ]

Early mornings are lighter...


JJ

 

[Minxy]

Early mornings are lighter...


JJ

... when retired ... and on holiday! Why would you want to get up early!!!!

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[bobandjanie]

Early mornings are lighter...


JJ

So you have been told, and your batteries are full by the time your up.

It you book a rally with the C & C Club you book your crossing through them. @Oscar Bob.

 

[JJ]

Why would you want to get up early!!!!

I don't.


JJ

 

[chaser]

Cost us £90 for a two week hire through Zest all in, extra driver, unlimited mileage and an upgrade to an almost new Seat. Others staying longer paid somewhere in region of £130 for 28 days ( the maximum hire length then returned it for another on same deal)

You are the first people I know that used zest, did you find them excellent as well,we got no hard sell or anything just a total new experience.

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[Oscar]

So you have been told, and your batteries are full by the time your up.

It you book a rally with the C & C Club you book your crossing through them. @Oscar Bob.

Thanks - just been looking at the rally at Turiscampo - the quote for 15 nights has a "winter site booking fee" of £75 - is this the norm do you know, is the fee payable per night or is it a 1 off fee? Thanks, just trying to work out the most cost effective way of doing this!

 

[chaser]

@ianthebuilder had a less than thrilling experience on algarve campsites, see if he comes on to tell it again.

 

[Stewart J]

You are the first people I know that used zest, did you find them excellent as well,we got no hard sell or anything just a total new experience.

We were told by the rally steward to book online through Zest and he even gave us a lift to pick car up. Found them excellent to deal with.

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[Stewart J]

Thanks - just been looking at the rally at Turiscampo - the quote for 15 nights has a "winter site booking fee" of £75 - is this the norm do you know, is the fee payable per night or is it a 1 off fee? Thanks, just trying to work out the most cost effective way of doing this!

If you book your ferry crossing through C CC you do not pay the £75 which is a one off payement for winter sun rallies i.e. If you book multiple rallies in the same season it's covered by the initial payment.

 

[chaser]

We were told by the rally steward to book online through Zest and he even gave us a lift to pick car up. Found them excellent to deal with.

You can't believe it at the start, with all the stories you see and hear about the leading car hire firms, ripping you off, we kept looking at our credit card account as we were sure there must be a catch init somewhere, but no they were true to their word on everything, even to the point of persuading us not to pay up front to go into Spain as we might not need it and in deed we didn't go, motorway as well was a deposit of ten euros but when we went back the girl there says did you go on the motorway and we said no and she gave us our ten euros back. Truely incredible service, don't know if they will manage to keep it up.
But I have seen one or two articles on car hire and there is always a zest representative there somewhere telling about ripoffs and what to avoid.
Also must stress that we always use them in the winter so they are not busy, might be different in peak times.

 

[Oscar]

If you book your ferry crossing through C CC you do not pay the £75 which is a one off payement for winter sun rallies i.e. If you book multiple rallies in the same season it's covered by the initial payment.

Thanks for this info - very useful

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[Mags52]

We were in Turiscampo on the C&CC rally last Christmas. They are also an ACSI site so if you don't want to book your ferry through C&CC you might be better off booking with ACSI. We loved the site. Had a hire car from a local firm organised by the campsite - very reasonable. We loved it. You can read about it in our blog if you fancy it

 

[Oscar]

We were in Turiscampo on the C&CC rally last Christmas. They are also an ACSI site so if you don't want to book your ferry through C&CC you might be better off booking with ACSI. We loved the site. Had a hire car from a local firm organised by the campsite - very reasonable. We loved it. You can read about it in our blog if you fancy it

That's really useful - thanks, will sit down with a glass of vino later and read your blog!

 

[Oscar]

That's really useful - thanks, will sit down with a glass of vino later and read your blog!

Decided to read the blog now! patience is not my strong point!! What a fab post, I think I've read some of your blog before - you're not a fellow Miami owner are you on the fb Miami owners page?

Alb & Elaine

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[Mags52]

Decided to read the blog now! patience is not my strong point!! What a fab post, I think I've read some of your blog before - you're not a fellow Miami owner are you on the fb Miami owners page?

Alb & Elaine

Yes! We have a Miami and are on that page. The next post after that one says a bit more about Turiscampo I think. There's quite a lot of detail about being in the Algarve in winter. There is a good motorhome aire in Lagos with service point and an easy walk into the town. We loved being in the Algarve over winter but were shocked at how cold it was when we went further north. Glad you liked the blog post - we're at home at the moment and I'm missing writing (and travelling of course!) Happy travels
Mags

 

[busby]

Thanks - just been looking at the rally at Turiscampo - the quote for 15 nights has a "winter site booking fee" of £75 - is this the norm do you know, is the fee payable per night or is it a 1 off fee? Thanks, just trying to work out the most cost effective way of doing this!

£75 is a one off fee unless you book a ferry with them..I just book the cheapest one way ferry they have on offer and then if i go via Bilbao use their ferry some other time,,just change the date to suit,,BUSBY,,

 

[Wombles]

You can't believe it at the start, with all the stories you see and hear about the leading car hire firms, ripping you off, we kept looking at our credit card account as we were sure there must be a catch init somewhere, but no they were true to their word on everything, even to the point of persuading us not to pay up front to go into Spain as we might not need it and in deed we didn't go, motorway as well was a deposit of ten euros but when we went back the girl there says did you go on the motorway and we said no and she gave us our ten euros back. Truely incredible service, don't know if they will manage to keep it up.
But I have seen one or two articles on car hire and there is always a zest representative there somewhere telling about ripoffs and what to avoid.
Also must stress that we always use them in the winter so they are not busy, might be different in peak times.

Zest is the new name for Economy Car Hire & they have been a Which? Best Buy Car Hire firm for some years now - we have used them a few times & always good & fairly priced

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