Two Gorgeous Beach Discoveries on the Atlantic Coast

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Salty sea water in my hair, grains of sand on my skin dried by the sun and the mighty sea that opens in front of us. The one who said that salt water is the cure to anything was on to something very essential.

There are plenty of beautiful beaches by the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal and in Spain. What I really value are specific beach tips and coordinates when it comes to the best of the best beach gems. I want to share two beach recommendations with you from our road trip along the Atlantic Coast in Portugal and in Andalucía in Spain.

The first one is Praia do Malhão around 2 hours (186 kilometres) by car from Lisbon. The beach is located 7 kilometres north of the town Vila Nova de Milfontes and it is best reached by your own (rental) car or by bike. The beach is beautiful, natural and peaceful (read: remote, no masses here), and the sea is quite wild. The best thing definitely was jumping against the mighty waves. The second best thing was having fresh and juicy cherries for lunch on the beach while sunbathing. A lunch tip: keep your eyes open for fruit stands by the roads: you can find such ripe and luscious fruit (cherries, watermelons, peaches and tomatoes) for a very affordable price.


The coastline is rocky with dunes and in the sea there are some large basalt rocks. The beach is situated next to the Sudoeste Alentejano natural park and therefore the coastline is empty of development. Hence there are no facilities (apart from the car park area). This suited us perfectly but might not make for an excellent beach day for someone who gets a craving for some snacks or wishes to rent beach tennis equipment, a body board or a sun chair.

The town Vila Nova de Milfontes was nice, peaceful and relaxed. We did a little stroll there and then around 4 pm were wondering if we could find a place for a late (second) lunch. And after a quick search we found the bistro Stress Free (on Rua Sarmento Beires 28). To me, one of the lovely joys of being on holiday is that we can live in a vacation rhythm that is rather different from the office life rhythm. Hence gotta love places that serve delicious lunch until the late afternoon and dinner until midnight. I’ve come to learn that I am a late (emphasis on late) Mediterranean diner. The lunch spot choice, Stress Free, served good food with laid-back vibes.


The second beach find is the Playa de Mazagón on the Costa de la Luz (the Coast of Light) in Huelva in Southwest Spain. Loved it during the day and especially loved it at sunset. The beach is long and beautiful, and in the evening you can walk a long way right toward the sunset. On the beach you can find a zone of sea shells of all shapes and forms.


We stayed at the Parador de Mazagón (on Carretera San Juan del Puerto-Matalascañas), overlooking the ocean. Parador in Spain refers to a certain kind of special accommodation where an old historic building (for example a castle) is turned into a hotel. If you’re looking for a pleasant place for relaxation, a game or two of tennis, dips in the ocean and watching the stars on your own balcony after dinner, then this might just be the spot for you in Huelva, the strawberry province of Spain.




Strolls around Lisbon

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There is this green, verdant and exotic oasis in the heart of Lisbon I want to tell you about. The Estufa Fria in Parque Eduardo VII, near the Marquês de Pombal, is a grand greenhouse with three gardens. The three parts are the cool, hot and sweet greenhouse. In the three large rooms you’ll find gigantic ferns, different cacti, vines, a pond with mesmerizing white water lilies, mango and banana trees and exotic flowers.

We started our day with strong espressos and rich, creamy and cinnamon-dusted pasteis de nata pastries and then headed to the estufas to enjoy the exotic verdancy. There is something very captivating about this place. The mood is both tranquil and historical. I felt just a bit like an explorer who was discovering new tropical species.

The Estufa Fria opened its doors to the public in the 1930s and even though this place probably is well-known among the locals, I bet many visitors don’t know about this gem. There is also a conference room right next to the greenhouse, which hosts different types of events. If I were to organize a work conference in Lisbon I would opt for this place: how brilliant would it be to admire this green splendour while having a coffee break amid the meeting day.

The entrance fee to the estufas is three euros and they accept cash only. A big green heart to this place.






Continuing with the theme of strolling around Lisbon, here are two other favourites. The curving streets of the Alfama district: narrow alleys and cobbled lanes, the yellow tram number 28  approaching around a steep corner, beautiful old facades, a fado performance in a street corner, large murals and the views over the tiled rooftops towards the river Tejo.



And third, the waterfront promenade Ribeira das Naus: buy a litre of juicy strawberries from the street vendor and sit down on the stone paving by the water to watch the river, boats, seagulls and people. And then just enjoy, summer, Lisbon and life.


El Rocío, the unique sand town

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El Rocío just might be the most peculiar town in all of Spain. El Rocío is located in Andalucía, in the countryside of Almonte, in the Huelva Province. The town is also close to the Parque Nacional de Doñana, a significant national park where you can spot for example bobcats and flamingos. El Rocío’s surprise element is that its streets are completely covered with sand. The town exudes vibes of both a desert town and a classic western. You’ll find horse wagons, the poles for the horse rein, empty verandas, closed window shutters and dozens of swallows sprinting across the clear blue sky. And even a big thin dog passing by sluggishly. The dog almost looked like a prop of the town, playing a designed role in a movie-like scene.

But El Rocío is far from a deserted town. On our daytrip there we saw other fellow travellers, but the true boom takes place every Pentecost, Whitsunday. It is then, when the numerous pilgrims (hundreds of thousands of people!) doing the Romería de El Rocío gather in the town. The procession is done in honour of the Virgin of El Rocio.

In El Rocío there are the properties of more than one hundred brotherhoods (hermandades), whose members take part in the pilgrimage – many by foot, on horseback or in a horse-drawn cart. They begin their journeys from their headquarters, for example in Seville and Cadiz. This religious festival and feria draws people from all around Spain and the pilgrims are dressed in traditional Andalusian costumes, which means gorgeous flamenco dresses for the women. This festivity with the singing and dancing and dining around bonfires in the night time sounds both lively and interesting.

El Rocío is a fascinating day trip destination if you are roadtrippin in Andalucía. A strong recommendation. And remember to take your binoculars with you, if you are heading to the natural park afterwards for some fascinating (and rewarding) bird watching!