Week 6. 18th – 24th of January 2025. Seville to Lisbon 359 miles
Saturday 18th of January 2025 (Seville, Spain to Altura, Portugal – 94 miles )
Today, we are leaving Spain, we’ve spent 32 days there so far. There are two weeks left so the plan is to go into Portugal for a few days, then back into Spain for the last few days. Today we are setting off to a small campsite in the countryside, in a town called Altura. The drive is about an hour and a half and is very pleasant. Del is at the wheel today having not driven Jess for a week. It’s a lovely day, it’s a bit of an obstacle course trying to get out of Seville, but we make it and we are soon on our way.
Soon, we are crossing the border into Portugal, having passed the usual blue square with the gold stars. The roads have a noticeable change, a bit bumpier, let’s say.
The campsite is just outside the town of Altura and is set on a hill so the pitches are all “terraced” style. It looks very nice. We are greeted by a very friendly lady who offers us a pitch without electricity, which is fine, there’s plenty of sunshine so the solar panels on the roof of Jess will keep the batteries charged.
We have a very pleasant pitch. It’s bright and sunny and we have a view of the Atlantic Ocean off in the distance through a valley. We need to do some laundry. We give the bag of goodies to the lady who welcomed us, she disappears and comes back later all done! All we have to do is stick it out to dry. We have the usual plastic line from one of Jess’s ears (a wing mirror) to a fence post. While the clothes are drying we have a nice cold beer in the sun.
Dinner on board tonight is a salad served with salmon and broccoli, fabulous.
It’s very quiet and peaceful here once the sun sets. You can hear a pin drop. The skies are bright and clear and the stars are so clear. A very chilly but lovely night.
Sunday 19th of January 2025 (Altura to Faro – 34 miles )
Del knocks up a nice omelette with some chopped green peppers and onions. Fantastic with fresh coffee…
We say goodbye to our host and set off for Praia de Faro, the southernmost part of Portugal. The weather has changed a little bit, some clouds are coming in and we are threatened with rain later.
It’s a short drive today to Faro to the Municipal Campsite there, where we get another warm friendly welcome. The site is located right next to the beach on one side and Faro Airport on the other. It sounds odd but the airport is far enough away to see it but not really hear it.
We get settled in and set off for a walk on the beach. It’s fantastic, it stretches for miles, just clean sand for as far as the eye can see. It might be cloudy but it’s still quite warm. There’s enough wave height to attract some surfers.
We walk along the front of where we are staying, popping into a bar with a rooftop terrace where we have a small cold beer and enjoy the view.
A late lunch/early dinner today at a restaurant called Elementos. We have a very nice meal there, it’s a bit of a noisy, busy place but good all the same.
Back at Jess for early showers and a cup of tea, while we listen to some Sarah Millican. Very funny…
Monday 20th of January 2025 (Faro – Day 2 )
The rain and wind overnight has been horrendous… Heavy rain and strong winds, so much that we get buffeted about a bit. Looking at the forecast ahead, it’s going to be like this now for the next few days. We had big plans for Portugal. Today we were hoping to take the small ferry that goes from where we are to Faro itself. That’s now off…! The original plan was to go to Albufeira for 5 days but on that campsite there are grass pitches and dirt roads, which will make it a mud bath which is not great, so we have binned off Albufeira for this trip, which is a shame. Looks like we will have to make it up as we go along, which is fine, as long as we are in Santander on the 1st of February…
We are stuck on the van today, Hayley catches up on some admin, Del does a bit of homework and in between the rainstorms we go to the beach for a walk and some fresh air. We can’t stay out for long as the rain is soon back with us.
There is a nice little restaurant here at the front of the site called Bel’mare, it’s very quiet so we have no problem getting a seat. We have a full view of the tempestuous sea and angry sky. It’s rough, very rough and the sky is heavy with more rain.
Lunch was delicious and good value. Back at Jess, we settle in to play one of our many escape room games, this time with no clues! Yeah right! Hayley helps the afternoon along with some more guitar playing. She’s not bad at it really.
She has brought along with her a Yamaha “Guitarlele” (restrung for normal guitar tuning). Del loves listening and watching. Well up to a point anyway!
A night in. We did two games and yes we needed clues… We cheered our defeat up with a massive salad and some prawns. It was all very nice.
Tomorrow we shall see how the weather is and decide what to do, but we have a feeling that we might be here for another night. We are hoping for a break in the weather to get over to Faro on the ferry for the day. We shall see.
Tuesday 21st of January 2025 (Faro – Day 3)
We were shocked by a storm last night and into this morning. Heavy rain and the strongest winds we have experienced in Jess, in fact, Hayley had a government emergency weather text about the conditions. It was made worse because the back of the van, which is a 3m square block takes the wind at full force, so it feels like we are trundling down a Belgian road! Constantly buffeted and shaken by the fierce wind.
We have decided to stay another night as we feel that it’s so fierce out there that it could be dangerous, besides we would only be moving to another campsite with the same problem. What we will do though is spin Jess around the other way so that we are facing into the wind.
