Alentejo & Algarve Roadtrip
An exploration vacation
After very reluctantly leaving my new friends at Outsite Cascais, we drove a couple hours east to Évora, which is a small, old city featuring some Roman ruins and a chapel made of human bones. We spent two nights there—which is all you need—and enjoyed two incredible dinners at Lombardo.
As we left the city, we drove through a magical cork forest to check out the Cromeleque dos Almendres before heading southwest to Aljezur. On our way, we stopped at Flora in Sines for a deliciously beige lunch of beer, fried chicken, and fish & chips.
The drive from Sines to Aljezur was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life—but I was driving, so no photos! The only thing that could top it was the view from our Airbnb, which was perched on the cliff above Praia da Arrifana.
Our home for 3 nights, we used this as a base to explore the surrounding area, including leisurely, beautiful drives to Odeceixe and Pontal da Carrapateira. While the below photos are nice, only videos come somewhat close to capturing the power and magic of the waves crashing against the cliffs at sunset. Otherwise, food highlights were A Padaria, Arte Bianca, and A la Bilal.
From Aljezur, we drove to Lagos via Sagres where we stopped for a hearty lunch of massive tuna steaks, fries, salad, and rice at A Sereia. In Lagos, we stayed at Soul & Surf for 3 nights, which was super welcoming and relaxing. On our first day, we attended a morning yoga class and an afternoon surfing lesson with the 2-3 other people staying there. We didn’t really eat lunch, so after a post-surf shower, we sped to Illicit Burgers for an outrageously indulgent dinner (I had It’s Nacho Burger), and then walked around Lagos for a bit before driving home and passing out before 9pm. The next day, we got A+ massages and then had lunch at the highly recommended Churrasqueira O Marcelino for lunch. Happy and relaxed, we read by the pool before going to A Barrigada for the all-you-can-eat fish dinner. I was uncomfortably full for the next 24 hours.
From Lagos, we drove back up to Lisbon. On the way, we found a randomly excellent Italian restaurant called Tosca Melides. Despite the fact that I was still digesting the previous night’s fish, I managed to make room for pizza, lasagna, and panna cotta.
After dropping off the rental car, we went back to Outsite Libson (Intendente) for 3 nights. Desperate for roughage, we discovered O Gambuzino and were delighted by all the vegan dishes. The next day, we checked out LX Factory and a sample sale—where I bought a sweater I absolutely do not have room for in my suitcase—and had lunch and excellent wine at Comida Independente. Later, we caught the sunset at Miradouro de Santa Catarina before having a super tasty dinner at Taberna Sal Grosso—highly recommend you make a reservation! The following day, we had a luxurious lunch at everyone’s favorite Lisbon recommendation, A Cevicheria (the hype is real). Then, we spent our final evening grabbing drinks with my German friend who happened to be in town and who I haven’t seen for 6.5 years!
The next morning, Dan flew back to New York and I caught a bus back to Alentejo for my Permaculture Design Course. I’m currently halfway through the course and am overwhelmed (in a good way) with information and inspiration. More on that to come!
The Big Questions
Do I want to settle down in any of these places? Maybe! Coastal Alentejo is beautiful thanks to the fact that it’s a protected nature area. I preferred the west coast (Odeceixe, Aljezur) to the south coast (Lagos, Sagres) as it feels smaller and less touristy. I am definitely open to living in this region, but also can’t ignore the California-esque drought that Southern Portugal is facing for the forseeable future.
Would I visit again? Yes!!