Ferragudo on The Algarve

The fishing village of Ferragudo on The Algarve is a far cry from the busier resorts of this popular destination.

We’re here at the end of April, enjoying Spring in Portugal during a longer campervan trip spanning Spain and Morocco.

After leaving the Seven Hanging Valleys walk earlier in the day, we’ve been meandering along the coast and fancy somewhere for lunch.

A cute village centre – Ferragudo on The Algarve

Ferragudo is somewhere we happen across and decide to try and park up for a peek. After a couple of drive-by’s looking for a place to park, we opt for a large empty parking area on the edge of the village.

It’s a really dusty parking area although a sign says no motorhomes we take our chances. After all, we’re not staying overnight and this parking area is empty and huge, albeit a little rugged.

Pot holes and dust aside, we’re able to park easily overlooking a beach area. Beside us are small fishing boats and a view across the estuary towards Portimao.

It’s an ideal place for a spot of lunch, followed by a walk through a small passage into the old village.

Colourful buildings and cobbles

It turns out this beautiful little village is quite a treat. Not only are there traditional painted buildings in the most colourful designs, but narrow cobble alleys run between. The mix of yellows and blues, along with fabulous tiles on the exterior are delightful.

Towards the centre of the village is a bustling square, surrounded by restaurants, it’s a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

Ferragudo is a laid back kind of place and makes for a pleasant stroll. There’s a few small shops along a narrow street set back off the square where we enjoy a wonder before heading back to the campervan.

A stroll through Portimao

It’s time to hit the road again, but we’re not going far because Portimao calls. This is Portugal’s 2nd city and its location just across the Arada river is only a few minutes drive away.

Just over the bridge as we enter Portimao, we notice a large parking area to our right. This looks like an ideal place to park while we go off exploring on foot.

Indeed, the parking is good and a quick check on directions brings us towards the centre of the old town.

A port town

We’re walking along a long promenade with the river on one side and the old town on the other, although we can’t quite tell what the town is like yet.

An opportunity comes to cross into the shopping streets opposite, so we take a look. It’s actually more of a functional type of town, with lots of stores leading uphill on pedestrianised streets.

Unfortunately, there’s bit of building work going on, so we don’t quite see it at its best. Portimao is known as a large port town and we feel it’s more of a working town than a tourist destination.

However, there are boat trips from Portimao to see the various rock formations along the coast. Also, the old dock area with a modern day promenade walk links up to Praia da Rocha, a large holiday resort with beautiful beaches.

For us it’s time for us to re-trace our steps back to the campervan where we’ll be heading inland to the historic town of Silves.