LANDSCAPE TRAVELING
PORTUGAL
WITH PETRA VAŠKOVÁ
ALGARVE
tHE MOST BEAUTIFUL COAST OF EUROPE
tRANSPORTATION
The Algarve can be easily reached by train, plane or for a few bucks by Flixbus from almost anywhere in Portugal. We took a bus from Lisbon and a direct ticket to Faro cost us about 5 € per person. Transportation along the Algarve coast can be done cheaper by train. But the stops are quite far from the beaches and the bus service doesn’t work very well. We rented a car and chose Drive4fun. We picked up the car at Faro at the airport. The rental cost us 138 € (Seat Ibiza) from Friday to Monday. Thanks to the total insurance for 20 €, we paid a half deposit of 300 €, which was returned within a week, we can not complain. I definitely recommend booking the car in advance. It is also possible to rent a scooter or bicycle.
BEACHES - sANTA MARIA
The Algarve coast offers many beautiful beaches. My favorite is the beach Santa Maria. It is located near the famous Camilo beach, which is full of people. A slightly tricky path leads to it, but it can be managed without any problems. There were about 10 of us on the beach. When we arrived, we found out that it is a nudist beach 😀 But swimsuits are not forbidden here, so if you don’t mind a few bare asses, this beach is great. On the right side of the beach there is also a hidden place where we were alone and we did not see anyone. Other beaches worth visiting are the mentioned Marinha, Estudantes, Dona Ana, Camilo or Praia do Buraco and Albandeira. All these beaches are smaller and surrounded by rocks, so watch out for the peeling stones.
KAYAKING
Renting a kayak and sailing part of the Algarve coast is, in my opinion, the best program you can choose here. I recommend renting a kayak in Decathlon for 30€ for the whole day (book in time in high season). The only downside is that you have to bring and inflate the kayak, a pump is included in the price. Rental prices on the beaches are around 35€ for 2 hours. It is also possible to buy a speedboat cruise. It looks like that they slow down in every cave to take a picture, but you can´t get out of the boat. You will not get much chance to enjoy those places in their full range.
bENAGIL CAVE
If you rent the mentioned kayak, I recommend starting on the beach Benagil and heading towards the cave of the same name. It is located about 100 m from the beach, so you can swim to it. Be sure to go to the cave as soon as you can. We arrived around half past eleven in the morning and it was already starting to fill up with people. In addition, you will come across a beautiful double arch Arco natural, Marinha beach and a short distance behind it you will come across a beautiful unmarked cave with 2 windows in the ceiling.
CAMPING
Camping in Portugal is prohibited outside the designated places. However, it is a ban on camping with caravans. We did not find any info about camping as we do. We slept the first night in the open air and the rest of the night in the car. We visited the Algarve at the beginning of May and the weather was beautiful. Despite this, the nights were very cold. I think that in the summer months, sleeping outside will be no problem. We met relatively few tourists during the day. On the sunsets and during night we were mostly alone on the cliffs. I probably wouldn’t risk setting a fire on this dry landscape. When camping, the most important thing is to leave the place clean!
ROMAN BRIDGE
Since we only rented the kayak for one day and wanted to sail as much as possible, we decided around 15:00 on Marinha beach to move on to other famous beaches. We packed everything and went on. We parked near the beach of Meia and from there we paddled to the beach of Estudantes, where there is an interesting bridge, see photo. But I must say that the area around Marinha and Benagil beaches was more interesting for us and we enjoyed it more. The beaches of Estudantes, Dona Ana or Pinhao are also within walking distance.
CITIES - FERRAGUDO
For me, the Algarve offers more natural beauty than man-made. We visited a few cities and the most interesting in my opinion was a small fishing village of Ferragudo, located next to a larger city of Portimao. On the hill towards the dominant church are cute photogenic streets full of various plants. You can also eat here and they hold flea markets on Sundays. Portimao city center is also quite interesting. Parking is free almost everywhere.
