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Published: July 31st 2011
Friday, June 17th, marked our first day in Portugal. We were filled with anticipation to discover a new country. Our only plan was to drive up the coast and stop at places that seemed interesting. Sometimes we would just stop in a town or at a beach have a quick look and jump back in and carry on our way. This day our first stop was the small village of Tavira. We jumped on a ferryboat for a 10-minute jaunt to Tarvia Isla. The tiny island was much more developed than we expected with a half dozen high priced seafood restaurant and crowded beaches. You can also camp on the island if you want to stay overnight. We opted to have lunch and a quick stroll to the beach before heading back to the mainland and on with the journey. The next stop was Faro, Algarve’s capital. It is a small town with a busy marina and well-preserved Medieval Quarters. We entered through the intricate Arco da Vila and visited the Igreja de Nossa Senhor Do Carmo (Our Lady of Carmen Church). It was a eclectic old church with dramatic statues and a quirky red organ. We visited the top bell
tower for a beautiful view of the coastline. Our final stop for the evening was the busy resort town of Albufeira. We found a well-equipped camp ground and popped our tent.
Saturday, June 18th, we decided to move on from crowed Albuferia and see more of the coast. The camping equipment we purchased made moving around somewhat easy (I say easy acknowledging that camping is never “easy” but compared to other camping experiences). Recent advancements in technology afforded us a “2 second tent” and a fully equip bed (air mattress, sheet, comforter & pillows – just add air). In case you want to check it out here is a link to the tent that folds up like a windshield sun shade – so cool: http://tente.quechua.com/en/tent/r-8,a-47,tente-2-seconds-iii.html and the camping bed: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sleepin-bed-camp-2-p-120-173385382/ . Yes it was “easy” except for the fact our mattress sprung a small leak and slowly deflated over the night. So the first stop that morning was in Portimao for a trade in at Decathlon (a European sporting goods chain – thank goodness since we bought it in Biarritz, France). New mattress in tow, we continued on our journey and stopped at a cliff-sheltered cove called Caneiros Beach.
There was a wonderful al Fresco restaurant overlooking the picturesque beach. We lingered over a lunch (in true European fashion) as we lounged in a pillow-covered booth with the perfect view. The waiter started us with a tasty trio of octopus salad, olives and cheese. Later we shared seafood and sipped chilled white port (so good!). We continued stopping at beaches along the coast to see if there was a place we would like to linger. The beaches were bustling with summer weekend crowds. We stopped to explore the town of Sagres, a tiny village perched amoung dramatic cliffs. We walked around the laid back fisherman’s village and admired the view from the top of the medieval forts. We continued on and found a pretty little beach where we stopped at a café to enjoy some fresh local strawberries (I pared my with a glass of Rosado and John a coffee being the responsible driver). As we were ready to pay I handed John the credit card and somehow he dropped in right in-between the floorboards of the restaurant deck. There was no way to get underneath the deck since bushes surrounded it. Luckily the owner came our rescue with
a device to reach between and fish out the card (must have happened before). John used his skills to recue the card and we paid and got on our way. That afternoon we had a goal to make it up the coast to Carrapateira. The seaside village was one of our friend’s, Emery and Laura, favorite places in Portugal with its beautiful surfing beaches, dramatic cliffs and charming fisherman’s village. We got into town that afternoon and explored some places to stay. There weren’t any local camping facilities so we explored a few places to stay including a charming rustic Inn called, Casa Fijara. It was beautiful but a bit expensive for our budget. We decided to go to Pria de Amado, the local surfing beach, and contemplate our options while surfing. The waves were a bit messy but had some power providing a few good hours of fun and exercise. It was great to get in the water again even though it was too chilly to surf without wetsuits. After a great afternoon we met a nice local guy and asked him about a place to stay. He recommended we “rogue camp” like himself and many others on the
cliffs above the beach. We decided we would do the same. The fog rolled in and we were chilled from being in the cold water so we headed into the village for a hot meal. We found a really cozy little restaurant specializing in seafood (love dining in a seaside village). We opted to splurge and try the Ameijoas na Cataplana, a local seafood specialty for two ($28 Euros). This version combined a mix of fresh clams, octopus and potatoes that simmered in a flavorful bouillabaisse as it baked in a cataplana (a round copper covered pan used to steam). It warmed us up and was delicious. We indulged in a port soaked pear for dessert to finish the meal. We did learn a Portuguese dining lesson as well during that meal. The servers will bring you snacks and even appetizers before the meal. Even if you do not order them, if you eat them you pay. Our server brought us a cod cake appetizer (we ate it thinking he was just being generous and later had a $7 Euro charge on the bill). You can send them back with no issues if you let them know when they drop
something off at your table. Good to keep in mind if you travel to Portugal.
