A collection of miscellaneous information for the Algarve, all can be found in many places on the web but I've gathered them here here to save you ( and me! ) looking. There is a real-time Sterling / Euro currency converter. Actual weather and average temperatures, a few phrases, regional market days, national and school holidays. Tourist office, Police & Fire telephone numbers. Daylight Saving Time reminder. Algarve district abbreviations. With regard to the Temperatures for the Algarve, bear in mind from East to West temperatures can be quite different especially the sea temperatures as you get toward the Atlantic coast (Sagres and North). You will find that a lot of 'local Algarve town' forecasts on the web but more often than not they use the Faro data, which can be significantly different.
03/2009 I've added the useful Holiday Weather.com widget in the left column ( it is the only source I've found that had a weather forecast for Praia da Luz ). However, I'm not sure whereabouts the temperatures are actually measured as they seemed 'a bit off', so I've used nearby Portimao as 'the next nearest', and it seems a bit more realistic.
04/2009 A new addition is the Babylon translator in the left column. Useful for a quick word or phrase either into or from Portuguese. ( You need to allow 'Pop-Up's for it to function properly )
Currency Converter
Daylight Saving Time 2013
The EU's version of Daylight Saving Time runs from 01:00 on the last Sunday in March (when the clocks go forward by an hour) through to 02:00 on the last Sunday in October (when they go back by an hour).
For 2013 clocks go forward by one hour on the night of Sunday 31st March ( 01.00 ).
They go back again on the night of Sunday 27 / 28 October ( 02.00 ).
Average Rainfall in Algarve ( Millimetres ) | |||||||||||
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jly | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
70 | 70 | 35 | 31 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 51 | 55 | 65 |
Average Air Temperature oC | |||||||||||
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jly | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
15 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 22 | 19 | 15 |
Average Sea Temperature oC | |||||||||||
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jly | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 15 |
Weather Conversion Chart: 25.4mm=1 inch - ºF= (1.8 x ºC ) + 32 |
National Holidays 2013 | ||||
Tuesday | January 01 | New Years Day | ||
Tuesday | March 19 | Fathers Day | Not a public holiday. | |
Friday | March 29 | Good Friday | ||
Thursday | April 25 | Freedom Day | Liberation Day | |
Wednesday | May 01 | Labour Day | May Day | |
Sunday | May 05 | Mothers Day | Not a public holiday. | |
Thursday | May 30 | Corpus Christi | Not a public holiday. | |
Monday | June 10 | Portugal Day | ||
Thursday | June 13 | Feast of St Anthony | ( Lisbon only ) | |
Monday | June 24 | Feast of St John the Baptist | ( Porto Only ) | |
Thursday | August 15 | Assumption Day | ||
Saturday | October 05 | Republic Day | Not a public holiday. | |
Friday | November 01 | All Saints Day | Not a public holiday. | |
Sunday | December 01 | Restoration of Independence | Not a public holiday. | |
Sunday | December 08 | Immaculate Conception Day | ||
Tuesday | December 24 | Christmas Eve | ||
Wednesday | December 25 | Christmas Day |
School Holidays 2013 | |
Between 10 and 14 September 2012 | School begins ( confirm with the school ) |
17 December 2012 to 2 January 2013 | December break ( Férias de Natal ) |
11 to 13 February | Carnival break ( Férias de Carnaval ) |
18 March to 1 April | Easter break ( Férias de Páscoa ) |
pre-school 5 July | Summer holidays ( Férias de Verão ) |
7 June 2013 | Summer holidays ( Férias de Verão ) 6th, 9th, 11th, 12th grades |
14 June 2013 | Summer holidays ( Férias de Verão ) 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th grades |
16 December * to 02 January 2014 * | Christmas holidays ( Férias de Natal ) * t.b.c. |
A few useful Phrases | |||
Just a few phrases for everyday use.