OUR 4 DAYS PROGRAM
- DAY 1
- arrival to Faro, car rental, shopping food
- kayak rental at Decathlon in Portimao
- transfer to arco natural Mesquita, overnight stay
- DAY 2
- morning parking car to Marinha beach
- transfer by walk with a kayak to the beach Benagil about 9:30 a.m.
- sailing to Benagil Cave, Arco Mesquita and beyond, ending at Marinha
- transfer by car to Meia beach about 15:00
- Estudantes beach and surroundings by kayak (cca 30min paddling)
- return to the car, return the kayak in Portimao, shopping food
- transfer to Gruta das Baratas, sleeping nearby
- DAY 3
- in the morning visit to the center of Portimao and Ferragudo
- transfer to Camilo beach, takeaway lunch
- afternoon on Santa Maria beach
- around 17:00 transfer to arco de Albandeira, overnight stay
- DAY 4
- cleaning and returning the car in Faro
- return to Porto
AVEIRO
PORTUGAL VENICE
tRANSPORTATION
Aveiro can be reached by bus or train. We took the opportunity to go by train from Porto. Some trains, which are faster, are much more expensive, so be careful which connection you choose. There is a bus service in the city. We managed everything on foot.
THE CITY
Aveiro is nicknamed the Portuguese Venice because it is interconnected with a few canals. Anyone who has been to Venice should certainly not expect Aveiro to look alike. But it is still a nice, relatively small town.
cANAL BOAT TRIP
A good way to get to know Aveiro is to buy a cruise on the canal. We sailed for about 8 € per person that included the local traditional desserts Ovos Moles directly in the A Barrica – Casa dos Ovos Moles.
OTHER PLACES
Other places to visit include Dom Pedro Infante park, Santo Antonio Park, the bridges along the Forum Aveiro, Praca de Peixe and Praia da Costa Nova.
OUR 1 DAY PROGRAM
- DAY 1
- around 9:00 a.m. train from Porto to Aveiro
- walk from the station around Antiga Fábrica Jerónimo Pereira Campos
- to Dom Pedro Infante park
- through Santo Antonio park
- to Moliceiros pier
- tour of surroundings - Praca de Peixe
- lunch in Forum Aveiro
- boat cruise + ovos moles
- tying a ribbon on the bridge of lovers
- walk to the train and return to Porto
aZORES
secret portugal HAWAI
tRANSPORTATION
You can usually get to the Azores with a transfer in Porto or Lisbon and fly to San Miguel Island to the capital, Ponta Delgada. If you do not have a rental car at the airport, you can walk to the center that takes you about 40 minutes on foot, taxis are expensive and the bus stop is a 20 minute walk away. I recommend renting a car from an awesome company Flor do Norte – without any problems, deposit or leaving a credit card behind. If you don’t have more than a week on the island, the car is definitely worth it. There are also organized tours to various places in San Miguel, but you will be with a crowd of tourists.
PONTA DELGADA
The character of the capital resembles a larger village. In fact, the whole island is a little bit of a backwater full of cattle, fields and beautiful nature. In Ponta Delgada you will find all the main civic amenities. Larger store is probably then only in Riberia Grande. Be sure to solve all the important duties here, so you don’t have to stress over the rest of the trip. There are smaller shops in almost every village, usually a cafe, but you never know. In Ponta Delgada it is worth visiting the Church of Sao Sebastiao, Santuário do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, pineapple plantation, restaurants and Tasca or Mané Cigano.
CASCATAS DA RIBEIRA QUENTE
This waterfall is beautiful but relatively difficult to access. We parked the car in front of the tunnel by the waterfall. We went to the window between the tunnels and went down the stairs on the right side to the river. You walk for a while up the rocks and reach the waterfall.
SALTO DA FARINHA
Beautiful waterfall with good access. You can park by the ocean at the Balnear da Foz das Coelhas, and the waterfall is about a 15 minute walk away. It’s also a great place for camping or just a picnic. Here you will find grills, pavillons, toilets and running water. Nearby you can visit Poco Azul, cascata do Teofilio or cascatas Moinho do Felix.
