The Modern Nomads

Our last stop in Portugal was the Algarve. The Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost region, is known for its whitewashed fishing villages and beautiful coastlines. The central coast between Lagos and Faro is most popular with tourists and what once were all small fishing villages is now full of restaurants, villas, hotels, bars and shopping. The western Atlantic coast is where you will find the more rugged coastlines with cliffs overlooking sandy beaches. And don’t forget Monchique. The Serra de Monchique (Monchique Range) is a chain of mountains in the western part of the Algarve region of Portugal. While less developed, it is a beautiful area to drive to and is only about 20km (12.5 miles) inland from the coast.

We rented an apartment for two weeks in Lagos. This seemed to be the best choice as a base for the entire time as we could get to just about every part of the Algarve within an hour or so from this location. We were situated at the top of the northern part of Old Town Lagos. This was great because there was a nice breeze on our 5th floor balcony, we had a nice view of the water over the tiered rooftops landscape of the Old Town and it had parking, which is hard to come by in this area. Just be aware that most accommodations in the Old Town area do not have elevators!

Week One in the Algarve:

We planned to do and see as much of the area as possible the first week since we had some family in town visiting us while we were there. A couple of things were booked in advance but for the most part we just took things day by day and planned things according to how we felt, the weather, etc. and our week was perfect! Below is an outline of what we did each day so feel free to check it out as we covered just about everything you would want to see in our first week the Algarve:

Click each day below for a dropdown to see a short summary of the day:

Tap for Day 1 – Walk the city, shop, drink, eat all the good things.

The first day was just getting our bearings. We walked down all the beautiful mosaic cobbled streets of Lagos. And what at first may seem like graffiti at first, you will quickly realize that most are beautiful murals that line the streets of the old town.

Another thing that you will notice on every street, besides the abundance of pasteis de nata (Portuguese pastries), is the amount of cork products for sale. Portugal is the worlds largest producer of natural cork products. And the streets are lined with vendors selling sustainable cork products.

Tap for Day 2 – Half day cruise to Ponta da Piedade.

We booked a half day cruise several months prior to arriving to Portugal and this tour was booked with Blue Fleet. This was a lovely way to spend the day. It included a nice cruise through Ponta de Piedade and while the boat wasn’t small enough to get into the smaller grottos they did an amazing job of getting us as up close and personal as they could. The cruise included wine/beer/non alcoholic drinks and the second half of the tour we headed to bay to drop anchor for a traditional Portuguese lunch (piri piri chicken) and a quick swim for those that wanted to.

Tap for Day 3 – We walked the cliffs of Ponta da Piedade and did a small boat cruise of the grottos

If you are wanting the most beautiful coastal walk in Portugal then look no further than the trail from Lagos to the Ponta da Piedade light house. We saw the cliffs of Ponta da Piedade the previous day from the water so today we wanted to walk along the top of the cliffs for the breathtaking airial views of the best beaches in Lagos. It was absolutely stunning to see and this is a must if you are spending any time at all in Lagos.

Throughout the walk you will find stairs that lead down to some of the most beautiful beaches in Lagos, most notable ones being Pinhao, Dona Ana and Camilo. And once you reach the lighthouse you will see a sign for stairs that lead to the grotto boat tours. These small boats cost only 25 EUR per person and, while it took us to the same spots our cruise did on the previous day, it was well worth it. We could basically get to any spot the kayaks could, but without all the work. Some days we got more steps in than others but this day we walked well over 6 miles and the boat ride was a nice way to break up the day.

Here are some takeaways for the hike:

• Take a water with you. There are a couple of spots to stop that will offer water but depending on time of year it can be very hot and there are a lot of stairs if you plan on exploring all the beaches along the way.
• Sunscreen Sunscreen and more Sunscreen – there is really no shaded part of this walk.
• Take a towel or small beach throw so that you can enjoy a break on the beach if you want to break up the walk.
• Pick you path! The main path is actually a nice decked walkway or paved for majority of the hike. Most of the instagram worthy shots you may see are where people have walked along the dirt trails. WARNING: while many of these paths are fine to walk and you can get beautiful views, some are very close to the edge of very steep drop offs. And some paths have actually eroded to a point that could be dangerous. So be mindful with small children.
• Take note of the time you begin this walk. We knew we wanted to walk to the lighthouse so we started our trip in the morning. This can be a LONG day. We walked almost 7 miles in total this day. You can also choose to call a ride-share (we recommend the Bolt app which is similar to Uber but more widely used in Portugal) when you get to a point that you want to return but we just walked back through the town and it was actually nice to see other neighborhoods on our way back.

Tap for Day 4 – Private Algarve Wine Tour

Our private guide picked us up and we began our tour at Cuinta do Frances. This is a very small boutique winery. So small that they do not even export to the US. We got a tour of their wine production facility and it was pretty amazing to see that this little winery not only produces their wine at their facility, they bottle it as well which is something we don’t see that often.

Next stop was the Joao Clara Vineyard. We took a tour of their vineyard and got a very personal tasting from the owner. This little winery had a really neat property and it was fun to visit with her “pets” on the property.

