VINCENT’S ROUTE

Sines was shaped by the sea, with a picturesque historic center and deep port. Sines' best known son is the navigator Vasco da Gama, knight of the Order of Christ, who entered history when he discovered the sea route to India in the late 15th century. To the north, there are extensive beaches of thin sand until Troia. In the south, we have beaches that are part of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina predominate.

In Melides, tells the story, the 16th century Portuguese navigator Fernão Mendes Pinto was shipwrecked when he was attacked by privateers.

Vila Nova de Santo André, a city that dazzles us with its beaches, little discovered, and a wonderful nature reserve with dunes and an incredible diversity of fauna.

São Topes has the beach with the warmest water on the entire coast. With a very extensive beach, it is one of the best beaches to learn to surf. When it comes to regaining strength, nothing better than the delicious snacks from Trinca-Espinhas.

Porto Covo is a small village, with large beaches and several activities to choose from. It is a classic place, that includes a trip to Pessegueiro Island or a gastronomic break in the best restaurant in the area to eat an delicious grilled fish.

We don't talk about the best of the Alentejo Coast without mentioning Vila Nova de Milfontes, both for the beach or the river and for the gastronomy. The truth is that there is no shortage of things to do in this village!

The coast of São Teotónio is strongly marked by high cliffs of rugged rock. The beaches have small sands, occupying the open spaces between the cliffs.

Odemira is distinguished for offering us one of the least polluted rivers in Europe, the River Mira, as well as some of the most stunning and still wild beaches in the country. Extraordinary, the fauna that inhabits there, such as the white storks that nest in the cliffs from the Alentejo coast, something exclusive worldwide.

Zambujeira do Mar is characterized mainly by its quiet, typical of a common Alentejo village. One of the most popular summer destinations on the entire Costa Vicentina, it breaks some of its calm during one of the best known music festivals in Portugal. Overlooking the sea, it invites you to bathe or stroll through its winding streets, with nice houses painted in a unique white.

It is no accident that Odeceixe beach won the prize for one of the 7 wonders of Portugal's beaches! It surprises us with its river and sea beaches and its unparalleled natural beauty.

Limited by sea and mountains, the municipality of Aljezur reflects this double influence in its landscapes. If the coastline is marked by high cliffs, sands and almost wild dunes, the interior is a succession of horizons covered with vegetation.

Monte Clérigo is a village with the privilege of having the beach right at your feet. It is an area mostly sought after by families, as it is very calm and safe. The more adventurous can certainly count on the characteristic waves of this area and try some surf lessons.

Monchique, located in the Mountain with the same name, so famous for its medicinal waters, already coveted by the Romans, has a rich vegetation where safaris and beautiful walking tours unveil it in its brilliance. Here we can find traditional products from the region, such as various wooden and leather artefacts, ham, honey and the famous arbutus brandy.

Away from the confusion, Carrapateira continues to be a haven for those who do not like large tourist gatherings. Enjoyed by families and surfers, it boasts its dunes and cliffs. And it is certainly a mandatory stop on this trip.

The mythical atmosphere of Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente, for millennia that is dedicated to the gods. The preserved beauty of a coastline with dramatic horizons of cliffs and sea. The testimonies of prehistoric rites in so many menhirs. The evocation of the epic of the Discoveries and the enigmatic figure of Infante D. Henrique, the Navigator, attractions of Vila do Bispo and its municipality, a vast triangle in which the sea is always present and in which Nature is associated with history to give it a unique character, which worth knowing.

In Lagos everything seems to invite the beach and simple pleasures. But there is also a history of navigators and pirates, the result of a complicity with the sea that persists in the colorful trawlers that bring the fish to the auction, or in the Marina where yachts from all over the world swing.

Luz is a small fishing village that has become one of the most popular hotspots for families in the region, while still retaining its original Algarvian charm. With beautiful and picturesque cobbled streets around the city, its focus is the golden sandy beach under the gaze of the impressive cliffs. Relaxing on a sun lounger, making castles in the sand, water sports, pedal boating ... there's plenty to choose from.

Located halfway between Portimão and Lagos is the beautiful port resort of Alvor. Given its position in the Algarve, it is remarkably preserved, with the old town retaining much of its charm. Unlike many of the resorts along this coast, it was the great earthquake of 1755 that caused the greatest damage to this village, and not the anarchic development that in more recent times has tampered with other areas of the Algarve. It is clear that there has been construction, but always of low density, allowing to keep the "old town" and the traditional port, practically unscathed. As a result, Alvor maintains a calmer and less turbulent atmosphere than some of the resort towns in the region.

In Brejos da Carregueira, hidden beyond the rice fields between Comporta and Carvalhal, there are no caipirinhas at sunset, there are no "Olá" ice creams, nor is there a lifeguard. There is an immense and almost deserted beach, a transparent sea where you can swim and see the bottom, shells to catch, waves that you learn to tame ... Certainly, the best way to end our trip.