THE BEST pLACES FOR CAMPING
The Azores are perfect for adventure travelers. You will come across free camping sites on every corner. Most have a beautiful view, roof, grill or even with toilet/shower. For me, the best include: Miradouro do Caminho Velho with sunset and barbecue, Salto da Farinha, Miradouro do Pesqueiro, Vagia das Baleias, Ponta do Sossego ideal for sunrise, or natural swimming pool da Boca de Ribeira with grill and shower.
FURNAS
Furnas is a small town full of geysers. The most of them are in Caldeiras das Furnas. You can taste the local specialty Cozido, which is cooked in local geysers and includes beef, pork, rice and all kinds of different vegetables. We tasted it in the local great restaurant Miroma for 16 € (portion for 2). You can also visit the poca da Dona Beija thermal baths or the Terra Nostra park in the city. Nearby is the beautiful park Grená around the lake das Furnas, but the entrance costs 10 € and you can not get to the largest waterfall. But take a free look at the Antigo Pomar geysers or the Capela de Nossa Senhora das Vitorias. Taste Azorean queijadas and ice cream at Queijaria Furnense.
OTHER PLACES
Apart from the mentioned places, it is interesting to visit the lakes around Miradouro do Pico, views of Cerrado das Freiras, Vista do Rei, Pico da Barrosa, Pico do Ferro, Santa Iria, Ponta da Madrugada, Pico dos Bodes… Free ocean thermal bath Ponta da Ferraria or the Boca De Riberia ocean pool. Farol do Arnel lighthouse with a waterfall flowing into the ocean. The oldest European tea plantation Gorreana with free tea tasting, the beautiful cliff Ponta das Praias or the aqueducts Muro das Nove Janelas. Waterfalls: Salto do Cabrito, Porto Formos, Salto do Rosal, Salto do Prego, Salto do Cagarrao, Ribeira dos Caldeiroes or cascata das Lombadas, where there is a very risky and physically demanding approach and I recommend considering your physical options before entering.
OUR 6 DAYS PROGRAM
- DAY 1
- arrival at 18:00 to Ponta Delgada, hostel, dinner, local festivities 25.5.
- DAY 2
- car rental in the morning, shopping groceries
- hike along all lakes around Miradouro do Pico (approx. 2 – 3 hours)
- views of lagoa Azul +late lunch with you
-
beach Mosteiros
- barbecue on the miradouro do Caminho Velho + evernight stay
- DAY 3
- in the morning hot sea bath Ferraria without any people
- views next to the road to Ponta Delgada
- vyhlídky na Lagoa do Fogo + oběd s sebou
- Cascata das Lombadas
- relocation and barbecue at the miradouro de Santa Iria
- DAY 4
- rainy morning on Gorreana tea plantation
- Furnas + lunch Cozido, view Pico do Ferro
- park Grená-circuit waterfalls + church Nossa Senhora das Vitorias
- Cascata da Ribeira Qenta
- barbecue and sleeping over at Miradouro dos Barreiros
- DAY 5
- grocery shopping in the morning and Salto da Farinha waterfall
- view do Pesqueiro + takeaway lunch
- swimming in the sea pool Boca da Ribeira, Farol do Arnel
- relocation due to the sunset on the Vigia das Baleias
- DAY 6
- sunrise on miradouro da Ponta do Sossego
- car return, departure to Porto
bRAGA
city of churches
tRANSPORTATION
Braga can be reached by train or bus from Porto and Lisbon. We chose the train variant from Porto from Sao Bento for about 3 €. You get off at Braga close to the center, so everything is within walking distance. Public transport works quite well here (unless you expect the bus to arrive on time).
tHE CITY
Braga is nicknamed Portuguese Rome because of the large number of churches. There are very nice spiritual buildings. Overall, Braga looks very nice to me. The center is not very big, most of the places are clean and tidy.
BOM jESUS dO MONTE
Bom Jesus is a church, a major pilgrimage destination and a landmark of Braga. A beautiful monumental Baroque staircase leads to the church standing on Espinho Hill. You can also use the local cable railway. Bus 2 and 63 run directly from the center to the beginning of the stairs and cable railway.