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Tap for Day 5 – Day trip to visit Sagres and Cape St. Vincent

There are two areas located just a 20 minutes drive from lagos that are a must. The first stop was Fortaleza de Sagres (Sagres Fortress). The first tip I would give you is to bring a light jacket or sweater. Due to the location along the Atlantic coast and elevation it is quite windy and can be chilly. While the property may seem sparse and spread out it is worth walking entire property as the views from both sides of the cliffs surrounding this fortress were breathtaking!.

The next stop was only about a 10 minute drive north to Farol do Cabo de Sao Vicente (St. Vincent Lighthouse). Again, beautiful views! They also have a cafe there and several vendors that sell some keepsake merchandise. One thing to note is to use the restroom you will need to take a little cash. It was less than a dollar to use them but keep in mind that there is no fee to enter and view the area surrounding this lighthouse so be thankful they have nice facilities to use.

Tap for Day 6 – Kayak to Benagil Cave, toured the castle in Silves and drive up to Monchique

Benagil Cave

One of the most iconic things to see in the Algarve is the Benagil Cave, this sea cave is a top spot for tourists and is nicknamed “Cathedral” for its colossal cavernous shape. If you are in the Algarve you can’t skip this or you will regret it. We got there at 10:00 am and I can tell you that is the latest you would want to arrive. We didn’t do much research before we went so we were just winging it so to speak. Once we parked we decided on the kayak company right at the parking lot to rent our gear. This meant we had to carry our paddle, waterproof bag (which they supplied), and wear our vest a short 5 minute walk (downhill) to the entrance. There we were met by a member of their team and we quickly were loaded onto our boats and headed out. The cave is only a 10 minute (or less) paddle from the time we got on the kayaks. We pulled into the cave and they had team members there as well to assist us on and off our boats so we could spend a little time in the cave. That part was very nice as other tour companies didn’t offer this.

This was a great experience and the only recommendation I would make is go EARLY! We were there are 10 am and it wasn’t too busy but in less than an hour, the amount of sightseers literally tripled.

This is fairly inexpensive – we only paid only 15 EUR each and we were in and out of there within an hour. That is if you don’t count the fact that I set my phone down before getting in the kayak and somehow it disappeared.

Silves

Next stop was just a 20 minute drive north where you will find the city of Silves which is home to the Silves Castle. This castle is considered one of the best preserved castles in the entire Algarve. It was beautiful! There is a small entrance fee and you want to make sure you have time to walk the streets of this title town. We had lunch at Tasco do Bene which served traditional Portuguese food and we would highly recommend, it was delicious!

Monchique

On our way back to our apartment we decided to add an impromptu stop to round out our day and headed up to Monchique. This is in the mountainous area in the northern part of the Algarve. It was a beautiful drive and was worth taking the time. The purpose of our drive up there was to pay a visit to Bongard Sculpture Garden. We saw some sculptures while at the Cape of St. Vincent the previous day and thought they were beautiful and we wanted to visit the studio of the artist that created them. We met the artist and he gave us his background, the history of his studio and even got an up close tour of pieces he was currently working on. And… we may have found a couple of pieces that are currently on their way back to the US for us to enjoy when we return

We also did other things in and around town during the first week, there are some historical spots all over the town that are worth seeing so you want to definitely take time to walk around and explore like we did.

Week Two in the Algarve

Our second week was much less eventful. We needed some down time before heading to Spain which was our next stop so we used this week to catch up on reading, writing and relaxing. And of course every day we set out to walk and try to explore new parts of the town we hadn’t seen before. Pete found a local gym close by, we did some laundry, and of course we also used this time to check out a few more local restaurants. Check out the section below for our noteworthy places!

Nom Nom Nom

ff you know us then you know we love to explore local cuisines when we travel! Here are a few of our favorite spots we found to eat at in Lagos:

