Portugal – September 2021

I have always been a big fan of the ocean. Not so much thou of days spent at the beach doing nothing at all. Yet that is exactly my plan for the next couple of days while I stay at Portugal’s beautiful southern coast known as Algarve region. Having received different recommendations on where to stay and what to expect from the major hot spots, I decide to stay away from the best-known resorts and biggest cities: Lagos & Albufeira. Instead, I take the direct bus from Lisboa Sete Rios to Sagres.

The quiet beach town is located at the far southwestern end of Portugal and mostly known for the beer with the same name. Upon arriving at the bus station in the “town center”, I walk the 15 minutes to the guesthouse, which I selected because of the chill vibes the pictures promise and the lack of any notes of surf camps. As soon as Artur welcomes me and shows me around his 2-story building with a big garden, I know that I made the right choice.

I drop my backpack in the dorm, change into my bikini and off I am to the beach. A little confused about the fact that nobody is swimming or playing in the ocean, I casually dip my feet in the water while looking for a good spot to put down my towel. When the first ice cold wave hits my toes, I let out a small shriek of surprise. The colour of the sea reminded me so much of the Caribbean, that I expected it to be just as warm. What I forgot: this is still the Atlantic.

I decide to stick to tanning for the moment and only dive into the water a couple hours later, when the heat of the sun makes laying on the beach unbearable. Just before the sun is about the set, I grab myself a pizza to go and head to the beach on the other side of the hill. As it’s facing west it’s the most popular place to watch the sunset and I join the couple other people sitting on the steep cliff. And so. I watch the sun drop into the ocean, while eating a delicious pizza margherita.

The next day I explore Beliche beach. It’s hidden away in a small bay halfway between Sagres and Capo São Vincente. The 30-minute walk in the sun and with plenty of wind makes me hungry. So after arriving at the beach and laying down my towel I dig into the baguette and cucumber I brought. The rest of the day I switch between sleeping, reading and quick dips into the (still freezing) water. That night I chill in the guesthouse’s garden and watch the stars in the pitch-black sky.

My last day in Sagres is very similar to the previous ones. Except that I now share my dorm with 2 nice girls from Italy and Germany instead of some weird, middle-aged men. We have great conversations that night about travelling, living abroad and the current state of the world. A little sad that I won’t be able to join them on their day trip to Cabo São Vincente, the following morning I head to my next stop: Alvór.

The small town is located between Lagos and Portimão and only local busses stop there. This strengthens my feeling that I’ve found a hidden gem. However, I didn’t keep in mind, that lots of people will be travelling here by car… There are loads of people still enjoying their summer vacation at the nearby all-inclusive resort and in the countless beach apartments. Nevertheless, I very much enjoy the privacy of my own room at the Alojamento Local that I’m staying at. As well as a beach day exploring the cliffs at Praia da Prainha.

The coastline of Algarve is definitely iconic and one of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen so far. The steep cliffs safeguarding hidden bays of crystal-clear water and impressive caves sure do attract a lot of tourists. But there is something for every taste – be it just chilling at the beach, surfing, kayaking or photographing. I’ll certainly be back (probably with a rental car & extending my trip up the western coast)!