My family and I will be in Carvoeiro for two weeks in June. Do we need to hire a car or is there good public transport to nearby towns/beaches/attractions etc? Also, I usually withdraw cash with my UK cash card from ATM's in France without difficulty or penalty. Can I do the same in Carvoeiro? Any other information or advice would also be greatly appreciated.

Hi

As far as car hire is concerned, it depends on where you are staying and what you want to do during your holiday. Families do come to Carvoeiro without a car and have a great time, taxis are plentiful and relatively cheap and you can get coach tours to the water parks etc, but if you want to explore further afield then a car is a good idea.

There are several ATM machines in Carvoeiro and your normal hole in the wall card should be fine. Make sure you have enough cash over a weekend or bank holiday as they do tend to run out!

Let me know a bit more about where you are staying and what you want to do and I'll try and help more.

Hi

I don't know where we are situated; the property is Casa Canto. We are looking for a relaxing holiday, so nothing too adventurous. We would like to visit nearby towns like Lagos, nearby beaches and maybe the water park. As there will be 4 adults and 2 small children we would need a 7 seat vehicle if we were to hire.

It sounds as though you should consider hiring a car for at least part of your stay.

An airport transfer for 6 people will cost around 70 euros each way and a seven seater vehicle will cost around 450 euros per week.

You could arrange a transfer to and from the airport and maybe hire a car for a week in the middle of your holiday.

How does that sound?

If you get a taxi to Estombar station near Slide and Splash you can then get a train to Lagos.
Very reliable and cheap but buses are very iffy from our experience - 1 hr late or don't turn up

Have a lovely holiday

Thanks

We have lined up the airport transfers in advance. I have had too many holidays in recent years that revolve around the hire car. As the "designated driver" I find it very tiring and don't seem to be able to relax. It would be nice to be able to get around using public transport, where possible. I'm open to car hire for part of the time and the middle of the stay sounds like a good idea.

Any general advice/ insider information would be appreciated. BTW, does anyone know where Casa Canto is? Is it far out of town, in a nice location, on the edge of the local landfill site? Fore warned as they say...