Hey guys!
From my social media and previous blog posts this summer, you'll know that I was on an internship in Quinta do Lago, Portugal. Lucky for me, Quinta is in the Algarve region of Portugal so on my days off, I explored the region and took in all of the amazing sites!
I went to so many new places and compiled my favourite things to do and places to visit in the Algarve for anyone who is going to visit in the future!
Lagos
Lagos is a stunning town along the western coastline, home to Ponta da Piedade and stunning beaches. I went on a day trip to Lagos and got an Uber to Ponta da Piedade, where I walked down through the rugged rocks to reach gorgeous little hideaways like the one above.
The Lagos coastline is dotted with grottos and hidden beaches where you can easily lose hours sitting on the golden beaches and swimming amongst the caves.
The clear water along the coastline is something else! While being able to see the fish was not my cup of tea, the water itself was heavenly and refreshing.
After relaxing on the beach, head back into the town where there are countless coffee shops to spend your last few hours people watching and sipping on a coffee.
Spending just a day in Lagos was lovely, if you have longer, definitely go out on a boat trip where you can see the coastline from the sea.
Lagos is easily reachable by car or train!
Indulge in Fantastic Food
The food in Portugal is just phenomenal. I went to so many different restaurants both inside and outside of Quinta do Lago and the local food outside of the resort was just fantastic.
I was brave enough to try some food I hadn't eaten before and some food I didn't quite like but my taste buds have completely changed!
Both Almancil and Loule have some amazing restaurants, like Casavostra, 11 da Villa and Vegan Joe's! The pizza above is from Casavostra and oh my goodness was it fantastic! It had four cheeses, including the gorgonzola and goats cheese that you can clearly see. It also had parma ham, pine nuts and grapes. As all of the flavours worked so well together, there was no need for a tomato base and it was the best pizza I have ever had.
Along with the fantastic food, the Portuguese wine really made every meal special. The lack of Portuguese wine back home is ridiculous and stores need to stock it because it is amazing,
Walk Along the Ria Formosa
Whether you start in Quinta do Lago and head towards Faro or do it the other way around, the walk is really something else! I started in Faro and walked back towards Quinta so I could relax on the beach after my walk.
Walking along the trail is amazing as it has a nature reserve on either side and as you come into Quinta, one of the golf courses breaks the scenery with glorious green hills surrounded by fish jumping in and out of the water.
The crabs along the marshes were also so mesmerising, I even stopped a few times just to stare at them! Having a beach at the end of the trail is lovely as after walking for forty minutes in the blistering heat, the sea is a welcoming sight to jump into!
Enjoy the Sunsets
Definitely something I miss is how the sunsets were different each and every night. I loved heading down to the beach in the evenings, a few drinks in tow, and just watching the sun go down along the horizon.
I'm not usually one for craft beer but after trying a few of the Algarve Rock beers, I have been converted! The stout in particular was fantastic! There were hints of chocolate and coffee and it was a perfect pairing with the sunset.
Losing an evening on the beach happened far too often and it is something I wish I could do all the time!
Shop!
Having Mar Shopping so close to me was amazing! What I found so weird was the fact that the shopping centre along with the outlet side were open until midnight every night!
There was even a Primark so I felt right at home! There were some fantastic shops in both sides of the complex and a cinema for the rainy or overcast days (there were only two in the entire time I was there)!
Mar Shopping really had everything from shopping to entertainment and food, you could easily spend hours walking around!
There were so many places in the Algarve I loved to visit and cannot wait to go back to! My highlights were 100% the food and the sunsets coupled with the unbelievable coastline.
Have you ever been to the Algarve? What were your highlights?
Did you do any of the same things as me?
Let me know in the comments below!
Ciara,
xoxo.
