On foot

It is easy to walk around in Portimao`s old town, which spans an area of approximately a third of a mile in length and a third of a mile in width. The Portimao riverside area (`zona ribeirinha`) is a pedestrian-only zone, as is the boardwalk at Praia da Rocha.

The distance between Praia da Rocha and Portimao`s old town is approximately a mile and a half. For those who may not be able to walk this distance in full, consider combining walking with another form of transportation (bus, taxi, car, etc.).

By bus

The Portimao city government runs a bus service called `Vai e Vem` (`Come and Go` in Portuguese) which operates seven daily lines in Portimao and six lines in Alvor. There are additional lines in both Portimao and Alvor which run only on weekends (specifically lines 38 and 39 in Portimao and 16 in Alvor), or weekends and holidays (line 37 in Portimao, line 1P in Alvor). There is also a limited night service which connects Largo do Dique with the Fortaleza (adjacent to Praia da Rocha).

Lines 3N, 11 and 33 connect Portimao with Praia da Rocha. Lines 35 and 1P connect Portimao with Praia do Vau. Lines 31, 32 and 37 connect Portimao`s old town with Portimao train station. Lines 14 and 15 connect Portimao with Alvor.

Nearly every line intersects at the stops at Rua das Hortas and Largo do Dique in downtown Portimao, making it easy to transfer buses if need be. Inter-city buses to Ferragudo, Lagoa, and other Algarve cities can be found at the city bus station, located roughly halfway along the Portimao Riverside, a few blocks south of Largo do Dique.

You can buy a rechargeable card for approximately €5 and load either 10 or 20 bus journeys on it (€15-€30). This card is available for sale at the bus offices located adjacent to the bus stop at Largo do Dique. Vai e Vem rechargeable cards can also be bought at Rua Marques de Pombal 3 in Alvor. For more information on Vai e Vem, visit www.vaivem.pt (website in Portuguese, graphics and maps in English).

By the Tourist Train

Like many tourist destinations in the Algarve, Praia da Rocha offers a tourist train (`comboio turistico`), which looks like an old-timey tank engine reminiscient of `Thomas the Tank Engine`, but in fact is similar to a bus or a gas-powered trolley. The tourist train picks customers up at the western end of Praia da Rocha, where Avenida Tomas Cabreira turns into Rua do Miradouro. The train trip takes 30 minutes and stops at various Praia da Rocha resorts, the Fortaleza, Portimao Marina, and Praia do Vau. The tourist train runs every day, year-round, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tickets cost around €5. To pay, consult your conductor.

By taxi

Taxis can be flagged down from the street or called in advance. There are taxi ranks in central Portimao, Praia da Rocha, and Alvor.

There are three different companies that offer taxi service in Praia da Rocha and Portimao: Radio Taxis Arade de Portimao (+351 282 460 610), Cooperativa de Taxis de Portimao (+351 282 418 730), and Taxi of Portimao and Alvor (+351 969 006 600). Taxi fares typically start at €3 or €4 and add €1 for every 0.6 miles traveled. A ride from Praia da Rocha to Portimao should set you back approximately €6-€8, while a ride to Alvor will cost between €10-€12. Keep in mind that these prices will rise by at least 30% after 9 p.m., on weekends, and during holidays.

By bicycle

Praia da Rocha and Portimao are very flat, with the beach sitting on the Atlantic and Portimao situated on the Arade River Estuary. Coupled with the Algarve`s warm weather, the area is ideal for some great cycling. Portimao can be very congested with tourist traffic, so we recommend riding your bike along the riverfront, around the Marina, and along the boardwalk at Praia da Rocha.

Bicycle rental stores in the area include Onebike (located northwest of Portimao`s old town on Rua Cidade de Damao, +351 282 031 457) and Algarve Velo Bike (located a half-mile from Rua do Miradouro on Avenida Sao Lourenco da Barrosa, +351 925 971 760). Also, consider Go Cycling Portugal, a Lisbon-based company that will deliver your bike rental to you anywhere in the country -- including Praia da Rocha, Portimao and Alvor. Go Cycling Portugal`s fees start at €30 (including delivery). You can place your order at www.gocyclingportugal.com (online order forms available in English and Portuguese).

By car

While Portimao`s old town and Praia da Rocha themselves are fairly compact, the distance between the two is a mile and a half. That, coupled with sizable distances between those two areas and a few of the sights recommended by TripMasters, might make you consider renting a car. We recommend that you book a car during the reservation process, which you can pick up at Faro Airport (not in Praia da Rocha or Portimao). If, for whatever reason, you forgo the car rental during the booking process and decide to rent a car after arriving in Portugal, Avis, Europcar, and local companies are represented in both Praia da Rocha and downtown Portimao.

There are eight parking garages located within walking distance of Portimao`s old town. Parking fees per hour range from €1 to as high as €5. Seven parking garages are located in the vicinity of Praia da Rocha; the three garages just north of the Fortaleza are first-come, first-served and free.