The sea is calling
It was a freezing February day and my semester break was just about to start. Reasons enough to go abroad again... I missed the sea and the sun. I got excited when I saw a flight to Faro (Portugal). My heart said YES and so I booked the flight and imagined myself relaxing on the beach in Faro for ten days. Of course, everything turned out differently than "planned".
After my Scotland trip, I decided to avoid late evening flights on solo trips. I felt uncomfortable landing in a foreign country late in the evening and it was a bad feeling to look for my accommodation in the dark. So I was really happy about this decision to land early in Portugal.I landed in Faro around noon and had enough time to explore the small city.
The city was empty and there were hardly any people to see. I walked alone with my backpack through the streets and felt uncomfortable. I decided to go as quickly as possible to the hostel, which I had booked for the next two days. I met a few people on the way who looked at me strangely. Apparently, tourists were rather a rarity at this time.
A bit later, a creepy man walked up to me and offered to show me the real Portugal and to stay on his farm for free. I couldn't believe it... I told him I wasn't interested and kept walking. But he did not let me go and blocked my way. I quickly pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called the next best number. Fortunately, this scared him off and he let me go....
I was already used to traveling alone, but there were always moments I wished I had a travel buddy for safety reasons. And this was such a moment.
When I finally arrived at the hostel, I decided to spend the evening there. The hostel team was totally friendly and they invited me to dinner with them. At dinner, I told them about the creepy man I met. One hostel staff member was shocked. She knew the man and she had already heard stories of single travelers disappearing in Faro....
Ilha de Deserta
The next morning I explored the area around Faro with the other travelers. We walked along the harbor and then took the next bus to the beach Praia de Faro. Praia de Faro is a mile long sandy beach, the further you walk the more natural it becomes. I enjoyed my time on the beach. The doubts I had before the trip disappeared within a short time. I felt free again and felt like I was in the "right" place again.
Praia de Faro
The other travelers traveled further north and left Faro the next day. So I could concentrate on myself and on photography again. But I did not stay long by myself....
On the way into the city I saw a small stand, which advertised a trip to the Ilha de Deserta. Sounded good and just ten minutes later I was sitting in a ferry to Ilha de Deserta with another solo traveler. I immediately started a conversation with her. Since we got along so well, we decided to explore the island together.
Ilha de Deserta is an archipelago belonging to Portugal, consisting of the islands Ilhéu Chao, Deserta Grande and Bugio, the rock Prego do mar and a few unnamed small rocks.
There are no roads or cars on the island and the only building on the island is a restaurant. In the evening, after the restaurant employees leave the island, the island is uninhabited.
On the island I was allowed to enjoy the untouched nature. A pure feeling of freedom flowed through me. And this feeling was beautiful.
A few hours later we took the ferry back to Faro. We said goodbye to each other and exchanged our phone numbers. After all, you always see each other twice in life. And I was right about that...
Lagos
I quickly dropped my plan to spend ten days in Faro. Staying longer in Faro didn't feel right. So after three days I decided to travel further north and spend the rest of the days in Lagos.
After a two-hour bus ride, I arrived in the beautiful port city. I checked into a small hostel, packed my backpack and walked to the cliffs. The wind was blowing, but it was much warmer than in Faro. I could even take off my sweater. WOW and that in February! I just wondered why I had brought my bikini with me?
The cliffs were beautiful and there was not a person around on the beach. But a feeling of sadness flowed through me. I was sad that I couldn't share this beautiful moment with someone.
I don't want to say that traveling alone is always wonderful, because it's not. I love traveling alone, but there are moments that make you sad and make you feel lonely. But that's okay. Traveling alone doesn't mean you're always lonely either. But as nice as independent travel is, it can be difficult sometimes.
I sat down in the warm sand and took out my little diary. I wrote down everything that was on my mind at that moment and listened to the waves at the same time. Traveling alone always forced me to get more involved with myself. And so I got to know myself pretty well over time.
Back in the hostel I was immediately involved in a conversation by a fun-loving American woman. She was very open and so I knew her whole life story after a short time. She asked me if I wanted to go barhopping with her and the other guests. A little entertainment could be good for me, so I agreed.
But nothing came of the barhopping. The alleys were empty and most of the bars were closed. However, at the end of the street we found a bar with live music. The good music, the delicious food and the good company made me smile again after a short time. We chatted about God and the world and told each other stories about the most beautiful places we had ever seen. It felt like we had all known each other forever.
A few drinks later, we went back to the hostel and let the evening end on the roof terrace. The others told me how beautiful Lisbon was and in my overtired state I booked the bus to Lisbon. Unfortunately, I had made a slight mistake in the date and so six hours later I was already on the bus to Lisbon.
Lagos was obviously just a stopover. But a beautiful one!
Lisbon
The low season made it very easy for me to travel spontaneously. I could easily book an accommodation in Lisbon a few hours before my arrival. I chose the hostel "Lookout Lisbon" where I shared a room with eight other travelers. I paid €10 per night with breakfast. As in Scotland, I took a free walking tour of Lisbon to get to know the city better.
Lisbon was just as beautiful as my friends from Lagos had promised me. If not even more beautiful... I especially loved Sintra. Sintra is a small town located about 25 kilometers northwest of Lisbon. The cultural landscape of the same name is littered with palaces and castles, which is why it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. After a half-hour train ride, I arrived in the city center. From there, I made my way to the beautiful palaces and castles. I felt like I was in a fairy tale.
What you must see in Sintra:
∞ Quinta da Regaleira
∞ Castelo dos Mouros
∞ Palácio de Monserrate
∞ Palácio Nacional da Pena
∞ Palácio Nacional de Sintra
∞ Convento dos Capuchos
∞ the old town of Sintra
∞ Vila Sassetti
∞ Cruz Alta
Lisbon is diverse and beautiful. With the other travelers we learned to love this city. From the cute cafes in the old town to a salsa party. We got to enjoy Lisbon to the fullest.
I was so thankful for the wonderful time and the nice people I got to meet. I was so grateful that I listened to my heart and spontaneously changed my plans. If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have seen Lisbon at that time.
My personal Lisbon highlights:
∞ Sintra
∞ Bairro Alto
∞ Praça do Comércio
∞ tram Eléctrico 28E
∞ Ponte 25 de Abril
∞ Torre de Belém
Sintra
Torre de Belém
On the last day before departure, I sat down on the bank of the Tagus River with my diary. I wrote down all my experiences and my feelings and realized that everything I did was brave and I was proud of that.
And the most beautiful thing was that I met the traveler from the ferry to Ilha de Deserta in Lisbon again. As I said, you always see each other twice in life...