This post was originally published on 7th February 2019 and updated on 21st February 2021. It follows my adventures in Portugal as I visit Olhos de Água and Praia da Falesia for the first time.

Olhos de Água

After a relaxing day on Tuesday, I was back in explorer mode yesterday.

I decided to head east of the resort towards Olhos de Água. Google maps told me it was only a short walk away. And yet again, the weather was perfect for a walk.

Google maps certainly didn’t let me down. Twenty minutes after setting off, I arrived at the beach in Olhos de Água. Olhos is a small fishing town, the heart of which has been built around a small sandy cove. It’s much quieter than Albufeira. Perfect for young families or those looking for somewhere less commercial.

But on the flip side, there’s not much to see of do there. So after a little look around, I made my way to the beach. I had my eye on visiting Praia da Falesia, one of The Algarve’s most beautiful beaches. And it looked as though I could walk there from Olhos de Água.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself on one of the beaches on The Algarve’s south coast whilst the tide is out, you can easily walk from beach to beach without too many problems, albeit in some places you will have to scramble over a few small rocks. Once the tide comes back in, it’s a different story, with many of the beaches becoming inaccessible. 

Luckily, when I arrived, the tide was out, and I could see there was a clear stretch of beach from Olhos to Praia da Falesia.

Praia da Falesia

As soon as I reached Praia da Falesia, the scenery took my breath away. The bright orange cliffs and the visible layers of rock made the geographer in me do a little backflip of joy.

As far as I was concerned, I had found paradise. 

I knew I was walking along the beach with a massive grin on my face, as I stared in awe of the scenery. Around every corner I walked, the cliff faces changed and had something different for me to grin at.

 

As I continued to walk along the beach, I realised how light and carefree I felt. I felt more relaxed and content than I had done in a long time.

As I walked along the beach, I found myself doing a lot of thinking.

I started to make sense out of a lot of things on that walk. I was able to put perspective on events that had been happening in my life. It allowed me to let go of some things. It made me realise I needed to make some changes on my return to the UK. I knew this walk had changed me. It was time to bring happiness back into my life. I just needed to find a way of re-creating this wonderful carefree feeling once I arrived back home.

Time to say goodbye 

Sadly my time in Portugal is nearing its end. It’s been wonderful to get away by myself for a few days. I’m excited to be returning home with a clear perspective on things and with a spring in my step. 

For now, it’s time to pack and say my goodbyes to Portugal, as I prepare to fly back to London tomorrow.  

Has this post has inspired you to take a trip to Olhos de Água or Praia da Falesia? Let me know in the comments below.