Planning on visiting Portugal?

Interested in getting to know Portugal outside of the main cities?

Or are you an expat in Portugal having a #staycation due to Covid-19?

As a teacher and avid traveller, Covid-19 has well and truly altered the way in which I (and all of us) live our lives; as we adjust to the new ‘normal’, keeping abreast of change and maintaining a positive outlook is key. Back in early March, I remember thinking how I could only cope with lockdown and online learning for a few weeks, and at this point, I honestly thought there would be no need to think too far ahead! Fast forward to the end of July and there is still so much uncertainty around many things, such as when I will see my family, friends and students again face-to-face.

Being a teacher living abroad, the Summer is the one time when you can switch off totally from work, stopping the whirring of lesson plans, differentiation, CPD, meetings, duties, observations… The Summer is also the time set aside to reconnect with family and friends who live elsewhere, however, Covid-19 has, and will continue to have, totally different ideas for us all. In the face of this I am thankful for video calls, online learning platforms and the friends that have become my family here in Portugal.

This summer, like every summer, was jam-packed with travel plans: Spain, UK, Ireland, Thailand and Vietnam. These trips would have involved my sister’s (now postponed) wedding in Ireland and reconnecting with friends that I haven’t seen, in some cases, in over a year. As previously mentioned, maintaining a positive outlook towards these times is what has helped keep me sane and thankful for my life here in Portugal; I am grateful for the rigor displayed by the Portuguese government in tackling Coronavirus head on, with clarity - it is this clarity that enabled everyone to follow guidelines meticulously, allowing some semblance of normality to resume here - it is this semblance of normality that enabled me (and a group of friends) to go on a road trip of a lifetime to explore Portugal; our extensive trip would not have happened to the extent that it did if we were able to fly off to other locations. We travelled for 18 days, but our itinerary could be followed (if you hire a car) over the course of two weeks; whilst we still have so much more to explore, this schedule would enable you to see some of the best spots (away from the big cities of Porto and Lisbon) that Portugal has to offer.

We set off from Porto with our car, rented from Budget Car Rental (@budget*) - this was simple and hassle-free and with the cost divided by four, it worked out slightly cheaper than using other transportation methods, whilst also affording us with the opportunity to visit places that were slightly off the beaten track.

Stop One: Coimbra

Coimbra is a university town, south of Porto and is a great place to stop and explore. The botanical gardens** are laced around part of the old campus and they are a great place to rest in the shade and reflect upon the splendour of the university buildings. The buildings** in the centre of the town are beautiful and, like many Portuguese towns and cities, there are some excellent pieces of street art**. One or two nights is more than enough time to explore what Coimbra has to offer; the one night that we were there we ate at Refeitro da Baixa (@refeitrodabaixa*). The restaurant was full, but they had a pottery barn (kiln and everything) that they sat us in, making for quite a unique experience. The food was deliciously cooked to perfection, recommendations and a video posted on 12th July**.

Stop Two: Nazare

Upon arrival in Nazare, the fog which often descends** on the area, was clinging over the usually colourful fishing village. It was not until sunset** on our first night that we started to see the true beauty of Nazare. Little did we know that our second day in Nazare would become possibly the most naturally beautiful day of the road trip; we took the (appropriately socially-distanced) funicular up to the top of the cliffs and the views were astounding**, thankfully the fog stayed away! A serene walk along the cliffs towards the Farol Da Nazare** (lighthouse) towards Praia Do Norte** (beach) was enjoyable and cooling as the sea breeze alleviated some of the heat for us; Praia Do Norte is the location of the biggest wave ever to be surfed in the world (more information available on 13th July post**).

The best food experience that we had in Nazare was at Restaurante Rosa dos Ventos (@rosadosventos.nazare*). This is a small, authentically Portuguese restaurant that predominantly serves fish, though there are meat and vegetarian options available; small and popular, booking is highly recommended. I can vouch for the swordfish, shrimp, dourado and pork dishes**!

Stop Three: Obidos

Obidos is the finest example of a Portuguese walled town and is easily accessible for a day trip if staying in Lisbon. We stayed on the outskirts of the pedestrianised main part of the town.Many argue (and I agree) that this is one of the most characterful towns in Portugal - the streets are fairytale-esque** and do make you feel like you are on a film set! The best part of our trip to Obidos was most certainly our visit to the medieval Castelo de Obidos**. A walk around the, somewhat precarious, battlements offer stunning views across the rolling countryside**. If you are wanting to splash out, the castle has now been turned into a luxury hotel - I am tempted to stay at Pousada Castelo do Obidos on my return visit!