First, we secure everything inside and drive to the freshwater fill-up and grey water emptying. The rain has stopped but the wind is so strong. We get all the jobs done and get back to our pitch with the front-facing into the wind. It certainly makes a difference, it’s still windy of course but it’s a bit more comfortable and quiet.
We are both tired and a bit weary from the lack of sleep, so Del does a massive hearty breakfast which goes down well. As we are finishing breakfast we see some blue skies appearing, there is a break in the storm, we still have the wind, but the rain has gone. We are still surrounded by angry skies, and we are told that the storm is still with us, but as there is a break we decide to take a chance and get the small ferry to Faro town.
The boat is waiting at the dock and we are the last to get on, arriving just in the nick of time. It is certainly a windy crossing and it takes the captain of the ferry 6 or 7 attempts to get docked in Faro.
Once safely docked we make our way into Faro.
Faro. Hmmm… Was it worth it?
We are scheduled to be here for about two and a half hours. We set off through the old town where we just meander around the streets. No disrespect to the people of Faro, but we find it all a bit disappointing, but to be fair we are not sure what we were expecting. There are many unoccupied buildings in disrepair, just generally unkempt. There is a lot of graffiti everywhere. Yes of course you can’t really go anywhere now without some graffiti, but this is just everywhere!
We try to get into the only real attraction here, the Cathedral of Bones which is closed so we find a small friendly coffee shop and have coffee and a Pastel de Nata served by a very friendly lady.
What we have noticed is that the Portuguese do like cash. Most places here so far just take cash!
Disappointed in Faro (sorry), we get the early ferry back.
It’s sunny with broken clouds, so we make for a beach bar with a view of the rowdy sea before heading back to Jess where Hayley studies maps for the rest of our trip and Del cracks on with a bit of homework.
It’s still sunny but still windy.
Wednesday 22nd of January 2025 (Faro Porto Covo – 113 miles )
We have finally had enough of Faro… It hasn’t stopped raining and the wind is driving us mad… Once again we were battered by heavy rain and strong winds last night, and the cherry on top was the addition of thunder and lightning! We thought that we had seen the last of the bad weather yesterday, but overnight the storm returned with a vengeance.
We get packed up, do a full service and set off.
Hayley finds us a campsite, Parque de Campismo Costa Do Vizir (a bit of a mouthful!) in Porto Covo which is on the west coast of Portugal, going north. It’s a 1 hour 40 minute drive through more heavy rain and even more terrible roads.
We thought Belgian roads were bad, but some of these Portuguese roads win hands down. In the UK we complain about bad roads. Go to Belgium or Portugal and you will find that UK roads are like driving on silk!!!!
The weather, thankfully, is easing. We find the campsite which is an oasis. It’s a lovely place with a good clean pitch. We get in and Del cleans the van inside of all the grit from Faro and we are soon settled in… Bliss. We are both exhausted after three nights of little or no sleep.
We are visited by a cat on this pitch. A cute little thing who, after a bit of caution, is soon inside our van exploring before settling down in the passenger seat for a wash and a nap… Nice. While clearing up we are visited by a second cat, who just like the first, soon makes himself at home in our van by joining the other while they take turns washing each other and settling down for a nap, and generally looking cute.
We leave the two cats alone. They are in good condition and clearly they make a habit of visiting vans and pleading poverty, so we give them some cat treats each and leave them alone to rest… Cheeky.
Tonight we are going to an Indian restaurant that is very popular here in the town of Porto Covo, It’s a ten minute walk and soon we are settled in and looked after by a very smiley Indian chap.
The food is excellent and the service is very pleasant. His sister lives in Birmingham.
Back at Jess, we settle in with a nice glass (or two) of port. It’s quiet and peaceful. At last. There is the slightest hint of a breeze with the odd gentle shower every now and then which we don’t mind.
We are deadbeat. Time for bed…
Thursday 23rd of January 2025 (Porto Covo Day 2)
We have woken up to grey skies again this morning, but we don’t have the howling wind, sea and constant rain on the roof. It makes a pleasant change that’s for sure. The weather forecast has also changed, it looks like we are going to have a grey day all day today. We have resigned ourselves to the fact that the rest of the trip now will be like this, it is mid-winter after all. Today we read that Ireland and the UK are about to get battered by another potentially terrible storm, Storm Eowyn, so we are lucky really to be where we are, and we hope that everyone will be ok back home.
These storms, throughout Europe, are getting more frequent and ever more ferocious and dangerous. A terrible sign of the times, one that we feel there is no going back on, these storms are just going to get more regular and more dangerous.
We are up and about, the laundry is on and Del has done another fabulous breakfast. We are visited by our two cat friends, one of which makes herself well at home far too quickly.
It’s a cloudy but peaceful day, with no wind and about 16 degrees. Nice. We set off for a walk to see what’s in Porto Novo. As we leave the camp there’s a lot of new building going on in the area. Saying that, there are also quite a few abandoned building sites, where apartments have been started, and for whatever reason, probably Covid, the site has been abandoned which is a bit of a scar on the town.
It already has lots of apartments and the excellent campsite we are staying at. The town punts itself as a holiday destination. There is also a rather flashy-looking Spa hotel on the seafront, which is where we are going to have a walk today. Although the weather has calmed down, the sea is still quite high and rough with 4m waves.