Try here ( Babylon7 ) or here for more comprehensive services. Also give the 'quick' Babylon translator in the left column a try. | |||
Ola | Hello | Adeus | Goodbye |
Bom dia | Good Morning / day | Ate logo | See you later |
Boa Tarde | Good Afternoon | Obrigado (a) | Thank you |
Boa Noite | Good Evening / Night | Por Favor | Please |
Com licença / Desculpe | Excuse me | Cuidado | Take Care |
Quanto / Quantos? | How much / many? | Porquê? | Why? |
Como? | How? | Quem? | Who? |
Enjoy the meal! | Bom apetite! | Quê? | What? |
Boa viagem! | Have a safe journey! | Onde? | Where? |
Desejo-lhe umas boas férias! | Have a good holiday! | Qual? / Quais? | Which, Which ones |
Sim | Yes | Não | No |
07/2008 Thanks Nana, ( Brazil ) for a few corrections. | |||
Just a few additional words that you frequently see whilst travelling. Maybe not that important but just make you wonder what they mean. I'll be adding to them as as they catch my eye. | |||
móveis | furniture | I originally thought Portugal had a stack of video rental stores. | |
vende se | for sale | Not necessarily proper sign boards, sometimes just spray painted on ruins. | |
sem chumbo | unleaded | One to remember when filling the rental. | |
oferta (especial) | offer ( special ) | Worth remembering? | |
Algarve Regional Market Days | |||||||
These are not the permanent municipal markets as in Lagos, Albufeira, Faro. These markets move around and are set up just for the day. Those nearest to Luz are marked with an *. E.g. 1st Monday in the month there are markets in Portimao & S.Marcos. | |||||||
Wk# | Where | Wk# | Where | Wk# | Where | Wk# | Where |
Monday | |||||||
1st | Portimao, S.Marcos | 2nd | Algoz* | 3rd | Silves*, Aljezur, Tavira | 4th | Messines |
Tuesday | |||||||
1st | Albufeira | 2nd | Alvor* | 3rd | Albufeira | 4th | none |
Wednesday | |||||||
1st | Alte( St Margarida), Quarteira | 2nd | Qurteira | 3rd | Qurteira | 4th | Qurteira |
Thursday | |||||||
1st | Armacao, Fuzeta, Vila do Bispo* | 2nd | Vaqueiros | 3rd | Alte, Armacao | 4th | Boliqueime |
Friday | |||||||
1st | Sagres | 2nd | Monchique, Moncarapacho | 3rd | none | 4th | none |
Saturday | |||||||
1st | Lagos*, Loule, S. Bras, Bensafim | 2nd | Loule, Rogil, S.Bras | 3rd | Loule, S.Bras | 4th | Loule, S.Bras |
Sunday | |||||||
1st | Almacil | 2nd | Estoi, Lagoa* (except July and August) |
3rd | Vila Nova de Cacela | 4th | Almacil, Santa Catarina |
Tourist Information Offices | |
Praia da Luz doesn't have a proper office, but it does have a small 'hut' located on the promenade ( beach bar end ) that is generally open during the summer season ( no fixed hours! ). They are good for local information. | |
Normally Open 7 days a week, 09.30 - 12.30 / 14.00 - 17.30 | |
Albufeira Rua 5 de Outubro +351 (289) 585 279 |
Monte Gordo Avenida Marginal - +351 (281) 544 495 |
Alcoutim Praça de República - +351 (289) 546 179 |
Ponte Int. Do Guadiana Monte Francisco - +351 (281) 531 800 |
Aljezur Largo do Mercado - +351 (282) 998 229 |
Olhão Largo do Lago - +351 (289) 713 936 |
Alvor Rua Dr. Afonso Costa 51 - +351 (282) 457 540 |
Portimão Commercial Harbour and across football stadium - +351 (282) 416 556 |
Armação de Pêra Avenida Marginal - +351 (282) 312 145 |
Praia da Rocha Av. Tomás Cabreira - +351 (282) 419 132 |
Carvoeiro Largo da Praia - +351 (282) 357 728 |
Quarteira Av.Infante Sagres - +351 (289) 389 209 |
Castro Marim Praça 1º do Maio - +351 (281) 531 232 |
Sagres Rua Comandante Matoso - +351 (282) 624 873 |
Faro (Head Office) Av.da República - +351 (289) 800 400 Rua da Misericórdia - +351 (289) 803 604 Airport - +351 (289) 818 582 |
São Bras de Alportel Rua Dr. Evaristo Gago - +351 (289) 843 165 |
Lagos Rua Vasco da Gama - +351 (282) 763 031 |
Silves Rua 25 de Abril - +351 (282) 442 255 |
Loulé Edificio de Castelo - +351 (289) 463 900 |
Tavira Praça da República - +351 (281) 322 511 |
Monchique Largo dos Chorões - +351 (282) 911 189 |
Municipalities | |||||||
ABF | Albufeira | ACT | Alcoutim | AJZ | Aljezur | CTM | Castro Marim |
FAR | Faro | LGA | Lagoa (Algarve) | LGS | Lagos | LLE | Loulé |
OLH | Olhão | PTM | Portimão | MCQ | Monchique | SBA | São Brás de Alportel |
SLV | Silves | TVR | Tavira | VBP | Vila do Bispo | VRS | Vila Real de Santo António |
Fire Brigade |
Police |
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