Portugal Explorer: Porto to Algarve

Don’t let the heat keep you from exploring the world! Summer temperatures can be extreme in Portugal (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

There will be some train transportation on this trip. Trains are a fast way to cross long distances, allowing you to avoid traffic jams and arrive right in the city centre. They are comfortable and all have toilets; however, they can sometimes be quite busy. Please note that you'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the train, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find specifics under ‘Packing’ in the ‘Essential Trip Information’ section.

Hotels in Europe often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart.

On this trip, it is recommended to travel light. You will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 20 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15kg / 33lb as Portugal is known to have steep streets, cobblestone walkways, steps and uneven terrain.

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take it in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. We recommend you pack as lightly as possible.

If your trip includes travelling on overnight trains or primarily using public transport, the smaller your luggage, the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful, especially when travelling on public transportation as well.

When you're exploring during the day, you'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, a camera, a jacket and activity-specific items like a swimsuit, a waterproof pouch/bag for your phone, or hiking shoes.

Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. Some travellers like to bring a bottle with its own filtration system or water purification tablets. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip, you will need to carry at least 2 litres of water with you.

EXPLORING EUROPEAN CITIES
One of the pleasures of travelling in Europe is the ease at which cities can be explored on foot. On most trips, our leader will take you on frequent orientation walks, and you will be able to further explore in your own time. We recommend you pack comfortable walking shoes for this trip. Many of our customers are surprised at how much they end up walking, however this is entirely up to you, and public transport to take you back to our accommodation is never far away.

This trip can be enjoyed by just about anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Some trips may have individual inclusions that may be of a higher physical rating compared to the overall rating of the trip. Please read the day-to-day itinerary carefully to find out more details on each day's activities, and whether they are suitable for you. Activities can be opted out of if you don't want to participate.

Fontinha Hotel Porto, R. da Fontinha 87 91, 4000-243 Porto, Portugal, Porto, PORTUGAL, Phone: +351 229761050

Alternate Joining Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
26 Apr 2026 (ZMKP260426)
10 May 2026 (ZMKP260510)
24 May 2026 (ZMKP260524)
21 Jun 2026 (ZMKP260621)
19 Jul 2026 (ZMKP260719)
16 Aug 2026 (ZMKP260816)
06 Sep 2026 (ZMKP260906)
20 Sep 2026 (ZMKP260920)
04 Oct 2026 (ZMKP261004)
18 Oct 2026 (ZMKP261018)
25 Apr 2027 (ZMKP270425)
09 May 2027 (ZMKP270509)
23 May 2027 (ZMKP270523)
20 Jun 2027 (ZMKP270620)
18 Jul 2027 (ZMKP270718)
15 Aug 2027 (ZMKP270815)
05 Sep 2027 (ZMKP270905)
19 Sep 2027 (ZMKP270919)
03 Oct 2027 (ZMKP271003)
17 Oct 2027 (ZMKP271017)
Porto

Porto
PORTUGAL

You can take the metro (Line E - purple) from Aeroporto station directly to Trindade station. The journey takes about 30 minutes and costs approximately EUR 2.15. From Trindade, it’s a short 7-minute walk to the hotel.

If you prefer, you can also take a taxi form the airport. The ride to Fontinha Hotel takes approximately 25–30 minutes and costs around EUR 25–30, depending on traffic.

Pre-bookable arrival transfers are also available, do not hesitate to reach out to your agent if you wish to book one.

Vila Galé Lagos, Estrada da Meia Praia s/n 8600-315 Lagos, Lagos, PORTUGAL, Phone: +351 282 771 400

Vila Galé Lagos is a contemporary hotel located by Meia Praia beach, just a short distance from the historic centre of Lagos. The hotel offers comfortable rooms with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, private bathrooms, and balconies. Facilities include a large outdoor swimming pool, spa, gym, restaurant, and bar — making it an ideal place to relax at the end of your trip.

Alternate Finish Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
26 Apr 2026 (ZMKP260426)
10 May 2026 (ZMKP260510)
24 May 2026 (ZMKP260524)
21 Jun 2026 (ZMKP260621)
19 Jul 2026 (ZMKP260719)
16 Aug 2026 (ZMKP260816)
06 Sep 2026 (ZMKP260906)
20 Sep 2026 (ZMKP260920)
04 Oct 2026 (ZMKP261004)
18 Oct 2026 (ZMKP261018)
25 Apr 2027 (ZMKP270425)
09 May 2027 (ZMKP270509)
23 May 2027 (ZMKP270523)
20 Jun 2027 (ZMKP270620)
18 Jul 2027 (ZMKP270718)
15 Aug 2027 (ZMKP270815)
05 Sep 2027 (ZMKP270905)
19 Sep 2027 (ZMKP270919)
03 Oct 2027 (ZMKP271003)
17 Oct 2027 (ZMKP271017)
Algarve

Algarve
PORTUGAL

The closest airport to Lagos is Faro Airport (FAO), located approximately a 1-hour drive from Lagos. There is also a public bus service between Lagos and Faro, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a taxi and request assistance from your leader or hotel staff in arranging it.

Pre-bookable airport departure transfers are also available, do not hesitate to reach out to your agent if you prefer to book one.

Breakfasts included: 7

Lunches included: 1

Dinners included: 1

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. If you have dietary requirements and/or food allergies, please let your booking agent know prior to departure.

BREAKFASTS
There are some continental breakfasts included on this trip which may simply include bread/toast or pastries, butter, jam, coffee/tea/juice (or similar).

VEGETARIANS
Vegetarians might find the menu selection in Europe less varied than they would see at home. Vegetarianism is not as common in this region and generally the choices are basic, involving vegetables, soups, salads, bread, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, eggs etc. Vegans and those on gluten-free diets may find this region very challenging and may need to supplement meals with their own supplies from supermarkets and markets. Wherever possible we will cater for dietary needs for any included meals, but there may be times when those with special requirements may need to provide their own.

SUMMER
Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C/104°F), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

SHOULDER SEASON
In contrast, weather in shoulder season can be unpredictable, and snow is not unheard of at higher altitudes. If you travel at the start or towards the end of the European season please pack accordingly with warm and/or waterproof clothes (preferably layers). The advantage of travelling during this time is that there are less tourists around.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid's Local Operator: +49 8024 4679 540

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.

TWIN SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.

CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.

PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

FACILITIES
Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.

TRANSPORT IN EUROPE
Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.