Love at first sight - yes, it was ten years ago when I first came to the Algarve, the south of Portugal.
Over the years I have been able to enjoy all seasons in this paradise and love it every Time.
Even as a teenager, I dreamed of traveling south in winter, as I loved the summer and the sea very much even then.
Winter in the Algarve is not summer, but it gives us a second spring in glorious bloom.
When we land in Faro at the beginning of January and step on Portuguese soil, we are greeted every time with radiant brightness and a summer happiness in the heart of a gentle wind.
The contrast between the Christmassy, cold Germany and the wonderful, spring-like Algarve is so intense that we really feel spring is around.
In November and December there was plenty of rain here and so the whole country is littered with fantastic green oases.
Where the sandy desert lives in summer, everything is wonderfully padded with green.
“I discovered the secret of the sea in meditation upon a dewdrop.”
Khalil Gibran
An enchanting walk from Lagos Praia da Camilo over the lighthouse Ponta da Piedade to Porto De Mos, along the coast with a wonderful view of the turquoise from the beloved ocean, makes my heart leap for joy.
The partly hilly path, which is reminiscent of the home from the little hobbit and gives me the impression that I could be on Irish soil, leads through mirjaden of wonderfully blooming, green clover leaves and cheerful yellow flowers.
The wild growing fruit of the cacti shows itself in the colorful, graceful purple face.
The prickly pears are a real pleasure and have a wonderfully juicy, fresh and full-bodied taste. The spines, however, are to be consumed with caution, I recommend picking them with gloves.
Later in February, the lupine blossoms, which were still closed in January, bloom wonderfully purple-blue and in true abundance, white and pink blossoms in different varieties together with the lush clover form a wonderful spring carpet that stretches over the entire coast.
The glitter of the sea is omnipresent and the sun shines wonderfully warm.
“There must be something strangely sacred in salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.”
Khalil Gibran
I feel like on one of the first wonderful spring days in Germany and endorphins are excreted in bulk, which immediately contributes to a wonderful mood.
Soaking up nature with all the fibers of my being instantly gives me an enormous energy kick.
With a bit of a thirst for adventure, you can get to places that are otherwise hidden and untouched by very few people, mostly locals.
Since I've always been a little adventurer and had a little Pippi Longstocking feeling in me, I like to slip into hidden corners and find the most secluded and untouched, even magical places.
I am ready to take long journeys, to explore hidden paths or even to climb.
"Don't just walk the smooth streets.
Take paths that no one has walked before, so that you can leave traces and not just dust."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The weather during these weeks offers a mix of glorious, bright sunshine and warm temperatures around 18 degrees on average, which feel like 25 degrees depending on the space and wind and invite you to take a dip in the beautiful Atlantic on days when there is no wind or for the hardened .
On windless days or in a sheltered place, it is very pleasantly warm at this time of the year and so the packed bikini is also regularly used.
When the wind is stronger, which makes the coastal breeze dance in your hair, the parka with hood is used and here and there an umbrella or protection. The light rain provides the green oasis with wonderful nourishment, but this is usually only short-lived and the sun quickly peaks through the clouds again.
So we can adapt to any weather and have a wide selection in our luggage from light to warm scarfs and light headgear to cozy hats, from T-shirts to sweaters and cardigans we have a corresponding selection.
I like to choose my typical Bohostyle in a Layering look and have a slightly larger bag with me on trips so that I can adapt to different weather conditions on the go.
The Portuguese build their houses differently than we do and it is not unusual for the rooms to have cooled down because some of them have been empty for months.
So it is advisable to pay attention to heating in the accommodation and to have warm clothes for cozy evenings in your luggage, perhaps also a pair of slippers for the stone floor, that is wonderfully cooling in summer, but which also can bring cold feet in the winter months.
"Live in the sun, swim in the sea, drink the wild air."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Much continues to take place outside during the day and so we like to have breakfast outside in winter too. Wherever the sun comes, it quickly becomes wonderfully warm and if not, provisions are made. Like in one of our favorite cafes, the Bora Cafe, where comfort is provided with blankets and a hot water bottle, even if the sun doesn't make it.
After breakfast you go to one of the wonderful beaches - from small bays to long Beaches, a lot of variety is offered, even the places that are highly frequented in summer are often deserted and the adventurer's heart still beats and vibrates higher.
The beaches show constant changes with daily visits, because they sometimes change their appearance every day.
What we observed in this Two Month:
"The ocean often changes the View of his Beaches."
At the beginning of January the beaches were still washed soft with a lot of sand and had their gentle, romantic charm, you could see how the beach lost sand day after day due to the waves and the spray.
Rocks and stones came to light and show an interesting interplay. Since nature has its own individual rhythm, there is always something new to offer here. wonderful, often surprising new pictures.
The more the sand decreases at this time, the rougher the coast appears and the more adventurous the cherished walk at low tide becomes, which reveals more and more unexpected treasures such as stalactite caves, hidden rock passages, wonderful stone and shell formations in shimmering colors, new paths and thus fascinating impressions.
I love the ebb tide, because it enables you to walk from beach to beach through cave entrances that the sea picks up at high tide and turns the beach into an adventure playground for adults and children.
It is particularly impressive to experience around Lagos, from Patate Beach you can walk to Praia de Donna Ana and be amazed. Wow, Wow and again Wow :) that overwhelms me every time new.
"My heart is like the sea - Has storm and ebb and flow, you will also find pearls deep, only deep in my mind. "
Vincent Van Gogh
Over the years I have learned to use an app to get an overview of the ebb and flow, because the tide can quickly cause an unpleasant surprise - before you know it, you have trouble getting back.
