In love with Portugal

Since we were located just before the Portuguese border, it was more than clear to dedicate ourselves to this country. Job done, the wheels rolled towards Portugal. We were already impressed by the nature that met our eyes shortly before the border. Everything was so green and many things were already blooming. The ride was an absolute pleasure for the eyes.

Our first stop was at Praia de Falésia. There are two motorhome parking spaces to choose from. We were very lucky to secure a plot on the top terrace of one of the two places, even though the places were packed to capacity. We hadn't read anything about it before and were all the more overwhelmed when we took our first walk towards the beach shortly after arrival. A path meandered through a very beautiful forest area, almost 400m long, to a wooden staircase that led down to the beach with 150 steps. The cliff-top beach Praia da Falesia is supposedly one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. I don't know if it's true, but it definitely impressed us immensely. Just like the hikes we took along the cliff coast. Sometimes really challenging, but always an absolute highlight for the senses. There were still more hikes to come.

After 5 days, we moved on to Armação de Pêra to a simple but functional campsite. The next 3 days were dedicated to beach walks, coastal hikes and a tour through the natural area of Lagoa dos Salgados. The dunes and wetlands are home to many water birds and migratory birds whose migration routes pass through here. There are platforms at the lagoons from which you can observe the birds.

The next stop was at a 4-star campsite above Luz, not far from Lagos. Praia da Luz is a former fishing village that has largely preserved its Portuguese charm and of course also offers a dreamlike sandy beach in a long bay. Lagos, one of the most beautiful cities on the Algarve, has a magical old town. However, we are more nature lovers and that's why in Lagos the Ponta da Piedade was the highlight for us. It is the tip of a steep promontory that juts into the Atlantic. The rocks are among the most beautiful formations on the Algarve. This spectacular limestone coast includes rock columns protruding from the sea, fragile stone arches, and hidden caves.

We discovered the Ponta da Piedade as part of a hike that we had split into two days (Luz-Lagos, Luz-Burgau) along the legendary fisherman's path. The Fisherman's Path, with 13 stages and a total of 226.5 km, is one of the best coastal trails in the world. This partly rugged, partly green landscape impressed us absolutely.

Actually, we wanted to continue north to Nazaré via Cabo de São Vicente, the southwesternmost point of Europe. Nazaré is the Mecca of Big Wave Surfers. These monster waves (which can reach up to 30 meters high) are created due to an underwater canyon located at a depth of 5000 meters and stretching over a distance of 250 km. The waves reach their peak between November and February. However, based on the wave calendar, it was foreseeable that there would be no spectacular waves during our possible stay. Additionally, a period of bad weather was also expected for the northern part of Portugal. After a short consideration, it was clear that we would turn around and head back towards Spain, towards the Mediterranean.

We will definitely see Portugal again, at a different time of year and with a larger radius.

Obrigado e Adeus Portugal