The Route to Vale Ferro for Travellers Arriving in Faro
From Faro Airport, follow blue signs for A22 Lisboa Albufueira, be careful there are two sudden turn offs. Keep in the correct lanes.
If you hire a car from the airport, they will ask if you intend to use the roads with new tolls charged by overhead cameras (not the portagem motorways where you pay at a barrier). The A22 on my directions is one of these roads. Usually there is a counter of the tolls in the car and they are added to your hire fee. If you don't pay the car hire company will bill you minimum 20€ which is more than using the A22 twice. Thereare no more roads with camera tolls after this. You can avoid the A22 completely and go on the N125 which will take you to the IC1 to Ourique. If you follow this route it should take between 1hr30mins and 1hr45mins depending on the traffic. If you use the paying motorway A2 Portagem, it will be quicker as there’s little traffic on there.
Keep going on the A22 until the junction for IC1 or N264 for Ourique.
Leave the IC1 at Ourique and follow signs to Odemira. At Ourique, however, it is worth stopping at the Pingo Doce supermarket for provisions, as the next nearest is in Odemira, which is about 20mins beyond the village. Continue on the N123 to Garvao and straight on over the bridge (N389) until you come to the roundabout. Turn left onto the N263 to Odemira, pass Reliquias, Barreiros traffic lights and the next turning right is for Valeferro.
The Route from Lisbon
From Lisbon Airport take the Vasco da Gama Bridge on the A12 keep going until you join the A2 then stay on this until J10 (Grandola) then the IC1 south to Ourique. At the crossroads with the N263 turn right signed to Odemira and West Coast (Oeste). Keep going until you reach the large roundabout go straight on to Odemira, pass Reliquias, Barreiros traffic lights and the next turning right is for Valeferro.
In Valeferro
On entering the village just after the pedestrian crossing at the bus stop, you take the first right turn and go on a little to where the Rubbish containers are. Go up the road between the toilets and post boxes, a small building on the right hides the track to the house. It’s easy to miss but you turn right onto the track before the tarmac finishes.
You must contact the house keeper at least 2 hours before the time of arrival to arrange to meet her at the house and update her if you are delayed. There are secure gates which will be shut if you arrive too early or late, so you must give a specific time to meet her at the house.