Portugal: Far and Away to Faro

From Atmospheric River to Sunny Lisbon 

It was Monday morning and Gili and I were biking in the first of several atmospheric rivers to hit British Columbia. The rain was coming down hard and we were soaked. But we had to keep going, we had to make it on time to get our COVID test… 

We hadn’t been overseas for almost two years and we were dreaming of a long bike trip in a far away sunny place. After much consideration we chose Portugal as our destination. At the time, the high vaccination rates in the country played a role in our decision. Also, we had heard really great things about biking in Portugal, the weather looked decent, and the flights seemed somewhat reasonable. We were not disappointed. 

After some sleepless nights and a marathon of packing and getting everything ready and organized we were finally at YVR airport. Every trip starts with the hardest part – packing and getting to the airport, and this trip was no different. This time we even required two taxis – a van taxi for all of our gear and a regular one for us. 

The airport was basically deserted with only a handful of international flights leaving Vancouver. As the plane finally took off I sighed in relief – we were actually on our way! 

The flights went incredibly well. After the kids watched the Paw Patrol Movie, we had dinner and went to sleep. Flying in times of COVID has advantages too. We took over three rows, making it quite comfortable to sleep for the rest of the flight. We had a short connection in London and barely made it to our flight to Lisbon due to a very particular security guard. A few hours later we touched base in Lisbon. 

“I Saw The World’s Longest Bridge” 

During the trip Neil kept a journal where he wrote a sentence or two most days. The “World’s Longest Bridge” was his first impression from Lisbon. 

In Lisbon we stayed with the Bernardino Family who hosted us through Warm Showers. Our landing couldn’t have been softer thanks to them. They took us into their home, and with three boys of their own everyone seemed to be getting along well. There was also no lack of toys such as a train set, huge dinosaurs, and Harry Potter Uno cards. There was also a chess set, and Neil started developing an appreciation for the game. They also fed us, showed us around, gave us tips on routes, sightseeing in Lisbon, and bike stores, and so on.  

“I ATE PSTL DNT”

On our second day in Portugal we woke up around noon due to jet lag. The sun was shining outside and the day was inviting. We stopped for “breakfast” at a nearby café where we started our obsession with pastel de nata, mini custard tarts that can be found all over Portugal. 

“I ROD In A THRN”, “I SO A FISH”

We explored Lisbon for a few days on foot, bike and by train. We also visited the aquarium, first just the kids and I, while Gili took care of a series of bike problems, and then round two with him as well. 

Lisbon felt like a very friendly city, with lots of cafes, playgrounds, and kind people all around. Maybe it was just being somewhere new but our overall feeling was that life was more “normal” there. Everyone was still wearing masks, but there was a sense of living that had been lacking from our lives in Canada lately. 

(Not) All Roads Lead to Setúbal 

A few days after we arrived in Lisbon we finally felt ready to start our biking trip. We were still somewhat jet lagged and didn’t get an early start for the first few days. After that we quickly adjusted to the new time and fell into the trip routine easily. 

On the first day things seemed to be going well. Despite our late start and the fact that we had to make another stop at the bike repair shop to fix Neil’s bike derailleur we were finally on our way. We biked along the lovely bike ways by the river and then connected to some neat bike paths that led downtown. Leaving Lisbon was actually really easy, and probably one the smoothest rides we had out of a big city. We took a short ferry to Trafaria and from there Kai rode all the way to the campground, around 3-4 kilometers. That was just the beginning of Kai’s riding journey. He proved himself to be a keen rider that just wanted to ride more and more and on many occasions had to be bribed to get back into the trailer. 

“I WENT AND PLAYED IN THE DUNES”

The following day things got a little bit more complicated. Have you ever felt like you were drowning in sand? That was what a big part of our ride that day felt like. We hit one sandy road after another, and pushing the heavy bikes was no fun. We also had no idea if we’d ever find a way out…

Finally in the distance we saw a gravel road that looked a bit more decent and managed to get on it. From there things improved but it was already getting late. Back on the main road was the one and only time Gili took Neil on his bike on this trip, so that we’d make it to the campground before dark. We still barely made it with a sleepy Kai and a tired Neil. But after warm soup, setting up the tent and a rest, we all felt better, though the night was very cold. 