• Casa do Prego – While this place is on surface a little more trendy than traditional Portuguese establishment, i can tell you that this should be your first stop in Lagos. They have the best traditional Pregos sandwich and you can’t come to Portugal with trying it! We went back “several” times and each time we enjoyed just as much if not more than the first time. It is casual dining more and a bit more updated than some other places in the old town, with both indoors and an outdoor patio area, as well as rooftop bar area.
• Calhou Restaurante – . They have traditional Portuguese food as well as delicious pizzas. The best part was their staff and service, they were great at recommendations and were very friendly. While this place was only about 150 ft from our apartment, which made it convenient, we were repeat customers because of the food! So it is definitely worth checking out if you are in Lagos.
• Prato Cheio – if you are looking for an Authentic Portuguese experience then this is your place. You want to make reservations to secure a seat in this restauarant but you won’t be disappointed. Oh, and make sure you have the google translate app downloaded as their daily special are handed to you on a white board and is written only in Portuguese! The regular menu does have some translations on it but we recommend going on Sunday. That is the day they have the seafood rice which Pete had both times we visited this place. The staff are friendly and I think they may actually all be family members. Everything we had there was fantastic!
• The Garden – this is one of those trendy instagram worthy places. But we walked by it on our first night in Lagos and it stood out. The entire restaurant is setup up outdoors in a lot where it looks like an old building used to be. It is beautiful and quaint and a great place to stop by for a quick bite and/or drink. Just note that it is all outdoors so you would only really want to plan this on a nice day. You could see the chefs cooking BBQ and while we didn’t try that during our visit, it did smell delicious! Again, a very cute place but more trendy than authentic Portuguese.
• Pomo’ La Pasta Italiiana – Okay, so disclaimer, this is obviously not a Portuguese restaurant but we wanted some variety during our two week stay in Lagos and let me tell you – this may have been the best Italianian restaurant I have been to in a long time! We lucked out because we didn’t have reservations and just walked up and found they had two seats open. This is a tiny little place with only about 14 seats inside and maybe 3 tables outside. If you love Italian food do not walk but run to this place! 5 stars all day long in my book!
• Empanadas & Co – While most people think of Latin America when they think of empanadas, the origins of empanadas actually trace back to Spain or Portugal. And Empanadas & Co had FANTASTIC baked empanadas! This is a tiny little shop on top of the hill in Old Town Lagos and is a popular spot because as soon as it opens at noon their seats fill up fast!
• Everywhere for sangria – you can find sangria at any restaurant you walk by and you can get a liter of you choosing for $10 – $15 EUR. I didn’t have a favorite but let’s just say we did a good job of sampling throughout the streets of Lagos!

There are several rooftop places and other great spots to have dinner, tapas or a cocktail and honestly there was no where that ever disappointed us. I won’t list them all but just know that not everywhere takes credit cards, but there is an ATM on every other street so cash is easy enough to get. As I have stated before, be sure and always pull money out in the local currency, you typically will always get the best exchange rate and less fees that way.

We also had a very fun evening stumbling into one place that was definitely a “locals” establishment. I am not sure anyone spoke any English but they were very nice and managed to take our order but what we thought was going to be chicken fried steak ended up being chicken wings. We had a good laugh but it just shows you that while some areas you may hear may not be as fond of tourists, Lagos is not one of those.

Curious what a Prego sandwich is?

Prego – Have it as a main, a bar treat, or even desert as it is sometimes served after fish meals in some parts Portugal. But you call it a meal, snack or desert, I would label it as delicious!

Prego is a ubiquitous Portuguese sandwich prepared with thin slices of beef that are seasoned with garlic, fried, sautéed alongside onions and wine, then placed inside a bread roll. The name prego translates to a nail, and though it is not certain, it is believed it refers to the act of pounding or nailing garlic slices onto the steaks.

https://www.tasteatlas.com/prego

The Algarve is HOT in the summer

The Algarve gets, on average, around 3,000 hours of sun per year and over 300 days of sun per year. This makes it one of the sunniest regions in Europe. (Or at least so says the internet) And of course we were visiting at the beginning of summer. During this first week we did a lot of walking around the city and the temperature basically got warmer each day as the week progressed. We started the week nice and cool (mid 70’s) then ended the week in the low 80’s but let me tell you, it felt like Texas summer heat! The mornings didn’t feel as bad but when that sun came out and you started walking it was hot. Several things contribute to it I presume, but I can tell you walking up and down all the hills and stairs didn’t help the situation. I was reminded of my grandmothers tips while growing up. She would say things like “stop moving around so much and you won’t be so hot” and “move around more and you won’t be so cold”! HA! Gotta love grandmothers! Now keep in mind if you are in the shade or in the evenings it can still get chilly, even in the summer so be sure you pack a variety of layer options.

When in Portugal, live like the Portuguese

It’s like that old saying “when in Rome.” When in Portugal it is easy to get caught up in “a vida Portuguesa” (the Portuguese life). Here are some of the things we learned while in Portugal:

• Spend majority of your day outside
• Drink a lot of espressos – all day long
• Always have cash – not every place takes credit cards
• Eat dinner late – Many places, especially restaurants, close between 3ish to 6ish. That is the hottest part of the day so that was easy to get used to. Dinners typically don’t start until 6pm at the earliest with the busiest time being around 8pm.
• Drink lots of wine – I mentioned in my previous post about Portugal, the Portuguese are the largest consumers of wine in the world. And how can you blame them! The table wines are fantastic and very inexpensive. Who doesn’t love a 2.50 EUR glass of wine. It’s basically less than you would pay for a soda for lunch in the US. So you will see wine is regularly ordered with lunch and dinner here in Portugal.
• Wear great shoes – and not only because you will be doing a lot of walking but also because the granite cobblestone is polished in most areas and is very slippery.

We thoroughly enjoyed our entire time in Portugal and with that being said, there are a few things we would do differently. We spent 3 nights in Lisbon, 2 nights in Porto and 16 nights, just over two weeks, in Lagos (the Algarve). If we could do it over again we would spend a few extra nights in Porto and cut about a week off of Lagos. Especially if you are traveling to sightsee as one week is plenty of time to see all the highlights. Now of course if you are wanting to have some down time in these areas that is a different story but I would be confident saying you could see all the highlights of Portugal in a full two week period.

Next we are headed to Spain and have a busy three weeks ahead of us! “Adeus Portugal!”