SAMEIRO
Sameiro is a beautiful cathedral towering over Braga. In front of this building is a huge square topped by 2 columns that frame the view of the whole of Braga. The ideal time to visit is on the sunset. Bus 88 stops right next to the cathedral.
oTHER PLACES
In the center of Braga you will find a church on every corner. Among the main ones worth visiting are the mentioned Bom Jesus, Sameiro, the oldest Braga Cathedral, Congregados Basilica or Igreja de Sta. Cruz, on whose facade it is a tradition to find 3 cocks for early marriage. Other beautiful places are Jardim de Santa Barbara, Av. da Liberdade, Chafariz da Praça da República a pastlaria Christina from 1790.
GERES
national park
tRANSPORTATION
Geres is a national park on the border of Portugal and Spain. Without a car, it is practically impossible to get there. We rented a car the night before in Porto and arrived for the night near the park. In Geres you can move to most places by car or by foot.
CASCATA DO ARADO
We were most interested in the local waterfalls. We started at Cascata do Arado, which can be reached by car. The most beautiful part of the waterfall is about 15 minutes walk on rocks upstream.
CASCATAS DE FECHA DE BARJAS
Next we visited Cascatas de Fecha de Barjas. You park just above the waterfall and then head down on the right side. About in the middle of the cascades, you can cross to the other side and the path leads down to a place, where the waterfall is the most beautiful.
CASCATA DE PINCAES
The third and last waterfall was Cascata de Pincaes. It is necessary to walk about 20 minutes. You will park in Pincaes and follow the red tourist mark (Grande Rota Geres) and after about 15 minutes you turn off the road to the waterfall.
1 DAY PROGRAM + NIGHT
- DAY 1
- car rental the night before
- camping near Geres
- moving to the waterfall do Arado in the morning
-
next stop Cascatas de Fecha de Barjas
-
Cascata de Pincaes
- sunset at Sameiro in Braga
- return to Porto about 23:00
LISABON
city of seven hills
tRANSPORTATION
You can get to Lisbon from almost all of Portugal. We took a Flixbus from Porto for about 5 €. It can also be reached by train or plane. Flixbuses stop at Oriente Station, which connects you to the city center by metro or bus. We took the subway and the nice finding was that it was a through ticket (unless you leave the subway). Watch out for the ticket, if you lose it, the turnstile will not let you out. In the center you can get everywhere on foot.
tHE CITY
Lisbon is a big city full of different cultures, people and beton 😀 I apologize for the approach, but in short, Lisbon has disappointed me for the second time. On hot summer days, the center is unbearable, so one day was enough for us here. We slept in a hostel near the metro Anjos (not a very nice neighborhood), but we were close to everything. The only consolation for nature lovers was sunset on the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte viewpoint. Lisbon has a lot of beautiful places, it just acts a little hostile to me as a whole.
pINK STREET
Quite an overrated place for me. The intention was to make the Lisbon Red District a place of greater value. I think they achieved it. It attracts tourists who can sit here in restaurants. But I think the alley could be more maintained. Anyway, as a quick stop, it is a great place for a few photos.
BELÉM
Belém is a district with the most symbolic monuments of Lisbon. We walked along the promenade, you can also use the train. Our first stop was the Ponte 25 de Abril, which was interesting to see up close. Also the monument of the Discoverers, Torre de Belém and Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. It’s a little longer walk by Tagus river, but it suited us well after being in a hot center.
oTHER PLACES
There are many beautiful churches in Lisbon. Worth a visit are for example Convento do Carmo, Sé de Lisboa… A tourist in Lisbon should definitely not miss an elevator Santa Justa (which is enough to see from below), Arco da Rua Augusta, the photogenic restaurant Casa do Alentejo, see the local magic trams or one of the views on the hills right in Lisbon. I recommend ending the day at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte with sunset. Not far from the lookout is Pingo Doce, where we bought equipment in the form of cider, beer and dinner with us. Stop for good Asian food at the Mercado Oriental Martim Moniz and a cheap beer at the Erasmus Corner.
