European camping road trip: Spain and Portugal
2020 was a different year for everything! We were lucky in the summer of 2020 to enjoy a road trip. Camping was off the agenda for this year; we tried to keep the trip as safe and self-isolated as we could. It was so strange boarding the ferry to Spain, there must have been less than 100 people on what would usually be a fully booked crossing.
FRIGILIANA, SPAIN
On arrival into northern Spain, we made a bee line straight for the south to Frigiliana near Nerja where my husband spent his childhood holidays.
After a very long drive, the children jumped straight in the pool and we hardly left in a week, choosing to enjoy the gorgeous rural surroundings and focus on teaching the children how to swim. We were lucky to be joined by family for our last few days and just enjoyed being together without dashing off every day to explore as we usually would.
TAVIRA, PORTUGAL
Some friend of ours were had just moved to Portugal and we were lucky to be able to stay with them exploring their local beaches around Tavira, travelling everywhere by boat to escape the crowds.
ALGARVE, PORTUGAL
For the rest of our trip we stayed at Airbnbs, the first of which was in the pretty town of Luz in the Algarve. This was the busiest part of Portugal we visited, the UK had by now issued a travel corridor so there were quite a few Brits around.
The most incredible thing we did in the Algarve was exploring its famously stunning coastline with our paddle boards. I found it difficult to find info on launching your own board in the Algarve and places are limited to do this. There can be quite big swells and waves along the coastline and lots of water taxis and boats going in and out of the caves who definitely don’t give way to paddle boarders so you need to be confident on your board.
We launched at Praia Dona Ana just South of Lagos, you still need to carry your boards down some steps but you can park at the top (arrive early to get a space) and launch from the beach. Head South to Praia do Camilo and to the famous Ponte Da Piedade.
You can also visit the jaw-dropping caves of Benagil. Again not an easy place to access with paddle boards, the one way street Estr de Benagil takes you down to the beach (where my husband dropped me, the kids and the boards) and then up a steep hill to the parking above. You can then launch straight off the beach and head east to enter the Benagil cave where there’s a big beach inside. Although I have read that paddleboards and kayaks are now prohibited to enter the cave due to overcrowding. To escape the crowds, keep going east along the coast to find many more smaller and quieter caves, beaches and coves.
SAGRES, PORTUGAL
Sagres, the end of Europe is just a short drive from the Algarve but a world away. As the Med becomes the Atlantic, there are more surfers than holiday makers, and the town has a cool laid back feel with some cool places to eat – we loved the Laundry Lounge where we got a takeaway to enjoy while watching the sunset at Sagres Point. From here there are countless beaches to explore, we loved Praia do Tonel and nearby Praia do Beliche.
COMPORTA, PORTUGAL
We’re beach people, at our happiest with sand between our toes and salt in our hair. We’ve been lucky enough to visit hundreds of beaches in Europe, but Comporta blew me away. With its turquoise waters and white sand I had to remind myself that we were still in Europe, the afternoons even brought with them a lovely little swell with beginner friendly waves to play on. The town itself is Portuguese style at its finest, inspired by Lisbonites who holiday here from the city. The straw roofs of the chic boutiques and restaurants occupied by elegant and nonchalant stalks who also seem to look effortlessly stylish from the rooftops.
ERICEIRA, PORTUGAL
The surfing capital of Europe has the kind of cool vibe that you would expect of a town with such a title. Lined with surfing superstores (Indy’s highlight of the trip was a lesson at the Quiksilver store’s impressive skate park) as you get into the old town the surf shops get smaller and it’s a great place to spend the evening enjoying local food.
BILBAO, SPAIN
Returning to the UK via Spain meant that we faced a two-week quarantine upon our return home but the night we spent in Bilbao made it worthwhile. We wandered along the river to the Plaza Nueva for tapas, returning with an ice cream to admire the Guggenheim lit up at night.
