recommendations for Marinas in Faro area?

[Stevie_T]

Well, Ive finally gone and done it, bought my first real yacht!
I am bringing her back from Cyprus to the UK but may only get as far as Faro or thereabouts and am considering leaving her until next year to complete the voyage.
Have any of you any experience of marinas in the faro area that may be suitable, obviously price and security play a major role here.

Thanks
Steve

 

[mdrifter]

Fine anchorages in Faro (lagoon off Culatra) and a new marina at Olhao with winding access channel where you can easily ground; great market for fruit & veg, I am told. Alvor has anchorages but best viewed on rising tide imho. Portimao is pretty good marina with some surge from passing fv's and strong winds and good anchorage apart from aforesaid (there are pontoons upstream from marina as well and good haul out and hard standing. Albufiera is very new and not very scenic - would be awful hot in summer, I think. Lagos and Villamoura are expensive. Have you considered further East? Isla Canela/Cristina, Mazagon, Rota, Puerto Sherry, Cadiz?

 

[Stevie_T]

Thanks for the reply mdrifter
Obviously anchorages are out as I will be leaving her for months at a time, though I would rather anchor when cruising. However good info for when we are on board.
The reason I am looking at faro is because I can fly cheaply and conveniently from E.Midlands, which is important to me. Really the only choices for flying seem to be Faro or Malaga, therefore marinas I am interested in need to reflect this.

 

[jerryat]

Surely Alvor has a marina now doesn't it? They were well on the way with the thing when we were last there, and that was about three years ago!! Damn shame to put one there ('our' EC money by the way!) as this was a lovely little stop-over place in our view. Several of the locals we spoke to weren't too pleased either.

Ah well, yet another anchorage down the tubes! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Cheers Jerry

 

[snowleopard]

Lagos is a nice place and the off season marina rates are reasonable. Security is reasonable and it is weather-proof.

 

[claudio]

Alvor doesn't have a marina yet, certainly not when we left on May 5th 2005

Claudio

 

[Abigail]

In terms of cost and facilities, I would reckon Portimao the best, as implied in several other posts. There's a very good train line all along the Algarve coast and it's v simple to get a cab from Faro airport to the station in the centre of town. Lagos is ok but dear and fewer fishing boats so facilities tend to be dearer. Vilamoura is horrid and not on the train line. I don't know the marina at Alvor, but the anchorage was sweet (not so sure about the town!) Tavira is also really nice but I think it's only moorings. It's also got the nastiest harbour bar on that coast. You could also look at Villa Real, right on the Guadiana at the border with Spain. Nice marina, with a hard tide through it, train connections etc.

In Spain, Isla Christina is probably one of the cheapest, but it's a very unexciting town. You would have to fly to Seville and the train connections are not good. Seville itself is expensive, and you are a long way up the Guadaquivir when you want to go anywhere. You could also look at Chipiona at the mouth of the river, but I've only ever been there in the dark so I don't know what it's like. Cadiz is probably very cheap; it's about 20 mins walk to town, but by far the nicest place to be I think (excellent jazz!) I'm not sure what the train/plane arrangements are, but I think it's a fairly quick and easy connection from Seville, which does I think get cheap flights.

So personally I would go for Portimao or adiz.

BTW - Olhao (just along from Faro) does have a fab veg and fish market and it's very pretty and friendly. But I think the train connection is poor - and the sewage goes straight into the harbour which is slightly off putting.

HTH

 

[jerryat]

Hi Claudio!!

Thanks for that, it's a great relief to us! I wonder what happened there then? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

When we were last there, they were driving piles, dredging and altering the road on the waterfront. There was a damn great sign proudly announcing what was going on, and confirming that it was all being paid for with EC funds!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Perhaps they ran out of our cash or changed the design of the project!!! Whatever it was, cruising yachts should be delighted! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Could you still anchor in the approaches and off the town when you were there?

Cheers Jerry

 

[claudio]

The promenade looks new and they've built new fisherman's quarters, new slipway and new huts.

There is no marina, most yacht were anchored out in the approaches and used tenders for supplies e.t.c.

There are two tiny pontoons (one can be seen to the left in the photo), mainly used by tenders and local trip boat.

Claudio

 

[jerryat]

Hi Claudio!!

Many thanks for the info and the photo - brings back lots of memories! Looks like there's a small pontoon there, so it possible they changed the extent of the original scheme, as the project advertising board clearly indicated more than that when we were there.

Anyway, we're very glad they haven't shoved a marina in there, so will put Alvor back on the itinerary for our next trip. Like most of our cruising friends, we hate marinas and avoid them as much as possible.

Thanks again, Jerry

 

[Swagman]

Unless it has changed in 12 months, Olhao Marina can be used but is not completed. So no security, no water or electrics, but equally no charges either!
You may find a long term livaboard who plans to winter over the same period as you - and pay them to be your guard?????
Last year we did not see much difference in price twix Portimao and Lagos - and this year with Potimao being used as a base for several Volvo 70 teams - the differences may have been reversed.
Anyway - all have emails / phones - two calls / contacts should give you the correct info.
Enjoy
JOHN

 

[snowleopard]

There are quite a few of these phantom marinas in Portugal. In 2001 we found one in the Doca de Alcantara in Lisbon where there were pontoons but no one to charge for them. Upstream the advertised marina at the Expo site there was nothing but the outer walls - all the pontoons had been washed away in a flood and the site abandoned.

 

[davidbains]

I flew Stansted to Xerez and drove to Cadiz in Feb 05. Very impressed with the marina at Rota.
There are several others in Cadiz area, although the one in Cadiz harbour itself is small and crowded. Yachts were out sailing in Feb. In fact the weather was better than here this May!

 

[rigpigpaul]

Hi Steve_T, I was in Portimao 3 weeks ago. Plenty of room between pontoons in the marina. Nice run across the river to the local village. The marina can be entered any state of tide. Spent a night at anchor off Culatra which has plenty of shallow water. Ended up the Guadiana and was refused entry into Vila Real and Ayamonte. Both marinas were being dredged. Went to anchor for two nights off Ayamonte then hired a taxi back to Faro. It cost 32euros which is a fixed price, the taxi driver had a price list. The ride took 40 minutes, no problem.
Paul

 

[Stevie_T]

Thanks for all the replies /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Seems the most popular suggestion is Portimao, I shall make enquiries as to berthing fees etc. there and at one or two of the others.

 

[wetnwild]

Ive been based at lagos for the past few years and find it by far the best in the Algarve from the point of view of value for money, security, shelter, convenience to rail / road inks, quality and convenience of services in town. If you are looking for a cheaper option but scoring somewhat less on all other points, try Albufiera. Its a relatively new marina with a bit of a hike to services but highly competitive prices.

Villamoura is not very attractive unles you like being in a golf tourist gold fish bowl.

The cheapest proper marina with reasonable services is at Isla Canella over the fence in Spain. Its not so easy to get to from Faro airport but still worth a look if you are happy to use cabs to get around.

See you around in the sunshine.

 

[rjweatherhead]

If you want to come out of the water, we have found the boat yard at Faro to be very cheap. Equipment is ok, the owner Bruce is helpful (tel +351 91931 7171) - you need his help to guide you up the channel to the yard. Toilet and shower facilities are poor but clean. Security does not look great but several people plus Bruce's very large dogs live on site and we have not heard of any problem.