Sunday, June 19th, we woke up early feeling nervous someone would bust us for unauthorized camping (that marked the first and last rogue camping experience of the trip). The waves were pretty small so we decided to continue our exploration up the coast. We stopped at a simple café in Aljezur for a quick breakfast and had our first taste of an amazing fresh baked Pasteis de Nata (a custard filled pastry with a flakey buttery crust). I am not the biggest fan of pastries but this one I would not skip. This was my introduction to a mission to find the best Pasteis de Nata in Portugal (important I know). In contrast to my Manchengo cheese and Rosado wine mission that kept me busy in Spain. We also made a quick stop to check out the hilltop castle overlooking the village of Aljezur that was tucked among the green valley below. We headed up the coast and leaving the Algarve region for the Alentejo. We stopped to have a quick look at the first seaside town in the region, Odeceixe. Next we stopped
in Sines to tour the castle and home of the famous explorer, Vasco de Gama. We also had to visit the award winning Pasterlaria Vela D’Ouro to sample their Pateis de Nata. They were very tasty with a nice flakey crust. Don’t worry we did not make a habit of eating two a day, John tried to stop me from going in the Pasterlaria but I was lured by the crowds and massive trophies in the window. Late afternoon we arrived at what would become one of our favorite campsites at Praia da Gale. We saw some people surfing (didn’t really see them catching waves but at that point we weren’t picky). We set up the tent, grabbed our boards and beach gear and spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach. We laid on the beach admiring the dramatic reddish brown cliffs that vaguely reminded us of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Cathedral Tower. They were the perfect backdrop for the miles of golden beach and sparkling blue water. The scene was festive and fun as groups enjoyed the hot day. Friends were kicking a soccer ball, a guy played his guitar, and couples were flirting. The waves crashed right
on the beach making it a challenge to swim. It was possible as long as you got past the impact zone on a smaller set. I jumped in for a swim and although the chilly water took my breath away, it was a refreshing after bathing in the blazing sun. John joined me but was out as fast as he got in since it was so cold. We lingered until we were the last ones on the beach.
Monday, June 20th, we took a day trip to the Medieval town of Evora and the Megalithic monument of Cromeleque dos Almendres. Midtown Evora has well maintained historical buildings and character. We passed through the Medieval walls and ventured down the narrow cobble stone streets sprinkled with chic boutiques and cafes. We stopped in a main square and had a gourmet picnic before exploring the museums and Roman ruins of the town. The most intriguing yet creepy site was the bone chapel. The Capela dos Ossos was built by 17th century Franciscan Monks as a memomento de mori (reminder of death) and also a solution for the overflowing graveyards. The bones and skulls of more than 5000 dead are precisely placed
to achieve an eerie design. It was a hot day with no breeze. After the chapel we walked through the park for some relief on our way out of the city. On the way back we stopped to see the so-called Iberian Peninsula’s most important megalithic group, the Cromeleque dos Almendres. We arrived and did a short hike to the group of stones. We were expecting taller stones but they were still interesting due to the sheer number in on area. The stone area was thought to be used for social gatherings and sacred rituals. We actually arrived when a “healer – we think” was giving a woman some type of chakra alignment (very new age). We thought it was kind of bizarre. However, not wanting to miss anything, I went to lay on the rock just to see if anything would happen (I don’t think it did but it was nice to lay in the sun for a few minutes). Then John gave it a try too. It was a bit awkward since the “new age” people were sitting in their car staring at us. Our Twilight Zone experience continued when we walked through fields of sheep to visit
the solitary Menir dos Almendres. As we arrived at the nearly 4m high stone we were underwhelmed and greeted by a woman burning incense in some ritual with her two small children. After a brief look we took the scenic drive back through the cork trees and wine country. That night we camped in Sesimbra at Campismo de Valbrom.
