Letter 98

After a few quick stops in cities it was time, once again, to slow down and relax for a while. I don’t like rushing around and only scraping the surface of a place, and luckily in Portugal I was able to stay in each place for a longer time, which I’ve enjoyed far more.

Lagos

This was the main part of the holiday where we stayed in a Portuguese lady’s beautiful house, lazed on the beach all day and ate great food. It’s always a nice break from hostel dorm rooms to stay in a private room with your own space and a familiar face. We stayed here for 4 days and even this wasn’t enough to soak up all Lagos has to offer. The pretty town is only the tip of the ice burg with this place, and the beaches are where the beauty really begins. The walk around the headline stopping off at numerous beaches is completely stunning. The rock formations, crystal clear water and sandy coves are postcard perfect. We tried a few of the beaches and our favourite was Praia do Camilo. I felt so relaxed in Lagos and loved our time in this stunning place. One thing not to be missed is the Ponta da Piedade which is reached on foot and contains rock formations, caves and grottos around emerald green water. I came here early in the morning when it was deserted and peaceful – absolutely perfect.

Faro

My trip in Portugal actually began in Faro where I met up with my friend from university. We stayed here for a couple of nights and then headed to Lagos. With pretty low expectations of Faro, I was pleasantly surprised. Although we found there really isn’t much to do in the town, it is very pretty to walk around and the harbour is lovely. We spent our only full day in Faro on Ilha Deserta, a deserted island 40 minutes away from the city by ferry. I had my doubts about how deserted this island would be, but it was honestly paradise. For a very long time we didn’t see one person. Complete bliss. On this island you can also reach the most southern point of Portugal by following the trail around it.

You really can’t beat the Algarve for beaches. Such a wonderful, relaxing stay which set me up perfectly for Lisbon (which I can’t wait to tell you all about!!).

From Lou

About Me

PS. The ‘hostel’ we stayed in was just wonderful and I would highly highly recommend. It’s private rooms in a house right in the centre of Lagos with access to a stunning kitchen, lounge and terrace. Complete perfection! Link here.

Finally… here’s us having a fab time on the only cloudy afternoon we had…