After a day of town exploring, we decided to cool off in Lagoa de Obidos (lagoon)**, approximately a 15-minute drive from the town. This offered an opportunity to unwind and bask in the evening sun whilst enjoying nature. The best food experience here was at Jamon Jamon (not on Instagram), this came highly recommended and did not disappoint.

Stop Four: Odeceixe

Odeceixe is a village in the municipality of Aljezur, laying in the north of The Algarve and within the nature park of the SouthWest Alentejo and Vincentine Coast**. The main village of Odeceixe is approximately a 40-minute walk through the nature park (or a 5ish minute drive) to the beach**; Odeceixe is where the beach portion of our holiday really began. Other than the walking, our time here was predominantly split between swimming in the cool azure ocean and snoozing languidly on the sand. My top lunch recommendation would be Kiosk Agapito (@agapito.odeceixe*) which is nestled just above the beach, offering stunning views and a wide range of tasty snacks and bigger dishes - I recommend the (purple) sweet potatoes and Alentejo meat selection!

Stop Five: Carvoeiro

Carvoeiro was the first place on the road trip that I had previously visited and I was so excited to return back, this time to our air bnb apartment right by the beach (Praia Do Carvoeiro)**. Whilst the beach at Odeceixe entailed a 40-minute walk through the countryside, in Carvoeiro we could simply fall out of bed onto the beach. Carvoeiro is the place we visited that is most typically a beachy holiday, with many shops and restaurants at your disposal. You can also take a 25 minute walk to my preferred beach, Praia De Vale Centianes**. We stayed here for four days and ate out A LOT, my top recommendations however would be (food images can be seen in the Road Trip 20 story):

Cafe Fino (@cafefine_cafetaria*)

Central Cafe Carvoeiro (@centralcafecarvoeiro*)

Bela Rosa Restaurante (@belarosa_restuarant_carvoeiro*)

Restaurante Jardim do Farol (no Instagram, amazing place!)

Also, the best Indian restaurant that I have eaten in in Portugal is in Carvoeiro , Haweli.

Stop Six: Tavira

After a day trip to Albufeira Old Town, we arrived at our next Algarve stop, Tavira. Tavira town is set aside by a river and is a 15-minute boat ride from the beach; the boat is the only way to visit Tavira’s beach. Whilst unable to walk to the beach, Tavira beach** was by far my favourite beach of our road trip. The beach is massively monumental, making social distancing far easier than some other places. There is an array of restaurants and bars to cater to all sustenance needs whilst beaching, and at a fraction of the cost of beach bars elsewhere in the world. Tavira town is beautiful to walk round and explore and a must visit is the castle, Castelo de Tavira**.

If you are looking for a place to be a foodie in, then Tavira is most definitely the spot for you! If you are wanting a breakfast or brunch then Bruncheria (@bruncheria.tavira*) is the place for you - there is a wide range of breakfasts available, with special brunch and breakfast options, the bacon, eggs, cheese and maple syrup pancakes** were so delicious I could have had them for breakfast every day of the road trip. For a stylish yet traditional Portuguese lunch or dinner Gilao (@gilaorestaurante*) in the Gilao river is a top hot spot, we got in without a reservation, but I think this was pure luck! If you want a break from traditional Portuguese food, then tapas at Pausa (@pausatavira*) will delight your taste buds with their wide range of traditional (and some not so) tapas**.

Stop Seven: Aljezur

After a day trip stop-off to explore Faro (and to bid farewell to one of our road trippers), we arrived in Aljezur**. Aljezur was one of our more adhoc stops, with the primary reason for stopping being to break up the drive from the south back up to the north of Portugal. Aljezur town is a pleasant mix of pensioners, families and international (and Portuguese) surfers; arriving into Aljezur, and checking into our hotel, it was very clear that we had arrived into a surfers paradise.

Praia da Arrifana (beach)** is approximately a 15-minute drive from Aljezur - whilst parking was stressful (as was the 15-minute walk back up from the beach in the scorching heat), the beach’s beauty and crystal clear waters certainly were worth it! Two days is more than enough to explore Aljezur, unless you are a surfer - if this is the case, you may want to stay forever!

Hope you enjoyed our trip around Portugal!

The Ordinary Teacher Portugal

*Instagram handle

**image available on Instagram @the_ordinary_teacher_portugal