Portugal Vacation Itinerary- The Sunny Paradise in Europe

The animal sanctuary (ARA) is a 30 minute walk to Loulé, a lovely town with markets on the weekends where you can purchase craft products, pottery and fresh vegetables/fruits. You can enjoy the beautiful architecture with a coffee. I can recommend going to “Bean17coffeeandmore” for a good oat cappuccino.

I stayed at ARA for 8 stays and helped out as a volunteer to walk and take care of the dogs. The work is very easy and fun and you have enough time to discover the area. You can apply on their website or on Workaway if you are interested. The weekend was free to explore the surrounding places like Quarteira or Albufeira. In Quarteira I can recommend Raizes, a vegetarian restaurant with many vegan options as well. Afterwards you can take a nice walk along the beach and go for a swim. 
 

Sintra is a 2 hour train ride from Lisbon. It’s a charming town within the mountains surrounded by beautiful nature with palaces and castles to visit. I stayed at the Nice Way Hostel which is a beautiful place with a garden to chill out. We made BBQs at night which was nice to meet other travelers. The first day I visited Quinta Da Regalaría, it’s was nice to stroll around there for some hours but people kept on recommending me the park and national palace of Pena so maybe try that out. The second day I took a bus to Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point of Europe. You can hike down on the right until a stunning hidden beach. It is perfect to spend the day there relaxing. Pack some lunch with you, there is a restaurant nearby but to be honest the options were very pricy and only fast food. Be sure to catch the last bus which runs around 6pm. 
 

Sagres was my favourite place in Portugal. It’s very laid back, good place for surfing and amazing weather.

I stayed at the Lighthouse Hostel which is gorgeous, it has a pool and a garden to hang out. The owners are very welcoming and friendly. I mainly walked to different beaches or went surfing in Sagres. For surfing I can recommend Praia da Marita or Praia do Tonel. Praia de Beliche is a 40 minute walk from Sagres, you can just follow the coastline, enjoy the view and then take a swim at the beach. It’s good to bring some snacks with you, there is only a small cafe at the beach with little options.

For restaurants in Sagres I can recommend The laundry lodge for burgers and good live music in the evenings and the “Gelateria Alice, Art and Heart” for a delicious home made ice cream with vegan options.