-Practical info:
VAT refund: Tourists residing in a non EU country – proven by showing a passport or any other ID officially recognized as valid - and with a transport document whose direct destination is a third country (even if their destination is another EU country on the way to their non-EU airport) are entitled to a VAT refund. If the passengers are in transit, goods must be put in the check-in luggage.
Emergency / S.O.S: In the event of an emergency, dial 112, the national emergency service, free of charge. The call can be answered in three languages: Portuguese, English and French. If you require medical assistance, you should go to the local Health Care Centre (Centro de Saúde). The Hospital Emergency Services must only be used in serious cases.
Currency: The currency used in Portugal is the Euro. There are seven banknotes. The front and back of each note is the same for all twelve participating countries: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euros.
Payments accepted: Most Portuguese shops and businesses accept credit cards: Visa, Amex, Eurocard, Euro-Cheque, Diners Club and MasterCard. There are a lot of cash machines all over the country. These cash machines are identified with the "MB" abbreviation.
National Palaces are closed on Wednesdays.
Restaurants are open for lunch from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. They close on Saturdays and Public Holidays.
Post Offices are open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central post offices and those at airports are open on Saturdays.
Chemists are open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

-Population: 2,959,497 inhabitants

-Street Markets: Throughout the Algarve, once or more a month, markets known as “mercados ciganos” (“gipsy markets”) are held. In these open air fairs, peddlers offer wooden and ceramic crafts as well as clothes and other goods. These markets are generally a big attraction for tourists.
Albufeira:
Feira de Velharias: Rua da Escolas, next to the municipal canteen, on the third Saturday of the month.
Market: first and third Tuesday of the month
Portimao:
Feira de Velharias: Parque de Feiras e Exposições, first and third Sunday of the month.
Market: Parque de Feiras e Exposições de Portimão, Caldeira do Moinho, first Monday of the month.

-Climate: All year round, the Algarve enjoys the best climate in Europe. With only a short period of rainfall – it normally rains between November and March - and long hours of sunshine – the longest in Europe, the Algarve region is blessed with the perfect weather for tourism.
During the summer months, temperatures are quite high, which greatly favours what is viewed as "beach tourism". The Algarve is a veritable paradise for bathers. It is a region endowed with beaches of fine white sand all along its extensive coastline and a calm sea with water temperatures of around 22°C in the summer period.
Due to its relief and geographical position, the Algarve is influenced climatically by the European continent, North Africa, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. Maximum temperatures vary throughout the year between 15ºC and 31°C, and the temperature never falls below zero in the winter. This is why tourists from Northern European countries increasingly seek out the Algarve, where they can enjoy long hours of sunshine.
Average temperatures are:
Air temperature in summer: 24ºC to 29ºC
Air temperature in winter: 15ºC to 18ºC
Seawater temperature in summer: 21ºC to 24ºC
Seawater temperature in winter: 15ºC to 19ºC

-How to Get There:
By road: The motorways leading and from the Algarve are the IC1, N2, N120 and N122.
By plane: TAP Air Portugal flies to and from more than fifty cities in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Macau and North and South America. There are also regular flights to Porto, Lisbon, Faro and the Atlantic Archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores, as well as the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo. Travellers can also arrive using Portugália Airlines, which flies from several European cities. The airlines SATA and ATA also operate domestic flights. Contact a travel agency that deals with specialised holidays or any large airline in order to obtain information on prices and timetables for flights to Portugal. Portugal has four international airports: The Madeira Funchal International Airport, the International Airport of Lisbon, the Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport and the Faro International Airport. The latter is the closest to the Algarve.
By train:The Portuguese national rail company CP (Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) offers an excellent service that covers the whole of the country’s territory and also connects to several European cities. Train prices in Portugal are cheap compared to those in other countries, and there are numerous discounts available. 7, 14 and 21-day passes can be bought, good for unlimited travel around the country.
By coach: There are express bus services that travel to the Algarve from other Portuguese cities.

-Discover our Food
Apart from a very high quality, international cuisine that stems from the expanding tourism industry, this region also offers delicious regional dishes. Seafood soups oregano snails, pork meat and "cataplana" clams, roasted dried octopus on the grill (Lagos style), and grilled squid and cuttlefish.
Special attention should be given to the fig pastries, to the marzipan pastries, shaped like little animals or fruits, to the famous "Dom Rodrigo" and "Morgado" from Lagos, to the puff pastry from Olhão, and to the egg yolk, almond paste and caramel pastries from Tavira. You should taste the Lagoa wines, internationally famous, as well as those from Lagos and from Tavira and the various regional liquors.

-Monument and special locations:
The Algarve has several important Monuments & Locations that are a Must when visiting this area. Starting from the West to the East, you can visit the following places:
Sao Vicente Cape
Megalitic Monuments Alcalar
Silves Moorish Castle
Foman Villa of  Milreu, Faro
Vilamoura Marina
Tavira Natural Park