Dry and hot days would be spent on the car while making our way from Galicia to Madrid when me and my brothers were young. In the middle, little towns belonging to the same country, Spain, but oh so different to what we were used to. That much that solely the trip would become a destination for itself.
That was exactly the impression I had at Monsaraz. Being a tiny town, nowadays completely restored for the masses to enjoy some dry quietness in the middle of nowhere, it has so much charm it becomes a mandatory stop if you are driving through the Alentejo region on your way to the Algarve.
Round mountains and lakes one after the other for as long as you can see on top of the town’s old castle. And a Porto tonic – the Portuguese answer to the Gin tonic worldwide trend – to combat the heat and peacefully bring back the energy and hydration you need to continue your journey.
Una foto publicada por A World to Travel (@aworldtotravel) el
I had been dreaming of the Algarve for as long as I remember. Being just a 7 hour ride from Galicia, I actually never managed to make it Southern than Vila Nova de Milfontes, Alentejo, where I camped once with two Lisbon friends of mine.
I even bought return flight tickets to Faro for me and all my friends once – no kidding, Ryanair 1 cent flights were a reality ten years back – but we never made it all together down there. So I lost .30 euro and forgot about the South of Portugal for a while.
That said, I had great expectations about it. Following what I had read and watched, the area was meant to be stunning and with enjoyable weather year round too! Oh well, what happened is that it succeed in surpassing my expectations. A lot.
The rugged and beautiful landscapes I found by the sea are worth a proper visit and I will be coming back there for sure in the upcoming months with more time to enjoy the area and without any deadlines, job or worries.
And, when that happens, I will make sure to stop at Ozavi Hotel again. Such a wonderful design-but-affordable Tavira based hotel with an awe-inspiring pool that literally glows at night.
Deeply in love, seriously #Ozadi #portugalfoodstories Una foto publicada por A World to Travel (@aworldtotravel) el
If there is such a thing as Algarve hipster paradise, this should be this place!
Love at first sight #portugalfoodstories at #Ozadi Heart&Soul #Tavira Hotel
Una foto publicada por A World to Travel (@aworldtotravel) el
Note to self. Breakfast on the top floor’s terrace is grand and healthy. Make sure to arrive a bit earlier than your average time to enjoy it properly. As it deserves to be enjoyed.
Note to self 2. Before getting there, stop at that little tavern and share a glass of house wine and some popular songs with the locals. Priceless.
Disclaimer
I came to Portugal to take part on a 2 weeks food tour around the country after winning the Portugal Food Stories contest by Aptece along with other 4 international bloggers. Anyway, all the opinions here are my own. Read all the articles about this awesome trip here.