8 days in Portugal-5-11 to 5/18/2022

Day 1-Lisbon
Arrival/Igreja Sao Cristovao
Praça da Figueira, Confeitaria
Praça de Comércio
Streets in Baixa and Alfama
Dinner at Farol De Santa Luzia

Day 2-Lisbon
Lisbon Cathedral
Church De Sao Vincente de Fora
Lisbon National Pantheon
Lunch at Time Out Market
Walking around
Dinner at Boi-Cavalo

Day 3-Lisbon
Belém Tower
Upper level
Jeronimos Monastery
Upper level/High Choir
Church of Santa Maria
Dinner at Basque

Day 4-Faro
Old town
Old town continuation
Church of San Pedro
Dinner at Villa Adentro

Day 5-Faro/Albufeira

Farmer Market
Sao Rafael Beach
Lunch at Rocha Palha
Old town, Albufeira
Stoll in Faro
Dinner at Pigs & Cows

Day 6-Faro

Ria Formosa

Desert Island

Desert island cont'

Lunch

Faro Island

Dinner/Faro @ night

Day 7-Beja/Lisbon

Beja Castle

Beja Cathedral

Lunch-Adega 25

Abril

Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Dinner-Taberna

Day 8-Peniche/Lisbon

Surf beach

Old town

lunch @ Sardinha

Coast line

Dinner @ Ramiro

Lisbon at night

Day 6- Rio Formosa-Faro-5/16/2022

Ilha Deserta (Desert Island)

Ilha Deserta (Desert Island) is one of the 5 barrier islands in the Ria Formosa Natural Park and located in the southerrnmost point of Mainland Portugal. As the name indicates, it is one of the most remote and deserted location in the Algarve.  Even at the height of summer, there will only be a handful of people on the beach.  The island is unhabited and is acessible only by boat.

Ilha Deserta is a hotspot of biodiversity where you can find birds, plants and flowers, crustacean, chameleons and etc..

   Pristine beaches with barely anobody there.   There will be no Urban development here so it will also be deserted.

 

Across the shore is Faro island not to be confused with the town of Faro.

 

View of Faro Island from Desert Island.

 

Crystal clear water

 

A sea cucumber on the beach.

 

Sea shells

 

More sea shells...

 

Walking toward the end of the beach.

 

Incredible view with nobody in sight.

 

The beaches on the island stretch for about 6 miles with exceptionally clean and clear water.

 

Sandy beach..

 

The water is crystal clear.

 

 

  

The island has a rich fauna and Flora with about 200 different plant species.

 

From the beach, you have to climb up a bit to reach the wooden boardwalk through the sand dunes.

 

We are now on the boardwalk looking at the beach.

 

Gorgeous view from here.

 

Wild flowers.

 

The boardwalk is about 1.25 mile long.

 

 

Flowers are thriving in the sand dune.

 

Wild daisy

 

Sea beans can only grown in salty environment.  I have seen chefs using it but it is so hard the find in our area.

 

Here they are plenty of bushes and they produce beautiful purple flowers.

Wish I could take so home...

 

I am so surprised to se parsley growing in the sand dune.

 


There are a lot of parsely everywhere.

On the right is a scarecrow.

 

The only hut on the island

 

I was told this is a resting point for all the fishermen.  They can come and have lunch and leave their equipment here.

 

The brown building you see is the only restaurant on Desert Island.

 

Solar panels perched atop and alongside the building now produce energy, all year-round, and collected groundwater purified by reverse osmosis comprises the restaurant’s water supply.

 

  Entrance to Estamine restaurant.  We did not get in as we wanted to explore the island.

 

Pier leading to the beacon/light house.

 

 

Check out how clear the water is.

 

There are lots of fish swimming around..

 

 

This area is where the lagoon and the Ocean Pacific is merging.

 

The sea is entering the lagoon.

 

There are a lot of waves when the sea is entering the lagoon.

 

 

NEXT.... Day 6-Continuation

 

 

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