If it does, however, not much more happens than getting wet or being allowed to climb a little more.
Sometimes, however, it can also be dangerous and therefore take better precautions!
The change between the wonderful hours on the beach and the long walks along the coast on the high plateau offers wonderful "leisure activities" day after day in any weather and for lovers of video / photography a paradise of diversity and uniquely beautiful, opulent backdrops.
Up on the high plateau of the coast, I like to go to places that are not easy to reach, but which must be enjoyed with caution and mindfulness.
The coastal rocks are unpredictable, especially when it rains, and rock breaks occur regularly, especially in the winter season.
Therefore you should always look where you are standing and that the rock below you is not hollowed out and can break, also on the beach it is important to make sure that no stone falls endanger the idyll.
The coast brings such a diversity of beauty and the most diverse beaches from Lagos to Sarges, the westernmost tip of Europe and further along the west coast to Aljezur, stretching heavenly and in a monumental setting.
On the way there you drive past wonderful cork oaks and if you keep your eyes open you can sometimes come across wonderful fields of flowers, which we consider exotic, such as the cala blossom in unbelievable, enchanting Splendor and abundance.
The beaches on the west coast offer breathtakingly high waves, especially in the winter months.
This is a special kind of nature experience. This is the ideal time and opportunity for brave, very experienced surfers.
The waves can be 20 meter high here and when they break on the coast the spray pours like an explosion up to the high plateau of the rock formations.
This is so incredibly fascinating and uniquely beautiful and a unique motif for all nature lovers who would like to capture such impressive moments photographically or just want to enjoy the moment.
You can experience this wonderfully at Praia da Bordeire, this beach is my absolute favorite on the west coast.
It offers everything a beach lover's heart desires.
An extensive dune landscape that gives the impression that you are in the desert, beautiful rock formations in various colors from terracotta to slate and a 3 km long bay and the feet of the dunes a lagoon that is just as fabulous as it is beautiful.
"What we know is a drop, what we don't know is an ocean!"
Isaac Newton
The coastal path Estrada da Praia, which stretches from Praia da Bordeire to Praia do Amado
extends, is highly recommended with its vantage points and offers a fascinating view over the west coast.
If you want to enjoy lush vegetation, picturesque villages, wonderful springs and wonderful waterfalls in the mountains, you will be happy with a detour to Serra de Monchique, a mountain range in the west of the Algarve.
The highest mountain is called Foia and is 902 meters high. From there you have a wonderful view of the entire Algarve.
What I love as much as the sea is the typical Portuguese architectural style with its whitewashed houses, churches and the wonderfully lovely cobblestones in a typical Portuguese, artistic arrangement.
Lagos my Love, this wonderful, lovely small town in the Algarve -
Anyone looking for luxury boutiques or exclusive shoe shops will not find what they are looking for, but the small dealers and sweet shops offer so much more to please the heart.
The colorful market stalls invite you to stroll and the markets offer a particularly good, colorful variety of fruit and vegetables or fish that the anglers have caught fresh early in the morning.
In the city there is an enchanting serenity that is absolutely contagious.
I love to stroll through the alleys of Lagos and always discover new perspectives. Different impressions every time - beautiful gates, wall paintings, cute bars & cafes, funny musicians and other interesting people & animals.
It smells wonderfully of Lagos and it is one of my best sources of inspiration to inspire my creativity.
Those who expect perfection here will be captured by the loveliness.
Nothing here is perfect and yet so enchanting and precisely for that reason imperfectly perfect.
Cables are laid outside the house, facades crumble, graffiti on the walls and then the contrast in all its playfulness, the bright colors, the lovely flowers and palm trees, especially beautiful in the small city park by the city wall.
I love the palm tree alley along the canal that leads to the beautiful port of Lagos.
An evening stroll through Lagos is an experience, not only the culinary temptations contribute to it, but also the many street musicians.
In addition to Lagos, the Algarve has many other wonderful Little towns and small villages in its repertoire that invite you to take a leisurely stroll through the city.
From Alvor to the so-called crown of the Algarv - the Little town Silves, which shines with a charming castle and invites you to take a walk with its delightful old town, on to Cavoeiro, Albufeira, or those looking for a little more luxury and who like to marvel at chic yachts with a detour Happy to Vilamoura. Faro is also worth a trip and enchants with a sweet old town.
The joy of life can be felt everywhere, people enjoy dancing, laughing and singing on the street. Especially nowadays, joy can be found mainly in the little things that money cannot buy, but which fill our hearts with joy.
Exactly these wonderful memories and experiences are given here for free.
The lightness of the people and the wonderful, even magical beauty of nature hold the treasures in store
Anyone who has been here once is in love for a lifetime.
"Home is where the waves roar, the air tastes of salt and you want to anchor forever."
(An unknown Beachlover)
If you are looking for a destination for the 1st quarter, I can wholeheartedly recommend Lagos.
By the way, you can celebrate New Year's Eve here, the organized fireworks from Lagos and Alvor are impressive.
If you go to gaivota branca at Mera Praia to celebrate or just go to the beach on your own, you can see the fireworks in both places. This is a special kind of experience.
For tips, places to eat and marked beaches and Locations, follow me on Worldler.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me in the comments, by email or using the contact sheet.
I hope you enjoy planning your next trip, maybe to the Algarve, you will love it.
Lots of Love, from the bottom of my heart,
Nadja