A Portuguese Weekend

Debbie Pugh Jones takes a two hour flight to deserted beaches in authentic Portugal

A LONG weekend catching up with my son and his dog, who are touring Europe in a van, led to me discovering an unspoilt area of Portugal just a two hour flight from Bristol.

I found it when looking for cheap accommodation under a 30-minute drive from Porto airport and what a find.  Five nights’ accommodation in the clean and spacious Apartment Póvoa de Varzim, in the tiny coastal village of Aguçadoura, cost under £250.

The apartment was five minutes’ walk to a wide deserted beach sporting gleaming white sand.  

Behind the sand dunes is a boardwalk which is on part of the Coastal Portuguese Camino de Santiago route.

The route was created by pilgrims wanting to visit the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela where, it is said, the remains of the apostle St James the Greater were found in 1075. The Camino de Santiago and all its routes are now internationally recognised as one of the greatest historic walking trails of the world. The coastal route takes about 12 days to cover the 265 km from Porto to Santiago. The only tourists we spotted in Aguçadoura were passing along this route.

Aguçadoura is the perfect location for a long weekend’s gentle flat walking along kilometres of wooden boardwalks through flowered sand dunes, pavements and quiet tarmac roads taking in the wild Atlantic beauty of the sea alongside. The parish is recognized for its beaches: Aguçadoura Beach, Codicheira Beach and Barranha Beach, popular with surfers.

Surprisingly, there are virtually no cafés directly on this stretch of the Camino. Heading south down the boardwalk is an easy 45 minute stroll to the nearest restaurant Praia do Mestre which serves the most wonderful Portuguese speciality Francesinha.  It packs wet-cured ham, linguiça (a Portuguese sausage), and steak inside two slices of thick bread which is covered with melted cheese and a special tomato and beer sauce. It is a bit like the Portuguese version of Lasagne.

Many other restaurants can be found a 15 minute drive away in Póvoa de Varzim which also has wonderful, but busier, beaches. I can recommend the Nautico snack bar right on the beach. It’s close to the pretty Póvoa de Varzim harbour where we took a stroll.

Much of the land in the area is on former arid sand dunes and fertilisation of its soils was done through generations of farmers by gathering sargassum seaweed from the ocean to fertilize the infertile soil. This can be seen today with farmers laying seaweed out at the back of the beaches to dry out before being gathered up and stored in mini stacks.

Green houses dominate Aguçadoura and the parish is renowned for its garden crops. Some of the houses have the most beautiful gardens and there was a real contrast in properties from derelict cottages to houses clad with colourful tiles to modern-day glass fronted homes.

There is not a lot to the north of Aguçadoura but we drove as far at Praia de Ofir where we found interesting structures protecting the dunes from the sea. The beach was lined with large geotubes made of a woven polypropylene and hydraulically filled with a mixture of sand and water. They looked like large pillows and actually serve this purpose when sitting on the beach and using them as a readymade back rest.

The weekend was over too soon and we spent a day exploring Porto before heading back to the airport. Porto is an interesting riverside city but full of tourists and, for me, I was delighted to have chosen to stay in the authentic village of Aguçadoura to have experienced a truly authentic part of Portugal.

Find out more

For trips to Portugal, long and short, call our Silver Travel Advisors on 0800 412 5678. Take a look at Classic Collection Holiday and Sovereign Luxury Travel too.

1 people found this helpful
75967

Share Article:

Debbie Pugh-Jones

Freelance travel writer & member of International Travel Writers’ Alliance

Leave a comment

*

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest travel tips on top destinations.

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Most Recent Articles

Home to stunning landscapes, including the flamingo-populated salt lakes, the country offers the perfect overview of the Andes Mountains and…
Jane Wilson visits Seattle, the city renowned for its coffee, buzzing market place and Native American traditions….
Silver Travel Advisor writer Solange Hando discovered amazing wonders in Montenegro on the edge of the Balkans….

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.