This past December, in order to escape the gray winter clouds in the cold French Alps, we decided to go someplace warm(er). However, we didn’t want to travel too far away, as this was going to be the first plane trip with our one-and-a-half-year-old boy, and we didn’t know how he would handle the flight. Another thing we were looking for in our destination were the waves. It is no secret that Hugo’s a big fan of surfing, so we always try to visit new surfing spots. So, with that in mind, we decided we would go to the southernmost region of Portugal, the Algarve. And we were not disappointed. Here are 5 reasons why we think the Algarve is definitely worth visiting in December.
The Algarve as well as the rest of Portugal is definitely easy to navigate thanks to its infrastructure. We rented a car and used a toll card installed in the car, which deducted the toll fees directly from our bank account. Everyone we met spoke English and was extremely polite and nice. At one point, we had to go to the hospital, where they took great care of us, and we were able to use our European health insurance. On top of that, Portugal is one of the more affordable countries in Western Europe, it is safe, and offers many different sights and activities. As such, it is a very suitable hassle-free destination for travelling with babies and toddlers, which made it a perfect choice for our family.
The Algarve coast has got it all, from impressive stretches of fine sand, head-spinning cliffs, to secluded and more intimate coves with rocky sculptures. One thing that you can get almost everywhere in the Algarve is surfable waves. They are generally more consistent and bigger on the west coast, but the south also gets some nice, more relaxing swell. We were impressed by the vastness of Praia da Bordeira and beautiful rock formations and tunnels of Ponta da Piedade, near the town of Lagos. Although the water was too cold for swimming in December, we still enjoyed the sun and the long strolls, while our little guy couldn’t get enough of playing in the sand and running after the waves.
The towns and villages of the Algarve are known for their quaint cobblestoned streets and whitewashed houses. The architecture is a blend of European and North African influences, a mark of the Moorish occupation of southern Portugal between the 8th and the 13th century. We visited the town of Tavira, which is also known as the Venice of the Algarve – a very tranquil and picturesque town. We had a nice leisurely walk along the Gilão River, visited the ruins of its former castle and its nearby church Santa Maria di Castelo and had a delicious lunch – in one of its many Brazilian restaurants.
Just like architecture, the Algarve cuisine has also been influenced by both Portuguese and Arabic rulers of the region in the past. It is an interesting mix of seafood and meat dishes, for example, I tried chorizo-stuffed squids in a tomato sauce. Seafood is one of my favourite foods, so I made sure to get loads of it. A typical ingredient in Portuguese cuisine is bacalhau, which is a dried, salted cod, and can be prepared in countless ways. I tried bacalhau à brás, made from shreds of salted cod, onions and thinly chopped fried potatoes, all bound with scrambled eggs. And to top it off, there is the most famous Portuguese dessert, pastel de nata, an egg custard tart. Delicioso.
One of the advantages of visiting the Algarve in December is definitely the absence of crowds. You can have the beach almost to yourself, can always easily find a parking spot, take pictures for as long as you’d like without having to wait in line, etc. This is great news, especially when travelling with a kid, whose patience is often nonexistent. Also, everything is less expensive. And if this isn’t enough, there is something else you can enjoy there only in December – the Christmas fair! Yes, the Christmas fair in Lagos does not come short of those in some other central European cities, although the Christmas spirit might not be as strong when people are ice skating in a pleasant 19 degrees Celsius.
Copyright (©) 2010 - 2024 Youth Hostel | Our Privacy Policy | Cookies | RPC
