What is the hardest thing about swimming in the Portuguese Atlantic? Getting into the water!
Yes, folks, last week I learned that the Atlantic Ocean is, indeed, cold! Now lest you think I thought the Atlantic on this side of the ocean was as warm as it is in my home state on the east coast of the USA, I did expect that it would be cold. But I must admit, it was nevertheless a shock!
A little context: NC, USA ocean temperatures at this time of year (late July) run between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius, or 80 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit (even warmer this summer, thanks to intense global warming). The Algarve region of Portugal, probably the warmest of the Portuguese Atlantic waters, ranges from 16 – 21 degrees Celsius or about 60 – 69 degrees Fahrenheit, and during our visit, the temps were about 18 – 19 degrees. Well then!
It was quite a wake-up for this soft NC girl!
The take-away: If you’re looking for a swimming beach vacation, maybe the Med is a better bet, so Spain and Italy are great choices. But if you want to find beautiful scenery and beaches that are warm and breezy for sunbathing, Portugal’s Algarve region can’t be beat.
We landed in Faro and grabbed our rental car and off we headed to Lagos. We stayed in an AirBnB in the city rather than a hotel on the beach, and I kind of regret that. It meant we needed a car, but we wanted a car anyway to explore a little further afield, but then it also meant that we had to drive every single day, whether all we wanted was to spend the day on the beach or not. The particular AirBnB also had really hard beds (mine was too hard for me), no kitchen (a tiny fridge), and neither a view nor a balcony. I was a bit disappointed. It was very clean, though, with on-street free parking, and it did have a pool (also with icy water), and also important, the owner was really helpful and nice. Note that some of the other rooms did have balconies. Just do your research.
This was to be a beach vacation, so all I really wanted was to lie on the beach (success!), swim (very little success), and EAT (too much success). We visited two beaches only, because one of our requirements is to be able to rent beach chairs and shade, and most public beaches don’t rent chairs and parasols. Our favorite beach was Mei Praia, as it features long, sandy stretches, a couple of restaurants, and ample parking. The two beach chairs and umbrella can be had for only 15 euros, a great deal. It is a little out of town, but only a 10-minute drive, and it is quiet. It also has a lifeguard (which is nice just in case you manage to acclimate your warm body to 18 or 19 degrees).
We also visited Praia Dona Ana, which we liked mostly for the view. It also has a lifeguard but was much more crowded, and at 20 euros, the less-comfortable chairs are a tad more expensive. Also, the parking situation is difficult; there is not nearly enough, so either one must park far away and walk a kilometer or so or, if you rent a teeny-tiny car, as we did, you might be able to squeeze into some teeny-tiny maybe-not-really-parking spots, as of course, we did! We were rewarded with the fantastic rock formations and brilliant blue water.
The other advantage of Dona Ana is the protection from the wind. It seems the wind blows all the time in Portugal (video at bottom of post), and with Meia Praia’s unbroken sandy beach, when the day is particularly windy, you are likely to have a [sand]blast of an experience! Dona Ana has cliffs on three sides, protecting bathers from the free and natural exfoliation provided by the gusts of wind. Check the weather before deciding which beach to visit!
(below) Praia Dona Ana: a feast for the eyes!
I desperately wanted to see a sunset over the Portuguese Atlantic, so we did a little online digging, and we asked our host, and both recommended driving to Sagres to see the sunset. How I was looking forward to this; the photos I’ve seen of Portugal’s sunsets are magnificent! The night before we were to return home to Belgium, we hopped into the rented Up! (VW) and buzzed out of Lagos headed west. The closer we got to Sagres, the less we saw of blue sky; alas, a cloud seemed to descend from the heavens, and by the time we arrived at our destination, it was a misty mess, surfers and kayakers climbing the hills from the beaches, everyone bundled in windbreakers watching the drizzle. How the views would’ve been breathtaking… With heavy sighs, we loaded Up! (See what I did there?) and headed back, where we reminded ourselves of how lucky we were to have chosen Lagos for our home base, where the sun continued to shine!
As expected, the food in Portugal is wonderful, especially if you like seafood, and even if you are vegetarian, there are a lot of choices. Of course, I am vegetarian when I eat out and usually vegan at home. Well, I was a dismal failure at both for this vacation! I often say that the only flesh I miss eating is fish; having spent so many years on the NC coast, I love fish and seafood. I guiltily indulged during these few days. The cod is particularly delicious. The restaurants we enjoyed most were Pomo Italian restaurant, Os Arcos, and The Blue Whale.
Pomo was far and away our favorite, in spite of the long wait. There are lots of vegetarian friendly items on the menu (not so many for vegans unfortunately, but it’s authentic Italian cuisine, so cheese is everywhere), and the food is served uniquely, in the pans it is prepared in! The owners are from Puglia, in southern Italy, and the flavors are fresh and authentic. Service was attentive and friendly. We waited about an hour to be seated but we were able to enjoy drinks while we waited; I had one of the best Aperol Spritz’s I’ve had. They don’t take reservations because they don’t have to; they know they are going to have a full house every evening; it is well worth the wait. Recommended for cheese lovers: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe. Recommended: Linguine Pesto Genovese (much less cheese-y). Prices are quite reasonable.
Os Arcos serves a nice selection of seafood. There was also a wait, but not a long one, with friendly servers, and the prices were very reasonable. We luckily got a spot on the terrace, where we were serenaded by a street singer named Diego Mauas whose music I enjoyed. I had cod, which was prepared divinely with a very nice sear, baked with onions and served with crispy potato slices. It was a little oilier than I would’ve liked but it was still very good. My friend had the salmon, also baked and served with fresh vegetables and boiled whole potatoes. I remembered how much I miss fish… it was so delicious. (But being vegetarian (and even being vegan) is totally worth it 99% of the time – for the animals!)
The Blue Whale serves Thai cuisine that is a little higher end than most, of course with a lot of fish possibilities, something that is rarer here in Belgium. The ambiance is nice with white paint and ocean décor, and the servers are attentive. I enjoyed a sweet and sour dish, which I don’t often eat anymore as it is usually served with chicken. Here I had it with pieces of battered fish, and it was very good. My friend enjoyed, as she usually does, a chicken curry. She had to ask for more rice, and there was not as much chicken as she wanted, but what was there was good.
This was my first visit to Portugal, and probably my last for the beaches, as I do love to swim! But maybe Lisbon for a city trip sometime soon… +
Photos of food:
If you go, let me know! I love to connect with my readers, so comment, and don’t forget to share! Bon voyage et bon appétit!