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We last left off with my heart rate-increasing adventure in Lisbon, which was a great few days. However, one must balance the chaotic and insane with the chill and serene. That is what the second half of my Portugal trip brought me to The Algarve.
Let me skip all the unnecessary "wows" this time and get straight into it. Here are my thoughts on the Algarve.
If You Don't Know:
Portugal is primarily known for three things: port wine, Lisbon, and the Algarve. I was fortunate enough to visit the latter two places on my trip (I did not go to Porto for obvious reasons).
The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal, located "just" across (at 150ish miles) from Morocco. It is most known for its cliffside beaches, stunning views, and excellent local cuisine. When my aunt, who has traveled to probably over a hundred countries, compiled a list of places to visit in Europe, the region was in the upper ranks.
Regarding history, it was settled in prehistoric times, eventually coming into possession by the Romans, then the Moors in the 700s CE, and ending up under official "Portuguese" control in the mid-13th century from the "Kingdom of the Algarve." Then, it kicked out all non-Christians by 1492, as all the Iberian countries liked doing at the time.
Now, in current, non-religious times, The Algarve serves as the primary tourist destination for Portugal outside of the Capital. Drawing in people with its history and landscapes. Which was exactly why I went there.
Palace on the Sea
Okay, I did not stay at something that could be called a palace by architectural standards, but this was the next best thing!
See, there aren't actually that many beaches on the Algarve. There are, but they are tiny and usually only accessible via public steep stairwells. As such, there aren't many genuinely beachfront hotels.
Enter: Vila Vita Parc. Which is the closest hotel you can get to on the water, with an average walk-time of roughly 3 minutes.
Oh, it's also a 5-star golf resort with a Michelin-star restaurant. Can't forget about that.
To say that it is a lovely resort is an understatement. I have stayed at many different places worldwide, and this was the nicest one out of any of them. (The next closest one was the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal because... it's the Four Seasons; what else are we expecting?)
What made it even better was that we were in our own building (a la Waterville Valley condos in Mediterranean architecture) that not only had an extensive patio right outside the 2nd-floor window but also had access to a private rooftop lounge with a direct view of the ocean and cliffs.
While I did not get to the Michelin-star restaurant (which would have cost USD 275 a head), I did have the opportunity to eat at an exceptional traditional Portuguese restaurant (Adega) and fish tacos at the lobby lounge.
Compared to other people who spend their entire vacation at the resort, I didn't spend all that much time there. But the time I did spend there, I loved every second of it. I highly recommend staying here and spending a few days in the Algarve.
The Walks
Even though you can't enjoy the beaches, you can enjoy the cliffs! By walking on their edges and gawking at the fantastic views. Words can't describe how stunning they are, especially compared to the mild North American rocky shorelines called "New England."
The first (and longer) hike is called the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. Travelers walk alongside the cliffs and view seven "valleys" where the cliffs go inward and then back out, creating a stunning landscape that can only be (readily) accessible here.
Be advised that there isn't much signage so that you could get lost easily. Don't go over the edge (of glory! Lady Gaga references for the win.)
But seriously, what I mean is that one wrong turn and you find yourself at this beach club and a beach with waves that will gladly take you out to Davy Jone's locker.
The next major "walking place" along the coast is Lagos, where a lighthouse and several jutting walkways are present. I visited the sunset at the end of the day and found the area much more peaceful then. It's perfect for pictures or just contemplating how you managed to get to Portugal.
Speaking of Lagos: After going to the lighthouse and walking around, my family had dinner at a nearby pizzeria called Pizzeria Luzzo. This place was similar to a mom-and-pop pizza place like you would expect in the States, but it cooked its pizza like they do in Italy. It was the best of both worlds!
Then, we cannot forget about the daily heart attack brought on by driving through the narrow and hilly streets of Lagos and not having all of our wills ready at the last moment.
Forts and Boats
On the second full day of my time in the Algarve, I began by going to a historic fort in Silves that had been around for the past thousand years. What made it interesting was that there was still substantial evidence from the Romans, like a massive reservoir that was in use from ancient times up to the 1980s, when they presumably realized that there were other ways to get water.
Silves was also known as the Capital of the Kingdom of the Algarve, one of the "child kingdoms" that made up Portugal from the 1100s through 1910, so that's a pretty cool fact.
Moving on: Boats!
It is an common activity in the Algarve to go into the oceanside intrusions; you either kayak through the caves or use a motorized boat. Now, my parents were more than happy to do that... if the waves were not as rowdy as they were and had a 7-year-old on their ranks. So a motorized boat it was!
The excursion, set up through the hotel, was by Sétima Onda Boat Trips and allowed me to see the inside of some of the marvelous cliffs and caves alongside hidden beaches that are only accessible via kayak or boat. It was incredible to view the caves below the trail I had just hiked on the previous day!
At the end of this post, I'll have a link set up to a self-hosted gallery where a bunch of pictures from my trip will be posted, as the ones I post here can't do it enough justice.
I have one more tangent regarding the boat. There were 10 guests on the boat. Five of them were my family, then there was a couple from Germany and a small family from Poland. It's almost as if I was just in those countries less than a year ago.
Back to the boat, it was a great experience, especially being out there for an hour-and-a-half and seeing all sorts of incredible natural wonders. Including a cliff formation like the 45th President of the United States head!
Wrapping It All Back-Up
The Algarve was a fantastic vacation destination to visit. What made it even better was that April is not considered "on-season," so I experienced fantastic weather, not many people, and price gouging!
If you ever have the chance to go to the Algarve (and especially stay at the Vila Vita), I highly implore you to do so. The landscapes are truly stunning, and you would be remiss not to see them!
Hopefully, I will be back one day. But we'll see. After all, there's a whole world out there, just waiting to be explored.