A kitesurfers mecca it said somewhere. Sadly not a breath of wind the time we were there. It has been an odd year for weather, but the potential is clear. Lisbon is an easy flight from the UK. The rush hour drive through a big city, bottle necking at the 25 de Abril suspension bridge was not the ideal start.
The beach is down a surprisingly large cliff from the residential area. The top of the cliffs are covered in national park full of board walks and trails. A popular spot for walking and running. The viewpoints are plentiful and for good reason.
The villa was a good base from which to explore, but also to relax. The balcony was the ideal late afternoon drinking spot.
Not a million miles to the north was Nazare. A must stop location for anyone with a passing interest in surfing. However I was blown away by just how busy this once tiny fishing village now gets. The sea was flat as a pancake, making it hard to visualise the iconic giant waves going over the lighthouse. When it is on it must be truly incredible to watch. Even with no real swell, the power of the waves and the rip down below were obviously strong.
On the way back we took a detour to Obidos to try and get a desperate kite session in having brought my gear. There was enough wind to foil, but not enough water in the lagoon. I tried the sea, but the wind was marginal and the waves overhead. I almost got away with it, but I didnt. Luckily I managed to avoid catastrophe and escaped with myself and my gear intact. You cant force these things.
On a rainy day we headed into Lisbon. It is an old city, with a unique look and clearly plenty going on. It looked ideal for eating and drinking, especially once you moved deeper into the city and away from the main tourist areas. A place I would happily return to.
The rest of our time was spent enjoying days on the beach, swimming, sunbathing, eating ice creams, beach tennis and renting foamies.
On a good forecast, this place would be incredible for kitesurfing or just surfing.
