Directory A–Z - Portugal - page 1016

Directory A-Z
Accommodation
There's an excellent range of good-value accommodation in Portugal. Budget places provide some of Western Europe's
cheapest rooms, while you'll find atmospheric accommodation in farms, palaces, castles, mansions and rustic town
houses - usually giving good mileage for your euro.
Turismos (tourist offices) hold lists of accommodation and quartos (private rooms), but they overlook places not re-
gistered with them, some of which are excellent options. Good websites for browsing include www.manorhouses.com and
www.innsofportugal.com .
BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com . You'll find
independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
Seasons
In popular tourist destinations prices rise and fall with the seasons. Mid-June to mid-September are firmly high season
(book ahead); May to mid-June and mid-September to October are midseason; and other times are low season, when you
can get some really good deals. Outside the resorts, prices don't vary much between seasons.
In the Algarve, you'll pay the highest premium for rooms from mid-July to the end of August, with slightly lower
prices from June to mid-July and all of September, and substantially less (as much as 50%) if you travel between Novem-
ber and April. Note that a handful of places in the Algarve close in winter.
We list July (high-season) prices in reviews.
Camping & Caravan Parks
Camping is popular in Portugal; there are many campgrounds, often in good locations and near beaches. Prices for sites
are typically calculated per person, per tent and per vehicle - usually €4 to €6 for each. Keep in mind that many sites get
crowded and noisy at busy times (especially July and August).
» Nearly all campgrounds have hot showers, electrical hookups and a cafe. The best campgrounds also have a pool, res-
taurant, laundry service, children's playgrounds and perhaps a tennis court.
» Generally, campgrounds run by Orbitur ( www.orbitur.pt ) offer the best services. Some towns have municipal camp-
grounds, which vary in quality.
» For detailed listings of campgrounds nationwide, pick up the Roteiro Campista ( www.roteiro-campista.pt ; €7) , up-
dated annually and sold at turismos and bookshops. It contains details of most Portuguese campgrounds, with maps and
directions.