Wintering on the Algarve

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Presently berthed in La Rochelle and have had a great year cruising the area and love the old town. Thinking of heading to the Algarve for the coming winter and would welcome advice on berths and costs. Vilamoura seems marginally cheaper than Lagos (both cheaper than high season La Rochelle). Hearing rumours that Lagos still has stray current problems with divers fully employed on anode renewal? My boat is aluminium so stray currents are a concern! Any truth in this rumour?

Phillip Carr
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Hi i winterised last year in the algarve in albufuria slightly cheaper than vilamoura and lagos and is very calm there as is set back. been to both lagos and vilamoura which had wind issues in the afternoons
 
Albufeira is indeed "set back"...as in miles from Albufeira. Vilamoura at least has some life in the winter. Depends what you want I guess. Raggies seem to like Lagos but I never saw the appeal. Portimao is cheap but a short walk to the town (up a steep hill).
Make sure you research the Portuguese regs. They have a reputation for fining owners that don't have the right gear and paperwork (vat, light dues etc). There's also a tax for staying more than six month.
http://www.theiberianseaschool.com/...-tax-a-light-dues-for-boat-owners-in-portugal
 
When I first started going to Albufeira we drove to the Marina as it seemed a long way out. The route we take now is along a coast path/road *hard to tell which* past the beach lift and fisherman's Harbour and into the marina. This takes about 20 minutes to half an hour from the Square in Albufeira Old Town.
 
We clipped the last of the winter in the algarve- as we rounded Cape St Vincent in February after leaving Lisbon ( great place to winter)

lagos was busy with live aboard a but we did t stay long as we weren't so keen on the place

Portimao seemed better for us - we anchored for a few days and then went in the boat yard for a lick of paint and anodes before spending a month in Portimao marina.

I'd go again
 
Its about 4 euros and 5 minute in a cab from the marina to albufuria town but to be honest after october it dont matter whether you are in vilamoura , albufeira,etc most of it shuts up till the following april. I was in portamao for a little while and found that the river smelt a bit in the morning .
 
captaindan said:
Its about 4 euros and 5 minute in a cab from the marina to albufuria town but to be honest after october it dont matter whether you are in vilamoura , albufeira,etc most of it shuts up till the following april. I was in portamao for a little while and found that the river smelt a bit in the morning .
Click to expand...

My point really about Albufeira marina is that there's absolutely nothing there in the winter (and very little in the summer!). Vilamoura is open for business all year because of the golf courses.
 
We berthed in Albufeira for 12 months and now in Portimao marina for the past 18months, Albufeira Marina is like a ghost town in winter months and is a bit of a trek into the old town, Portimao Marina is much nicer as is the beech/ restaurants IMHO , wind can be a pain getting in and out of the marina , can get very noisy in the summer months...
 
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