A good Algarve holiday starts with a few decisions that are easier to make at home than beside a suitcase after a late arrival. At Monte Rentals, we suggest choosing the base and the daily journeys together, because an attractive property can still be inconvenient for the holiday you have in mind. Here is how we would organise the practical side, from the first booking to the journey home.
Match the base to the journeys you actually want to make
Start with three places you genuinely want to visit and mark them on a map alongside the accommodation. If they sit in different parts of the Algarve, decide which outing matters most rather than promising yourself a long drive every day. Our Algarve sightseeing guide can help you build that shortlist.
Then check the ordinary journeys, including a food shop, an evening meal and the beach entrance. We find these more useful booking questions than whether a property is simply described as central. If you plan to work during the stay, ask about the workspace and connection inside the specific property, rather than assuming that every room offers the same conditions.
Compare a car with a realistic public transport plan
The regional railway serves the Lagos–Faro–Vila Real de Santo António corridor, as shown in the CP Algarve timetable. That makes it worth checking for journeys between towns, but the station-to-door section needs its own plan. We would check both the outward service and the final usable return before booking an excursion around it.
For a rental car, compare the full booking terms, including the deposit, fuel policy, driver requirements, collection arrangements and any optional extras. Ask how road charges are handled on your intended route instead of applying an old description of Portuguese tolls to every motorway. Photograph the vehicle at collection and return, following the rental company’s inspection process.
Make the arrival instructions usable without a connection
Save the address, map pin, host contact and agreed check-in arrangements offline. If the flight arrives late, confirm the procedure for delays and key collection before departure. A door code is useful only when you also know which entrance it belongs to, especially in a building with more than one gate.
We suggest checking where a driver can stop and how the luggage reaches the property. Steps, a steep approach or an upper floor can matter more on arrival than they did in the photographs. Tell the accommodation provider about access requirements early, asking for measurements or pictures where a general assurance would leave uncertainty.
Plan beach access rather than just choosing a photograph
A beach day has three separate parts, getting there, reaching the sand and returning with everything you brought. Before choosing an outing, check the actual entrance and how much equipment the group can comfortably carry. For children, agree a meeting point and keep a simple alternative if the outing needs to finish early.
At beaches with cliffs, follow the marked exclusion areas and avoid using the cliff base as shade, in line with APA guidance on cliff risk. Conditions at the water must be assessed locally, with attention to the signs and instructions in force that day.
Budget around the booking and the meals you choose
Keep accommodation, transport, food and activities as separate budget lines. That makes an apparently small extra, such as a transfer or repeated parking charge, easier to see before committing. We would read current menus and activity terms directly, rather than use an old blog’s fixed daily spending estimate.
For food ideas, our guide to Algarve dishes explains some names you may encounter. Discuss ingredients and dietary requirements with the restaurant, and check whether a dish is priced per person, per portion or by weight before ordering.
Leave the last morning as well organised as the first
Confirm the departure time, key return, luggage arrangements and journey to the airport or station before the final evening. At Monte Rentals, we encourage guests to share their group size, arrival plans and essential accommodation requirements when enquiring, so the conversation starts with the details that will shape the stay.
Planning a stay in the Algarve?
Book direct with Monte Rentals and skip the booking fees: see all our Algarve holiday rentals. Or browse holiday apartments in Albufeira · villas with private pool.
Frequently asked questions
Should I rent a car for my Algarve holiday?
Compare the places you want to visit with realistic public transport, walking and taxi options. The right choice depends on your base, arrival time and daily journeys rather than one rule for the whole region.
What should I organise before arriving at the accommodation?
Save arrival instructions, the exact address and a contact number where you can use them without a connection. Confirm access, parking or the pickup point and plan any essentials needed on the first evening.
