Sevilla

Mmm… Sevilla… we were here last year for Easter, and we had immediately fallen in love with the city. This time, we are taking advantage of the time again before we head to Granada to visit family and we are spending a few days here.

Mustard yellow, blood orange, white… The houses shine so beautifully in the sun. Narrow streets, wider avenues, and small squares alternate. The Moorish influences in the architecture are visible everywhere. It is simply lovely to walk through the city. The cathedral is huge and looks so impressive.

We are enjoying our time here so much, it is already quite hot. But we keep walking through parks, sitting in the shade, enjoying the coolness by the fountain. Swifts dart by. Large trees provide shade. What a lovely start to our vacation.

La Carbonería is a flamenco bar that we also visited last year. The dancing is always so impressive here. The energy in the room is amazing and always moves me so much. We stay for two performances, have a beer, enjoy the atmosphere, and then walk back through Sevilla at night.

Granada

On Saturday morning, we walk to the Albaicín. The white houses shine in the sun as we walk the cobbled streets and alleys leading up the mountain. The San Nicolás viewpoint is always crowded, but still so beautiful. Behind the Alhambra lie the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. The views are spectacular. I can never get enough of the Alhambra views and the white houses and alleys of the Albaicín.

In the evening, we come back here and drink a glass of wine overlooking the Alhambra. We are enjoying the weekend together and spending lots of time at the playground, in the city, and at home. It is so lovely to combine family visit and our holiday.

The first week in Southern Spain was a wonderful start to our holiday. Now we are looking forward to Portugal.

Algarve – Faro

It is mid-afternoon by the time we arrive in Faro. It feels good to finally get off the bus: to get some fresh air, to stretch our legs. The smell of the sea is in the air, and the seagulls are squawking. We are very happy to be back by the sea, and Faro seems small and still a bit sleepy.

This evening, we eat at a nice restaurant and enjoy grilled sardines. A final evening stroll takes us to the sea. However, the water is far out in the lagoon. The evening light casts a magical glow over everything. We could walk and talk for hours…

In the morning we take a stroll along the water, through the old town and enjoy the quiet atmosphere after the crowds in Sevilla and Granada.

Algarve – Cavoeiro

We stay in Cavoeiro for two nights because we want to hike along the cliffs to Praia da Marinha, the most beautiful beach in the Algarve, so they say.

The path leads along the coast with wonderful views over the ocean. At the beginning, it is not that hot yet. We walk under pine trees, and the sweet Mediterranean scent fills the air. At the first beach we pass, I immediately jump into the cooling water. The Atlantic is incredibly salty and wonderfully cool. What a perfect start into the day.

Between Benagil and Praia da Marinha, the path is quite busy and the water is quite crowded too with boats, kayaks and jet skis. The cave/beach of Benagil is only accessible by water and lots of people want to see it.

The views from the cliffs are magnificent, and we take a lunch break in the shade on the Marinha Beach. Sardinhas, tomatoes, small cucumbers, bread… It tastes delicious. Afterwards, we dive into the cool water. The Atlantic is so refreshing. It is just what we need on such a hot day of hiking. Beyond the beach, it calms down again. We walk a bit further along the coast and then order a Bolt for the return trip.

Algarve – Sagres

A Bolt takes us to Portimão, from where we take the bus to Sagres. Sagres is the southwestern most tip of Europe and known for its surfing.

I have always wanted to try surfing, and here I finally get the chance. The next morning, we meet at the surf shop at 8:30 a.m. There are a few other people with us who are surfing for the first time. We are absolutely thrilled. After some theory, we hit the water and barely take a break until lunchtime. It is so much fun.

However, our muscles are really sore by the afternoon. Surfing is quite tiring. Nevertheless, we want to surf for another day. And then a third day…

Praia de Tonel is our home for the three days. We surf, we watch the others… we soak up the atmosphere… It is so much fun and one evening we come here with our dinner and enjoy the sunset.

What a wonderful time in the Algarve. The sea, the coast, the light, the colours… and above all, the surfing… We enjoyed our time here so much.

Lisboa

After our wonderful surfing, we now head north towards Lisbon.

The sun is greeting us in the morning as we walk through the city towards Alfama. The various viewpoints invite us to take a break. From a small shop we buy some apricots and eat them in the shade with the city stretching out in front of us. The red roofs shine in the sun. It looks wonderful. We need a moment to adjust to the city, to the many people after our relaxed beach time.

A ride on one of the old trams is somehow part of Lisbon. The cool breeze blows through the open windows as we travel through the narrow streets. The city looks beautiful from every angle.

We also take a trip to Belén. Unfortunately, the tower is covered in scaffolding, but we enjoy the tram ride there and a windy walk along the promenade. We had so many delicious pasteis de nata this trip that we give the bakery, which supposedly invented this delicious pastry and the long line a skip.

Coimbra

Our next stop is Coimbra. One evening we go to an old chapel for a fado performance. I recognize some of the songs from my mother’s fado CD. It is a really beautiful evening. Otherwise, Coimbra unfortunately seems quite dead. So many houses are dilapidated and empty. Apart from the university and the main street, hardly anything seems to have been renovated. In the evenings, when the day-trippers are gone, it becomes empty and quiet, almost too quiet.

Aveiro

Our next stop, Aveiro, on the other hand, seems much livelier. A friend had pointed us to this seaside town and we can see why. There are several canals that run through the city with boats sailing on them. And there are lots of pretty houses and small shops. We enjoy our time here and soak up the sunshine on the beach and in the old town.

We check into our accommodation at 2 p.m. and less than half an hour later we are at the beach. The fine sandy beach is separated from the town by dunes, and a wooden boardwalk makes walking easier. A few surfers are taking advantage of the waves. We simply go for a swim and then sit in the shade of a bar, enjoying what is probably our last beach day of our holiday.

Porto

From Aveiro, we travel to Porto, our last stop. We arrive directly at São Bento Station, with its beautiful blue tiles in the main hall. Since we still have some time before check-in, we grab something to eat at the nearby market. The food has been so delicious these last few weeks. We have eaten a lot of fish and enjoyed the fresh food.

Walking through Porto is a constant up and down. We walk on both the lower and upper levels of the Ponte Luís I over the Douro River. The narrow, colourful house facades glow in the evening light. Very close to our accommodation, we find a nice bar in a square with an olive tree and join the many locals in an aperitivo before dinner. There are so many lovely cafés and restaurants in the city.

We enjoy the last few days of our holiday, walking through many charming streets, admiring the colourful facades, sitting in the shade…

Three weeks of holiday in Spain and Portugal went by incredibly quickly. Sevilla, Granada, the Algarve, Lisboa, Porto… what a trip… We had a wonderful time…