The small town is quaint with a few shops all of which are taken care of and looking smart, even on a grey day. We are heading for the seafront.
The coastline here is fantastic and stretches for miles. There are lots of alcoves and caves with unreachable beaches.
There are plenty of beaches that you can go to that require you to take a steep staircase to get to, but when you get down to them the beaches are excellent. We have a good walk and get as close to the sea as we safely can. We love it, such a great coastline.
Making our way back to Jess we stop at a small coffee shop in the town and have a very tasty cup of coffee, Del has two, with a pastel de nata and a nutty chocolate brownie. Very tasty.
Back at Jess, we do some more laundry. We are on our last 10 days.
There are some barbecue stations here where you can bring your own coals and food. They also provide tables with a brolly roof with a light inside, all very smart. Hayley has a brainwave that we should have a barbecue for dinner. Del is not so keen and is being a bit miserable on the whole idea, but Hayley insists and prepares all the stuff needed and dispatches Del back into town for some more bits to complete the dinner.
What a fantastic dinner we had! Barbecue chicken, burgers and baked potatoes with a huge salad. We had our candles, and some music with beer and wine. It was absolutely brilliant. We were joined by our cat friends, of course.
One we have called Alex on account that one of her eyes has what looks like black eyeliner that gave here the look of Alex from the film A Clockwork Orange! They are well behaved as we give them the odd bit of chicken. The cats here are spoilt by all the visitors but like to play the “we never get fed” card.
A lovely day and evening. We have enjoyed our stay in Porto Covo. Tomorrow we are heading north to Lisbon.
Friday 24th of January 2025 (Porto Covo to Lisbon – 107 miles )
We have a two hour drive today which will take us to a campsite near the centre of Lisbon. Del worked there only last week but didn’t see much of the city. It’ll be good to explore it together. The plan is to do a two-night stay.
This morning, we wake up to the cat posse waiting outside. After a short breakfast, we spend a little time with them before departing for a full van service and then to do battle on the Portuguese roads! Until we get to the motorway, we have to dodge and weave around the deep potholes on the local roads, but once we are on the motorway, it’s pretty much smooth going until we get to the city of Lisbon.
The traffic into Lisbon is heavy, but we safely arrive and get checked in.
It’s rather rustic. It’s a municipal campsite in a city so it’s a bit scruffy in parts but we get a concrete pitch, so no more gravel or mud for a change. Once we are in and settled, we do a little research to see what’s what in Lisbon. We find that it’s quicker and easier to catch an Uber into the city, which is 8km away, rather than 40 minutes on the bus.
Lisbon is a beautiful city, however, it’s so big and so spread out. It’s also quite hilly in parts, with lots of steps, lifts, and funiculars.
We are not entirely sure where we are going or what we are doing. We are more interested in mixing and seeing what the locals do, we are not so mad on museums and castles unless, of course, they are a must do, which not all of them are (we saw a sign for a flour museum yesterday). We get an Uber to drop us in Praca do Comercio. Wow! The square here is just amazing. We start to just walk and walk and walk, through back streets, and main roads.
There are a lot of things to try out one is a salted cod croquette, this one is a little different, it has cheese in the middle. Not bad, a bit salty but ok.
We probably need to try another. Which we will. Ginjinha is the local typical drink in Lisbon. It’s made from local cherries and there are dozens of hole-in-the-wall bars serving it in shot glasses, we find it’s very tasty. On we go. There are so many shops and restaurants and the place is just alive, busy and full of life. It’s quite a place.
We are having an early dinner tonight at a restaurant called Bomjardim where we will have some Piri Piri chicken, again a popular Portuguese dish. This is not your Nandos nonsense, this is the real thing. It’s fabulous tasty chicken cooked on the spit served with a fiery chilli oil and cheap. We also have a starter of the salted cod fishcakes, these are much better.
Time is marching on and we have done 4 miles of walking already just around a small part of this enormous spread-out city.
Before catching another Uber back to camp we have a Pastel de Nata but this time with a glass of port, which is really what you are supposed to have. Port or the cherry liqueur we had earlier, Ginjinha. There are many shops that specialise in Pastel de Nata, this one, Castro, is one of them serving them along with the liquors.
Well, this is something else. These little cakes are good with coffee, but with a Tawny Port, they are something else. Who came up with that idea?
We are worn out now and just want to get back to Jess. We have another full day tomorrow, but we would probably do a little more research before we set off. What we have seen so far is wonderful, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg. We only have tomorrow left so we need to make the most of it knowing that we will not be able to fit everything in.
We have another cat friend here in Lisbon, a rather plump one who is trying to tell us that he’s hungry and destitute, “feed me please” look about him. They’re scammers, the cats here.
We can’t help ourselves though and give him some cat treats that we just happen to have on board.
We recognise the copyright holders of the picture used of Alex from A Clockwork Orange as Polaris Productions / Hawk Films, distributed by Warner Bros (US), and Columbia Warner (UK). We don’t know much about Alex the cat.
Hello John. Great to hear from you. Yes Lisbon is a place we will go to again. It's a bit…