OUR 1 DAY PROGRAM
- DAY 1
- around 11:00 a.m. arrival in Lisbon, accommodation
- lunch
- walk in the city center through:
- Casa do Alentejo
- elevator Santa Justa, Convento do Carmo
-
Arco da Rua Augusta
- pink street
- Elevador da Bica
- by walk to Ponte 25 de Abril, there are some restaurants
- around MAAT, Central Tejo
- monument of discoverers, Torre de Belém
- Igreja Santa Maria
-
return by train to the center, transfer to the subway to Intedente
- sunset at Miradouro da Senhora do Monta
mADEIRA
Flowering island
tRANSPORTATION
We flew to the island from Porto. Madeira Airport is located about 20 minutes by car from the center of the capital Funchal, but there is also bus transportation. We rented a car for the whole 4 days and we had an appointment arranged directly at the airport at https://rentalmoniz.pt/. Everything was without a problem, no deposit and prices are much lower than other car rental companies. Madeira is quite touristy, so there are a lot of places accessible by public transport. But we also used the car to sleep, so it paid off. Moreover, the freedom compared to relying on buses is incomparable.
CITIES
Madeira certainly offers a much more interesting environment outside the city. From the airport we went grocery shopping for the next few days near the center of the capital city, Funchal and there were so many people everywhere that we just avoided it for the rest of the trip. But for example, Ponta do Sol, Ribeira Brava or Santana with typical Madeiran houses are nice. In Riberia Brava we visited a pretty good restaurant D. Luís, where we tasted a typical Poncho and grilled limpets.
SAO LOURENCO
The peninsula of Sao Lourenco was not so interesting for us. But when you go to it at sunrise or sunset (sunrise is better), it immediately makes it more attractive. We slept there in the open air at Casa do Sardinha. The hike to the end of the peninsula takes about an hour, from where the sunrise and sunset are the most beautiful. During the day, however, I think that walking to the end is quite unnecessary, there is only one path.
PICO aRIEIRO A PICO RUIVO
Pico Arieiro is the third highest peak in Madeira and Pico Ruivo the highest one. Both are connected by a relatively difficult trail, which is about 6.7 km, but takes about 3-4 hours. It is possible to drive directly to Areiro, to Ruivo you can drive to the parking lot, which is about 2.7 km (1 hour) walk from the peak. That’s how we got to both. The hike to Ruivo is beautiful and not so demanding, along the way there is also a buffet. Be sure to go to the mountains in the morning, so you will avoid tourists and especially probably the clouds, which usually cover the peaks in the afternoon.
CAMPING
There are plenty of rooftop and barbecue areas in Madeira. For example, around pico Ruivo. There are several official camps to which you should register in advance. We used Sao Lourenco, where it was quite windy. But we built walls of stones that protected us from the wind. The camping sites, which are placed higher, may be in the evening in the clouds. It is therefore good to prepare for high humidity and cold.
SWIMMING
The island does not have a large number of beaches due to rocky cliffs. But we were interested in the black beach Seixal, where there are also beautiful natural pools. The ocean pools in Porto Moniz are also interesting. For us were nicer Velhas, which are available for free. On their right you will find a small cave with a beach, where we enjoyed a magical private bath.
OTHER PLACES
Apart from the mentioned places, various waterfalls such as Garganta Funda, Agua d’Alto, Lavada do Caldeirao, Ribeira dos Moinhos, Poco do Candeeiro, 25 Fontes falls or Anjos flowing directly on the way are interesting to visit… But our favourite was near the Seixal-Cascatas dos Lombos (not in googlemaps) find it in my map under the text with instruction how to get there. The most beautiful views include Quinta do Furao, roads around Parque Ecologico, Ponta do Poiso, Praia do Porto Seixal, Cruzinhas, ER101,9360… We were amazed by the magical forest Fanal, where a herd of cows ran among the interesting trees and the fog, which is almost always present, adds a lot to the atmosphere. Madeira is great for hiking. The trails along the levadas are mostly maintained and well marked – Levada Nova, Levada do Caldeirao Verde, Levada dos Balcoes, Levada da Ribeira da Janela, etc.
