Well, after a few delays caused by a couple of dreaded the “C” diseases (Cancer and Covid), we have finally been able to venture out of our apartment and do a little exploring once again. It seems that our travels for awhile will be limited to Portugal as the borders in Europe are not all open yet and flying anywhere right now is not only a little risky but downright complicated. So we’re happy to just take this time to get to know Portugal a little better.
Our first trip out from quarantine was only 40 minutes south of Lisbon to the Setubal Peninsula. This region has been formed by the shores and estuaries of the Tejo and Sado Rivers, which then juts out westwardly into the Atlantic Ocean.
This large stretch of land encompasses a number of landmarks that are worth seeing and visiting. The most impressive is the 30 km Caparica Beach that makes up most of the peninsulas’s westerly shore. It’s a long, wide sandy beach that’s perfect for walks, surfing and swimming, and is pocketed with small beach clubs and restaurants.
At the southern end of Caparica beach is a land-locked estuary that forms a saltwater lake, Lagoa Albufeira, with clear, shallow waters that warm up considerably during the summer months, making it much warmer than the ocean. It’s great for swimming, paddling and kite surfing.
After Albufeira lake the land begins to rise, creating striking cliffs with a few small beaches interspersed such as Meco and Bicas. Meco has a couple of restaurants while Bicas has none and provides an opportunity to escape the crowds of Caparica and Meco.
At its most south-westerly the peninsula the coastline rises into rugged cliffs that come to a point known as Cape Espichel. There’s a lighthouse here, along with a church (Nossa Senhora do Cabo) that was one frequented by pilgrims traveling the Fatima and Compostela routes. Alongside the church are rooms that once functioned as an inn for weary travelers, with even a small opera house to entertain them in the evenings.
Inland, amongst rolling hills of pine forest, are a few small typical Portuguese towns such as Alfarim, Fornos and Aldeia do Meco.
On the southern shore of the peninsula is the Arrabida natural park, which runs between the beach town of Sesimbra and the port of Setubal. The rolling hills of the park are covered in pine forests, vineyards, a few small villages and a number or large estate homes. The region is known for its Moscatel wines.
Sesimbra is a charming seaside fishing village that has become very popular with tourists. Its beach is more protected than that of Caparica, making it even more popular for swimming. On the hillside is the Moorish castle of Sesimbra, which was once an important defensive fort for early Portugal. The castle grounds offer stunning panoramic views over Sesimbra and the surrounding coastline. Inside the castle are extensive battlements, a church but most visitors simply visit for the views. Sesimbra has unfortunately seen a lot of large hotel and condominium development on its hillside which rather dominates over the town and takes away a little from its charm.
Setubal is an industrial port but it also has an old town area worth visiting, lined with many restaurants, and a popular swimming beach is at the westerly end of the town. There’s also an old fort on the hillside behind it.
We rented a cottage just outside the village of Alfarim and used it as a base to explore the peninsula. Staying at the cottage allowed us to continue to practice social distancing while still being close to the beach and amenities. The low-traffic country roads that meander through the pines and villages are perfect for biking and Lake Albufeira proved wonderful for stand up paddle boarding.
Bicas Beach 
Rooms of the Inn 
Cabo Espichel Lighthouse 
Cabo Espichel Lighthouse 
Espichel Aquaduct 
Meco Beach Fishing Cabins 
Sesimbra
We were in need of a weekend getaway so we decided to head north and visit the town of Obidos that we’d been hearing so much about. And we weren’t let down!
At the end of Rua Direita is the castle mount, founded by the Moors in the 700s. Over the years it has been added onto, primarily by the queens acquired the town during their reign. The castle is now a posada/hotel and you can actually have a room inside the castle. From here you can also access the ramparts and walk a portion of the walls that at one time defended the town. The walk provides excellent views of all of Obidos and the countryside made up of vineyards and orchards.
On a recommendation we discovered a place that is both reasonably priced and exceptionally good. It is called Club Naval and it is situated at the bottom of a steep cliff just outside the small town of Assenta, about 20 minutes north of 
We are back in Europe and recently made a visit to Portugal, a place we keep coming back to and hope to move to in a few months on a more permanent level. We start in Lisbon, but enjoying exploring the areas around the capital.
Ericeira reminds me of another town; Sayulita back in Mexico, less than an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. They both are full of surfers, attract similar visitors, and are rich with great restaurants, bars and nightlife. Both have so far managed to avoid large hotels and and high-rises from being built in the town area, although that may be changing. As it is now, available accommodation is mostly small apartments, hostels and boutique hotels. But, where Sayulita’s streets are mostly dirt, unpaved, and the architecture is rather eclectic, in Ericeira all the streets are paved with white and black stones that can be frequently found throughout Portugal, with inlaid designs. It makes for a very clean town, and most of the buildings are similar in style, with white with blue (usually) trim. And there’s only a few buildings with more than two stories.
One of the most impressive places to launch from is at Benagil where there’s plenty of parking close by and easy access to the beach. But most importantly, because this is where the largest and most impressive cave on the coast can be found close by. It’s impressive not just because of its size (you could hold great concerts here), but also because of how it is lit up, with a small opening in the roof, as well as two arches from outside, that provide a wide range of colors as light reflects off the yellow-toned walls and turquoise waters, different depending on the time of day of your visit.
