Portugal, West Coast Resorts

The western Atlantic coast covers an area that runs from Sagres in the south of the Algarve to Odeceixe in the north, the last town before the Alentejo. It is part of the protected 'Parque Natural da Costa Vicentina'. The coastline is much more dramatic and rugged than the southern coast and more exposed to the Atlantic weather - the reason that it is such a popular area for the surfing fraternity.

At the northern most point is the pretty town of Odeceixe where the Seixe river winds it way through lush green pastures until it reaches the coast a short distance away at Praia de Odeceixe. Monte Clérigo (just to the west of Aljezur) is a beautiful place to visit winter or summer! It consists of a relatively small modern residential area on the hills above the beach and a scattering of fishermen's cottages around the beach, some of which are now used as holiday accommodation.Arrifana is a favourite with surfers who arrive winter and summer to enjoy the rolling waves of the Atlantic and in the summer are joined on the beach by sunworshippers escaping the more crowded south coast beaches. Carrapateira is a small town on the hillside just behind the sand dunes of Praia da Bordeira.To really appreciate the ruggedness of the coastline there is a scenic, if a little rough drive along the clifftops to Praia do Amado from Bordeira beach - take the road to the left of the beach and follow it up the hill and you can drive along the cliff tops all the way to Amado beach. Although it is quite a rough road in places, you don't need a 4x4 to tackle it! It is worth it for the view and when you reach Amado there is a tarmac road that leads you back to the main road just south of Carrapateira.