Algarve SUP’ing

With a few hundred Euros in TAP Portugal credit and no real idea of where to go that didn’t involve connections and long flights we decided to just head somewhere warm and that we’d never been to before. The Algarve sounded like that destination. Unfortunately the flight into Faro still required a connection through Lisbon – in hindsight we should have ditched the credit and flew direct with Easyjet from Geneva to Faro!

With flights booked, accommodation and potential adventure was next on the search list. Turns out there’s a quaint fishing village a taxi drive away from the city of Portimão called Ferragudo. Sitting right on the Arade river that spills into the sea it offered easy water access, many restaurants, beautiful beaches and convenience for some impressive hikes. The only downside was the extended travel time, an additional 2 ½ hour bus ride from Faro airport.

The thing we always consider with vacations is not being lazy; this trip being no different. Yes, we’re in the Algarve, a beach hotspot, but laying on a beach does nothing for us. On the other hand, being able to see those same beautiful beaches from a different perspective would definitely work. Bring on SUP’ing!

Whilst I tend to not listen to Andrea too often when booking any kind of trip her suggestion for bringing our newly purchased stand up paddleboards was the best idea, not ever, but still pretty good. We found the combined weight was just under 23kgs including paddles, a pump, surf gear, flip flops and a couple of phone drybags; perfect for only one EasyJet hold bag.

As well as the Algarve being a perfect venue for being on the water we had found a couple of cool looking hikes that would take us along the sea cliffs, then we still had a couple of nights to explore Faro and it’s historic centre.

After one of the first flights of the day out of Geneva, a stopover in Lisbon, we eventually arrived into Faro. A car would have been nice, but hey we were on a budget for this trip, so we would make do with public transport. An eternity later we were throwing our crap down on a very well presented room and fulfilling our hunger needs! The rest of the afternoon was for slobbing and finding a local supermarket; the adventures would begin early the next morning.