We could have been pirates discovering a remote Island, a mysterious Island surrounded by thick fog . But it was just myself and Dolores on a ferry from Cangas to the Illas Cies in Galicia, still the islands were surrounded by thick fog on this particular day. The Cies Islands were known as the islands of the gods by the Romans, knowadays they are a natural park. The Cies islands are located in the Vigo estuary and exist out of the following 3 islands: Monteagudo, O faro and San Martino. The first 2 are connected by a magnificent stretch of sand called Rodas beach, once called the best beach in the world by the Guardian. Our boat came to a sudden halt nearby Rodas beach where we all disembarked. First stop was the restaurant/bar where we had a refreshing drink/toilet stop. And during this first introduction with the Islands, we can see why they were called islands of the gods by the Romans. The islands are as close as you get to paradise, no traffic, amazing beaches, pine forests, .... just us and a couple of hundred other tourists. The islands are busy enough during the summer months, but they are much quieter during late summer/autumn. Even with the many tourists, it isn't that difficult to find a quiet spot on the islands. On this particular day, we walked along the many paths on the Island, one of them leading to the lighthouse (Mount Faro) . on a clear day, the views are just mindblowing, on this particular day they were non existent due to the persistant fog. But by afternoon, the fog started clearing slowly and the sun even decided to make an appearance. The white sand of Rodas beach together with the azure blue waters surrounding the islands were that inviting that we decided to go for a refreshing swim before we took the ferry back to Cangas. These islands are amazing, and we have already decided that we will return outside the main tourist season.
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Of the beaten track halfway between Lisbon and Coimbra is Parque Natural Das Serras De Aire e Candeeiros, a sparsely populated area within Central Portugal. This chalk area is popular with speleologists who love to discover the caves of the area which have been formed and sculpted by the underground rivers. Many of the caves are now open to the public, including Mira de Aire, Portugal's largest cave system. The nature reserve is fantastic for cycling, hiking or just driving through it. Hundreds of stone walls mark the many field bounderies, cork trees being almost the only plant which survives on these dry soils. This area is the real Portugal, the small villages haven't been touched by tourism, the locals are glad to have a chat about everday life, the small bars & restaurants have the authentic Portuguese dishes on offer,.... Goats roam freely in the barren landscape, just lifting their heads whenever the odd car passes by their remote grazing spot. The day we visited this remote nature reserve was one where the weather couldn't make up it's mind. From showers to sunshine, it created a dramatic display of colours and beauty. this area, although mostly undiscovered by the main flow of tourists is a must visit area if you love nature, authenticity or just quietness.
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About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
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