OUR 4 dAYS PROGRAM
- DAY 1
- arrival around 11:30 a.m., car rental at the airport
- a quick look at Funchal, grocery shopping
- transfer to Pico Areiro around Parque Ecologico
- due to the clouds move to the waterfall Agua d'Alto (Lambo Galego)
- Sao Lourenco, overnight stay at the end of the peninsula
- DAY 2
- morning hike back to the car
- pico Ruivo's second attempt, already successful
- through Cruzinhas to Santana
-
around 15:00 lunch at the Continente in Santana
- Quinta do Furao viewpoint
- hike to the waterfall at miradouro do Veu da Noiva (through the vineyard)
- praia do Seixal, piscinas Naturais do Seixal
- Ribeira da Janela
- sunset and overnight stay at Ponta do Tristao
- DAY 3
- in the morning Garganta Funda waterfall
- swimming in Velhas Porto Moniz
- forest Fanal
- waterfall on road Anjos and viewpoint ER101,9360
- Limpets and ponchos in Ribeira Brava
- celebration at the igreja Paroquial de Quinta Grande
- sunset and overnight stay at Santuário de Nossa Senhora de Fatima
- DAY 4
- car return, departure back to Porto at 6:50 a.m.
SINTRA
CITY OF CASTLES AND CHATEAU
tRANSPORTATION
Sintra can be easily reached by train from Lisbon. We set off at 9:41 a.m. from Rossio for 2.3€. I recommend buying a return ticket at once. Already at this time a full train of tourists rode with us. So the sooner the better. Transport around Sintra is easy. Directly in front of the train station there are buses 434 and 435, which operate for tourists and have stops in front of the main sights. Bus 435 works as a hop on hop off for 11 € person / day. NEVER EXPECT THE BUS TO COME ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE. We chose the option to get almost everywhere on foot. I think it pays off. There is a beautiful nature out there.
PALACE OF PENA
Pena Palace together with Castelo dos Mouros dominate the hills above the center of Sintra. We walked to them from the train through the garden of Villa Sasseti, where a beautiful path leads up to the castle and the palace. It’s not a completely relaxing walk, it’s a bit of a hike, but it’s worth it. We came straight to the park of the Pena Palace, where the entrance is 7.5€ (but whoever is looking will find their way). A ticket containing the park and the interior of the castle costs 14 €. For me, visiting the park is enough, the price also includes the terraces and the palace’s sightseeing circuit. The view of the palace from the rocks of Alto de Santa Catarina is worth a stop (mapy.cz). The popular Quinta da Regaleira palace is close by.
mONSERRAT
You can get to Monserrat from the center of Sintra by hop on hop off bus no.435. Only the main entrance works, directly at the stop of this bus. We got to the second non-functional entrance, where the local buses 403 and 441 stop. I do not recommend this variant 😀 It’s farther and a worse way. There aren’t that many tourists on Monserrat, there were only a few of us in the area. This makes this place more beautiful. The beautiful palace and the adjacent park full of colorful plants are worth a visit. It’s a great compromise if you want to visit more in Sintra and don’t want to be crowded with tourists. Which is likely to happen to you in the afternoon at Pena and Quinta da Regaleira Palace. Again, the rule, the sooner the better.
OUR 1 DAY PROGRAM
- DAY 1
- 9:41 a.m. departureby train from Lisbon Rossio to the final stop in Sintra
- 10:20 a.m. arrival, start of the hike in direction of Pena Palace
- route through Liberdade park, Miradouro viewpoint, to entrance of Villa Sasseti
- walk/hike through the garden of Villa Sasseti to Mouro Castle
- further to the park of the Pena Palace
- tour of the terraces and the sightseeing circuit of the palace
- park and pre-prepared lunch at the Alto de Santa Catarina viewpoint, see photo
- approximately 14:00 transfer by bus to Monserrat
- tour of the palace and park
- moving back to Sintra bus no.435
- tour of the center
- final PortoTonico at the train station
- departure towards Lisbon