Here goes - your questions with my best answers

Transfers to resort - We land via Ryanair at 19.15. We plan to hire a car but a few are going with very little funds and want to get to resort for the lowest price. Will their be buses running at that time?

The last bus from Faro to Albufeira is at 1925, so you will have to arrange a mini-bus transfer. That will cost maybe 30 Euros and I will list some companies:. You will need to visit their websites and contact by phone or email. English is spoken. You can of course book for the return journey as well if required.

algarvetransfersdirect.com

followmetours.net

algarvetransferlink.com

concordiagolf.com

bravotur.com

daily tours (no website) tel (+351) 289 541 489

sul-travel.com

You can use a facility at http://www.albufeira.com to request a quote from several of these using just one email. Go to this page:

http://www.albufeira.com/transfer/default.asp

A taxi from the airport taxi rank will cost you 40 - 45 Euros.

Hotel - I am looking at booking via travelrepublic and The Perola Do Algarve or Paraiso de Albufeira look a good price. Any tips on this?

Had my Christmas dinner at Paraiso! Both are about 15 minutes walk from the old town centre. They are modern hotels and large. There are two good, large supermarkets within a few minutes walk and lots of other shops.

Nightlife / the pub - As I have read a lot of places are closed. As we are in a group of around 15 can anyone recommend a good place to suit ages as we have a 6 year old / 17 year old 23 year old upto 70 year old and everything in between.

I will send you a private message about a decent pub.

Restaurants - Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant serving good local food to suit a large party thats open in January? The old town looks nice.

Try O Veleiro (in the road to the tunnel, Rua 5 de Outubro) very good fixed price menu or Prazeres - went there last year witha group of 15, we made a booking and more or less had the place to ourselves as it only holds 20. Prazeres is just off the old town square in a little road called Rua Alves Correia.

Does Albuferia have a mcdonalds / KFC ?

Both and they are next to each other along the main road where the Paraiso is located about half a mile away near the fire station. The McDonalds has a dirty great m sign on top of a 100 foot high pole so it's easy to see!

Restaurant for lunch with a view.

Down in the old town at the seafront. Several places but can be expensive compared with, say, the places in the square but no view there!

Any recommendations for a place to visit on a day out.

Very much depends on what interests you and your people - there are outdoor theme parks in the summer, historic towns to visit and of course beaches. You don't say exactly when you are coming but none of the theme parks except the marine life centre at Zoomarine is open until May or June.

Logistics - whats the walking distance from the above hotels to the old new town and the distance from the old town to the strip

Those hotels are midway between Old Town and Strip and therefore about 15 minutes walk from each. Uphill on the way back old town.

Thanks for any replies.

Nikki

great reply!

With regards to a restaurant with a view. Was thinking of somewhere to drive to, we plan on using the car to drive up and down the coast stopping off at all the towns and villages. Just wondered about a nice place to have lunch on the way.

Cheers

Nikki

If you go west then I would recommend the Veranda in Burgau, lovely view and a bacon and egg baguette for 3.50(consists of a baguette halved and 1 slice of bacon and 1 egg on each half)

Sounds perfect.

Is it open all day and easy to find?

Cheers

Nikki

I have more questions if you an believe it!

Where is the best place to get onto a costal walk?

Is it best to pick up a map in the UK or can you get free ones at the airport?

A friend has said Cliff Richard lives nearby and you can do a tour of his wine vineyard... is that true?

Thanks

Nikki

Hi Nikki, To be honest I can't tell you very much about Albufeira as I live in Luz but here is the web page for the winery http://www.winesvidanova.com/thepeople.htm. I don't know about walks in Albufeira but there is a great cliff walk(about 1-1.5 hours) from Luz to Burgau. I do it regularly and it is lovely. The "End of the World" at Sagres is also worth a visit, even if just to say you've been there. Have a look at http://www.lagos-luz-sagres.com/. The weather is cold so make sure you bring some woolies. Have a nice time.

Nikki, re the car hire, you will find that lots of agencies in the resort of Albufeira this time of year will be doing offers, pay for 3 days but drive for 5 days, its just a matter of looking round for the best option.

Burgau is easy enough to find. It's steep going down to the beach but you can take your car down to the waterfront, very narrow street mind you on the way down.

There are plenty of free maps but for driving you'd be better off buying a proper road map either here or in Algarve.

There are plenty of coastal walks around the Algarve here's a link to Google search results http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4SUNA_enGB229GB230&q=coastal+walks+algarve

I agree with my good friend Cubsur on all points. I can add a very good, very reasonable place to eat good local food which is open now, namely Snack Bar O Jorge, which is located very close to your intended hotels. It is in the same shopping complex as MacDonalds, but nearer the other end, above a supermarket called Pingo Doce. Their Chicken Piri-Piri is the best I have tasted in Albufeira, my wife and I usually have the couvert (bread. butter, olives and sardine paste), chickin piri-piri - which comes with chips and salad - a small bottle of water each, half a litre of house wine and coffee - €16 for both of us! They also serve other dishes at equally good prices.

That sounds wonderful.

Will go for a meal one of the nights. Will it seat 15 of us? is it open for breakfast as we could call in and book for that evening?

We have now booked the Paraiso de Albufeira via travelrepublic. A double for 5 nights for £103 and a quad for £130. This is self catering but thats what we prefer.

We have booked car hire with ecomomycarhire to collect / return to the airport. They are charging £58 with Travelrent for a 4 door / 4 seater for 5 days with no excess in the event of an accident / theft. Also an extra driver for free. Which I also thought was good value and have read alot of good reviews from them.

I have checked the weather from Friday as we arrive Thursday evening and it said sunny and 15c which is about 10c better than home! Can not complain.

Travel money ordered to collect at the airport at a rate of 1.07 and airport parking booked. looks like we are all set!!!

Someone mentioned to me months ago there is a very large shopping village that they used to get the train into and have half a day there.. port something.. any clues?

Thanks for all the tips.

Nikki

Is it possibly the big shopping complex at Portimao?

Yes!!!

Any tips on if the train is the best way to go or to drive?

Thanks

Nikki

Also can you tell me if McDonalds there does the free WI FI as the hotel charges.

Thanks

Nikki

Nikkiwhite - Would be interested in hearing your opinion after your stay at Paraiso Albufeira. We are booked in there for a few weeks 1 March. Spent 1 month in Albufeira Feb 2008 and loved it. Cant wait to return.

Enjoy your break!

I will post a little trip report on my return.

Nikki

I think Cubsur would be the best person to answer your transport/train and wi-fi questions.

Yes they can seat 15, I don't think they do breakfast, as the Portuguese don't generally go in for that sort of thing.

Perry is that price at O Jorge a tourist menu with the the drinks and coffee?

No, that is from the menu Janice! Not bad eh?