“I SAW DINOS FOOT PRINTS”

We woke up after a cold night with the intention of reaching Setúbal and our next Warm Showers host that day. After the horrible sandy roads what else could possibly go wrong? We made good decisions like not taking an unsuitable gravel road full of potholes, choosing the longer way instead. We took a nice lunch break at a site with dinosaur footprints. 

We had a beautiful long ride down the coastline, incredible views, great weather and a closed road… Yes, after a 400 meter descent we reached a fence indicating that the road was blocked and the only way to reach Setúbal was to turn around. We realized that we wouldn’t be able to continue that day. Luckily there was a beautiful beach right below us with a restaurant and a place where we could get water. So we set up our tent, had dinner and went to sleep.  

“I WENT TO THE FAIR” 

Even though we woke up to a beautiful bluebird sky day, the winds changed quickly and all of the sudden it was pouring. We still had that big uphill to do… But on bike trips things do tend to work out. As we were coming up from the beach we found a huge pickup truck of the construction site nearby just getting ready to leave with only the driver. We jumped on the opportunity and pretty much forced him to take us up the hill. Luckily the driver didn’t object and very quickly we were at the top of the hill. What a relief! 

When we finally reached Setúbal our host was still working so someone tipped us that there was a local fair. Our kids had never been to any amusement parks so it was a big treat for them. They tried almost all the rides, but we vetoed the flying swings since an adult was required to accompany Neil and those things are just not for us anymore. 

Our host Paulo and his dog Tommy were very friendly, but we wanted to stay an extra night in Setúbal after our big ordeal to get there. Paulo suggested we’d check out the youth hostel. It was very convenient just in the middle of town and to the kids’ delight there were bunk beds. 

The Quiet Roads of the Alentejo 

After our adventures on the way to Setúbal the next part of the journey was a bit less exciting and much more straightforward. In fact some of the roads were so straight that we could see far into the distance. Most of the time we also had a good tail wind and it felt like we were flying. 

Sometimes we each biked on our own, enjoying the quiet and our thoughts. Sometimes we all biked together and got many questions from the kids. Most of the questions were along the lines of: “which engine from Thomas the train is our favorite, and why?”.

The Alentejo region was definitely different too. The towns were small and mostly seemed deserted. In fact there were a few times that I wondered if Portugal went into a new lock down without us knowing it as the towns were so quiet. 

“I BIKED 45 FORT FiVE KILOMTRS”

Campgrounds were also harder to come by. One evening we followed directions to a town’s campground just to discover that this campground had been closed for almost two years due to COVID. It was already late and we had biked 45 kilometers, our longest day at that point. The solution was to eat an awesome fish dinner at the “pool restaurant”, enjoy the warmness of the indoor space as much as we could and then set up our tent (with permission) behind the restaurant. It worked incredibly well.

“I Saw The NORTh STAr”

The next evening we were in a similar situation in a different town, but the pool restaurant did not offer the same convenient place for a tent. The staff were very friendly and offered a few suggestions of where we’d be able to camp. In the end we found ourselves at the fairgrounds of the town, a huge unoccupied space, perfect for wild camping. Alas, in the middle of dinner we noticed the blue and red lights of a police car. The kids were very excited that we got a visit from the police in the middle of dinner, but we were a little less so. Thankfully the police officer was very friendly and only offered their blessing for our improvised camping spot. The night was dark and Neil was excited he got to spot the North Star.     

“I MAShED FLAWRS”

So the next time we were in a similar situation we decided we’d just go to the police right away. We figured the police would suggest a place for us to camp, and then with the police’s official blessing we wouldn’t need to worry about getting caught. That worked out well too. We took the local police in the tiny village of Alvino by surprise. Eventually they suggested that we’d go to the white church at the edge of the village and set up camp there. Neil enjoyed mashing flowers while Kai found a big plastic spoon that served us well as a sand toy. Aside from an elderly man in an old and noisy car that passed by a few times with a shocked look on his face we didn’t have any issues.  

“I AM LRNING To PLAY ChESS”

One contrast to the quietness of the region was the town of Évora. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site this little town is definitely worth a visit. We decided to take a rest day there to enjoy the atmosphere of the place. We found a nice hotel in the old town and explored the narrow alleys with houses painted white and yellow. We enjoyed good coffee, fresh orange juice, ice cream and glorious sunshine. Neil also improved his chess skills by playing in the hotel lobby with Gili. 