Tuesday, June 21st, We headed up north and arrived just in time to catch the ferry to Sebutal. We drove our car onto the boat and went to the top deck to enjoy the view for the quick 15-minute ride. We saw some cyclists and thought about how it would be fun to bike the coast (but with the heat we were welcoming the car air-conditioning). We drove the beautiful coastal road through the tree-covered cliffs of Parque Natural da Arrabida. We passed beautiful beaches with overflowing parking lots from summer crowds. We drove to the Western most point of Europe, Cabo da Roca, (09° 30′ 03″ W) where we enjoyed a picnic on the windy coast. We headed North exploring all the little villages along the way until we found a place we wanted to stay. Tired from driving,
we were drawn in by the inviting pool at Guincho Campismo. We got set up and hit the pool to escape the heat of the afternoon.
Wednesday, June 22nd, we took a trip to the coast and Cabo Especial. We ventured the end of the road revealing a deserted cliff top church with long corridors on either side. It was like walking into a ghost town since we were the only ones there. We walked past the church to the steep cliffs that had forms from tectonic activity in the area. We peeked over to see the turquoise water far below. There was a quirky little white chapel perched on the side of the cliff that make for an interesting view point. The terrain all looked very prehistoric which made it no surprise that dinosaur footprints were discovered in the nearby rocks. Which we of course had to explore. We drove a few minutes North to the Monumento Natural da Pedra de Mua. We did not have high expectation so we were surprised to be able to hike out on the cliffs and actually stand in the dinosaur tracks. They were outlined and there was a map detailing where
we could see the different sets of tracks. It wasn’t a museum or anything, it was just open to anyone and we were the only one’s there. We joked that if this were in the US there would be admission and a surrounding theme park. We looked across the water and could see an entire trail of footprints leading up the cliff face that were revealed when the cliffs were created. It was really quite cool.
Thursday, June 23rd, we headed to Sintra. Sintra is a magical little town built into a lush valley surrounded by castle-topped hills. It was one of the favorite places we had seen in Portugal. First we stopped at the tourist office and decided to buy the Lisbon Pass (Sintra is just 45 minutes from Lisbon). Some of the main sites were included on the pass so it seemed like a good value. Getting the $72 Euro value out of the passes would prove to be our project for the next four days. Just outside the office there was a tiny little café, Casa das Queijadas that served the famous sweet cheese pastry of Sintra, Quijedas (so we had to try one of course).
We met the charming owner who was so proud to show us photos of his grandfather who had opened the shop that had been in the family for generations. One of the many lovely people we met in Portugal. After a brief stop to donate my weary sunglasses by placing them on a statue, we were headed to the first culture stop, the Palace. (I had Sintra we visited the National Palace. The Palace was still furnished as it would have been in the past with the highlight being the Cozinha, (Kitchen). It had two towering cylindrical chimneys for ventilation. Then we took a beautiful walk up hill through the forest to the Castelo dos Mouros (Morrish castle) that was built in the 8th and 9th centuries. The wall winds all along the top of the hill overlooking the city below like a miniature Great Wall of China. The views are stunning from the different towers. Next stop was, the colorful Palacio da Pena, a short walk up to the next hill. The fairytale like palace was built in 1840 as a summer getaway for a German prince. I guess it is no surprise it is referred to as the
“Portuguese Neuschwanstein” (the castle in the German Alps that the Disney castle is modeled after). Then we had a quick visit to the Toy Museum (John’s pick). It had vintage toys from all over the world, including a very impressive Barbie collection that made me nostalgic. Our final destination on the culture tour was the eccentric estate and magnificent gardens of Quinta da Regaleira. The expansive gardens have amazing fountains, terraces, lakes and underground secret passages. We had the best time exploring the narrow dimly lit passage way each leading to another discovery. We were completely exhausted but still made it to Cabo da Roca to watch a beautiful sunset over the Western tip of Europe.
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JJKrempasky
non-member comment
night owl
We've enjoyed your exciting & interesting journey. Thank you for sharing it with all of us. Very glad you are home safely! See you soon---peace be with you, Julie