After a recent trip to Portugal, Mandy Latimore shares her tips for visiting the country and the Algarve
After travelling around Europe to visit family and friends, I’m sharing my experience of Portugal both good and bad.
Flying in
You are not able to fly directly into Portugal from South Africa. There are various options that have different conditions with both price and facilities.
I chose to fly via Amsterdam into Faro, Portugal, as I was staying on the Algarve. The flight to Amsterdam was nine hours. There was a six hour lay-over with the second leg to Faro only two hours. The total travel time is about 24 hours all in all.
Both Lisbon and Faro are international airports, so there are accessible facilities within the airports. I needed assistance to get my suitcase from the airport into a vehicle and from the vehicle into the airport. It is best to have someone park and meet you inside or take you inside.
Always confirm that your assistance is booked on your air ticket. There are desks within the airports that assist passengers who require assistance and there are also trained staff to assist.
Getting around
There is a lack of wheelchair accessible taxis or Ubers, however, there are some taxis that are specially adapted in the main cities. There are also transport companies that will do airport transfers and tour companies that offer sightseeing tours in adapted vehicles.
The national bus service is not that accessible, however, the local buses in the cities are accessible. There is a new Alfa Pendular intercity bus that is accessible, and the train service guarantees access for passengers with disabilities.
The SIM service provide support for customers with special needs, but this requires prior booking for persons using mobility devices and is subject to the stations on their list that are accessible. The train from Lisbon to the Algarve takes about two hours – the same as driving the distance.
Accessible parking
There are plenty of accessible parking bays throughout the country, at most beaches and within the city. However, you need the standardised European blue badge, so if you are a South African, you can’t legally park in these bays.
Pedestrian routes
The one thing that is very difficult to manage is the cobbled streets in the smaller towns. The pavements have çalcada pavers, which leave you “stirred and shaken”.
Not all pavements have curb cuts that line up, so, you could get off the pavement and cross the road only to find a curb without a cut. This would mean travelling in the road till the next curb cut.
Portugal is very hilly, so most towns and cities have quite steep roads. It is much easier to travel with someone and have a motorised mobility aid.
Shopping experience
Not all shops are accessible, especially those in the older buildings. The newer shopping centres all have facilities for persons with disabilities.
The Algarve
This region has really made strides in improving accessibility with accessible features like curb cuts, ramps, and accessible beaches with walkways onto the beach. There are beach wheelchairs for hire and accessible toilets.
You must ensure that there are staff available to open these as they are usually locked. Enquire before you go to the beach and now need to use the loo urgently!
Places of interest
Portugal has wonderful historical sites from medieval castles to cobblestone villages. There is fabulous scenery and excellent beaches, and the food and wines are a culinary delight.
Tours and activities
Use well-established websites that offer specific information on which tours and activities are accessible to your specific needs. I find Get Your Guide an extremely helpful site as they explain each tour and activity, and how accessible it is. Other sites for information on accessible travel include Disabled Accessible Travel, Wheelchair Travel and Visit Algarve.
In order to enjoy this fascinating part of Europe my advice is: “Always check first!” Do your research before leaving home. Contact the venues, hotels and places of interest before the visit to ensure that they actually can cater to your needs.
Always be prepared to compromise so that you can get to experience the sights and buildings that you want to see. Happy Travels!
