Caminho ao Algarve 1

  Vila Nova de Milfontes, Portugal
Sunday, October 8, 2006

We arise early and enjoy a substantial continental breakfast with ham, cheese, cereal, yogurt, coffee and tea. An excellent start to the day.

We collect our rolling stock, check out and start towards the underground station. I have mapped out that the car rental office is close to a station, so we trundle to Restauradores, and find we are virtually the only passengers.

1. Alone in the Lisbon underground

The train soon arrives, and we descend at Parque. Sure enough, as soon as we exit the station, we can see Europcar just down the street. The car is awaiting us when we arrive. Contracts are signed, directions are given to the city exit and the Ponte 25 de Abril, and we are on our way by 10:00 am.

Our VW Polo is a great choice. It is small, but roomy inside. A powerful little car with incredible fuel economy, perfect for the country with the highest petrol prices in Europe (about US$ 5.00 a gallon).   

We leave Central Lisbon with little problem, it's a Sunday of course. The motorway passes under the remarkable Aqueducto das Aguas Livres, built during the early 18th. century and still in working order. We cross the impressive Ponte 25 de Abril, modeled on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge which traverses the Tagus Estuary. On the other side we pass the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop its 110 mt. pedestal. It is an exact copy of the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

We are now on the Arrábida Peninsular, jutting into the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by divine sandy beaches. We soon leave the motorway and take route 10 through the National Park.

2. Our car on the Arrábida hills

The road twists along the top of the Arrábida Hills, with glorious views over the ocean and coastline. It's very quiet today, with the exception of a large group of cyclists. Nevertheless one can imagine that the traffic is horrendous on these narrow winding roads in the summer months.  

Passing by the port of Setúbal, we stop at a village convenience store to fill up with vital needs, then rejoin the motorway towards the south. The rest stops on the motorway are very meager with just a petrol station, small store and restaurant. In our first minor deviation, we visit Vila Nova de Milfontes, a seaside resort midway between Lisbon and the Algarve. The owner of Pensão A Mare has recommended this rather than Porto Côvo. We leave the motorway and drive through the attractive countryside towards the coast.  We notice that although the villages and farms along the way are modest, they are all exceptionally clean and exude a feeling of substance. We never see any signs of poverty on our visit.

Vila Nova de Milfontes is an attractive small town. Originally a fishing village, it's now been developed as a seaside resort, but has kept its provincial air. We read that it is mostly Germans who live in this area. Notwithstanding the lovely beach is almost empty. The weather is heavenly, blue skies and warm sun. The light glitters on the ocean and the quiet inlet. The sandy beach looks really inviting. We still can't understand why there are so few people, especially it being a Sunday, and only about an hour by motorway from Lisbon.

3. Can't wait to get in

We hurriedly change into swimwear and run down to the beach and into the water. We immediately realise why the beach is so deserted. The water is as cold as ice.

4. Bloody Hell! It's freezing!

If the sun were not out, it would seem as if you were bathing at the North Pole. I go in up to my knees, and that's enough. It's our last emersion. From now on we just look and admire. It's even too cold for the Germans! None the less, there are still a few topless beauties scattered around, so the visit has not been entirely wasted.