“WE SaW anIMALS FOOT PRINTS In ThE SAND”

One of the the most memorable nights we spent out camping was the one where we wild camped by a lake. It was a short detour to a beautiful lake and the kids enjoyed exploring the shore around it and looking for different animal footprints. Then the kids were helpful with setting up the tent and we had an early dinner. The sky was clear and we knew it was going to be a cold night so we went into the tent early. But we couldn’t resist getting out when it got totally dark. The sky was just full of stars and it was an incredible sight. 

“WE SaW A WaTR TAWR AND A CHURCH” 

A long straight empty road took us to Castro Verde, where we planned to stay for a couple of nights. Castro Verde is a small quiet little town with a few water towers and a handful of churches. The municipal campground in this small out of the way town was very impressive. However, this time we opted to rent one of the “bungalows” they offered. For a very reasonable price we basically got a whole apartment, and after a few cold nights in the tent it definitely felt like a luxury. 

“I ATE A HOLW MUSHROOM PEESA”

We were also starved, but one of the problems in Portugal was that places only opened for dinner quite late. Usually we couldn’t find a place to eat before 7pm and in Castro Verde it was even more challenging. Once the pizza place finally opened we ordered five different pizzas. Neil ate eight slices and Kai five, a record for both of them. 

“I BIUILT ThE TENT AND I WARMD IN ThE FIRE”

The day we left Castro Verde turned out to be our longest, just over 50km. We didn’t plan to bike that much but after lunch Kai behaved strangely. One minute he was riding his bike, and the next he said he wasn’t feeling well, lay down and possibly fainted. It was scary. We put him in the trailer, and a moment later he vomitted all over himself, the trailer, and Gili’s pants and socks. We were pretty much in the middle of nowhere but luckily we had just passed a small restaurant that had a hose. I bought Neil an ice cream while Gili took care of the mess. By then Kai was feeling better and we didn’t quite understand what happened to him. 

So after that episode I didn’t really want to wild camp and we also were in an urgent need of a washing machine. We had heard of a retreat that also had camping sites. It was a bit of a detour and uphill on a gravel road but the detour was worth it. Not only did they have a washing machine, they also had a really nice kitchen we were able to use and a fireplace they started for us. The place was also different from the rest of the campgrounds we’d been to. We had interesting conversations with people who basically live there, a lot of them are into meditation, yoga, and living simply.   

“IT FELT LIKE WE WERE IN A CLAWD”

We woke up to a misty day, which was rare. Not only was the weather unusual that day, but also the scenery changed quite a bit. In the Alentejo we were often on flat open roads, with big skies above us. We often passed big farms, saw herds of sheep, goats, cows, and horses. The trees were mostly olive or cork trees, often lined up in straight lines. On that misty day, the terrain was hillier, the trees were greener and the roads were windier. In the late afternoon we arrived at the small town of Odemira and it started to drizzle. We decided not to go any farther and out of nowhere we saw a sign to a small hotel. It seemed like this hotel was there just for us, as the area was quite residential.    

Down the West Coast to Faro 

“WE ARE BIVKING FRUM LISBON To FARO”

Obviously we didn’t take the most direct route, but we knew our goal was Faro. Neil thought it was kind of funny because Faro seemed so FAR away. However, we were getting there slowly but surely. 

“I PLAYED in the SAND WITh MY BROThUR”

We connected back to the coast in Zambujeira do Mar, a beautiful coastal town with incredible views. After the long stretch in the Alentejo, a change of scenery was definitely welcome. For the next few days we rode along the impressive coastline, and made sure to leave plenty of time for the kids to play at the beach.

“I JUMPED ON the TaPLENE”

We had another great success with Warm Showers just outside the town of Aljezur. Michelle and Eric, a French couple living off the grid kindly agreed to host us. Although our verbal communication was a bit limited since we don’t speak French, it was a great stay. The kids especially liked jumping on the trampoline and seeing Michelle collecting fresh eggs from the chicken coop. The highlight was to sleep in a tiny camper van, where we were warm and cozy all through the night. 

“I LRD To LiT ThE STOVE”

Since Neil was young he just loved the stove. When he was little he used to play with it a lot, pretending to light it, pretending to make food on it, pretending to clean it. On this trip he learned how to actually light it and it was his special job. That evening we were wild camping in one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever camped. Our tent was tucked away between the dunes, with the ocean on one side and the hills on the other. The night was peaceful and in the morning we even got to see the sunrise, a rare occasion for us. 

“WE ATE ICE CREAM FOR MY DADS BirthDAY”

We rode for seven days straight and were definitely in need of some extended relaxation. It was also Gili’s birthday and we had just reached the out of the way town of Sagres. We booked a place online and because of the dirt cheap price (you’ve got to love traveling during low season/COVID times) we didn’t realize it was actually a four star hotel. We were all quite impressed but maybe for different reasons… I for one really liked the coffee machine, Neil got a kick from the Murphy bed coming out of the cupboard in the living room. Kai loved the pool, although it was too cold for swimming. And Gili? The gelato, of course. A treat especially for his birthday! 

“WE SAW A LOT OF SURFERS AT ThE BEACh”

The other nice thing about “our” place in Sagres was that it was five minutes from a beautiful beach. Gili’s birthday was actually the hottest day we had on the trip – it reached 20°C and the sky was blue and the ocean was flat. The next day was a different story. It cooled a little bit, it was cloudy and the ocean had waves, and the surfers took over “our” beach. It was neat to see them surf as well as two paragliders up in the air and the most beautiful sunset.

“I AM GOING tO SLEEP In A CAMPER” 

After leaving Sagres we only had a few days left till we reached our destination Faro. We weren’t ready at all to finish the trip, but the time had come. Still we enjoyed the last few days and one of the highlights was another awesome Warm Showers experience. This time Femke and her two daughters took us in. They moved from Belgium to Portugal a few years ago, and live on a farm where they have a few animals including many rescue dogs. They home-school with many different activities such as Cirque du Soleil style aerial acrobatics. We slept in a “gypsy wagon” that they usually rent out in the summertime. It was a bit more luxurious than the other camper we slept in. There was also a beautiful outdoor kitchen, a homemade playground and a trampoline, pretty much paradise for our kids. 

“ME AND MY DAD GOT ThE BIKE BOXES” 

Riding into Faro was very impressive as we were riding on boardwalks in a nature bird reserve. Kai really enjoyed riding on that section and rode like a trooper all the way to the little ferry that took us from Faro Island into Faro.

Our Airbnb was just a few minutes away from the “ferry terminal” in a very residential area. The neighbourhood wasn’t very impressive but the apartment was very spacious and on a ground floor which made it easy to store and later pack the bikes. The next morning Gili and Neil rode first thing to bring the bike boxes from a bike store. Then we still had the whole day free so we took a boat to Desert Island, walked around, had lunch and played in the sand. Neil asked to catch the speed boat on the way back. It went very fast and the kids had a blast. 

“We Went to get the Covid test ngitive rsus”

It was a Sunday morning and all of us rode to Faro Airport in the beautiful sunshine to do our pre-departure COVID tests. The ride actually was really nice and Kai rode all the way back into town. There was a small Christmas Market and fair at the centre of Faro and the kids enjoyed it. The COVID test was the real sign that our trip was indeed coming to an end. The next day was spent mostly packing and eating one last amazing fish lunch and more Pastel de Nata. 

The Longest Shortest Day  

“We ar going to flY tomorrow” 

Everything worked out really well during our time in Portugal, until our flight back. Our original flight from Faro was scheduled for 6am on December 21st, the shortest day of the year. At first our taxi didn’t come to pick us up, at 3am. Then it showed up but it was too small and was the only taxi available that night, so we had to make two trips. After all that, we arrived to the airport just to find that our flight was… cancelled!

The next flight was at 11am so we had A LOT of time to spend at the small Faro Airport. We had two breakfasts that included a huge coffee and hot chocolate and more Pastel de Nata – after all we had to spend our airline vouchers… For the first time on our trip it was raining for real and it was pretty cold. It felt like Portugal was crying that we were leaving.  

In Lisbon we had to run to make it to our flight to Toronto. The gate closed maybe two minutes after we arrived. All that fuss, just to sit on the plane for two hours due to a mechanical problem. Then in Toronto we obviously missed our connection to Vancouver, but luckily there was another flight later. Then Kai fell asleep on the carpet, and shortly after he woke up he vomited all over Gili. 

Twenty nine hours after we left our cute Airbnb in Faro we opened the door to our home in Vancouver. It was still December 21st… After the nightmare of the journey back it felt great to be back home, but Portugal already seemed like a very far away memory.