Why the Algarve is my favorite place in Europe

Can you really feel happiness flowing through your body? Like a kind of infatuation? I’m sure of it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as radiant and happy as I did those three days last year. I don’t know what it was, but I felt so glowy. Some people have it with Spain, others with Greece or France, I have it with Portugal. It’s the place in Europe where I feel most myself, relaxed, and happy.

It wasn’t a question of whether I would go back, the only question was when. Well, that when is now. In fact, if you’re reading this, my cadets are somewhere up in the air on their way to my happy place. Still got a few days left for a short trip? Ha. It’s my task to get you on team Portugal. But it’s not hard, coming up with reasons why you want to go that way… Just look.

1. If you’ve ever been there, you know exactly what I mean: that cute fishing village by the coast. That little street with all those adorable shops. A café here, a market there. Too many diminutives in one sentence: okay, Portugal is just too cute to handle. And inland it’s even less touristy and the ‘local color’ is even better experienced.

2. Algarve is located on the coast. Being on the coast means fresh fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. You get it, I get it: bring on those seafood platters.

3. Rain? What’s that? Southern Portugal is so nicely situated topographically that it’s almost always sunny there. Anyway, Algarve, with about three thousand hours of sunshine per year, is one of the sunniest places in Europe. Now you know that too.

4. You’ll get there faster than the light from your fridge. It takes you just three hours to fly to Faro from Schiphol.

5. Unique in Europe: the low season is also a great time to head that way. Especially if you don’t have kids going to school or if you don’t like extreme heat but still want some nice sunshine.

6. You can also take a little road trip (Portugal seems almost made for it, for fifty euros you can rent a car for four days) and first spend a few days at the beach in Albufeira and then drive towards Lisbon. Oh, and if you want: read here where you need to be in Lisbon. 

7. They. Sell. Pastel. De. Nata. Undoubtedly the most famous sweet in Portugal. Divine delicious. The rule is often: the uglier the bar, the better they are.

8. It all feels incredibly relaxed. I walked around for days without makeup, without bangs, without a bra, I don’t know what else without – and it didn’t matter at all. Expensive brands? Pff, they don’t care. Slippers on, messy bun on your head and you’re done. You won’t get more vacation than this, trust me.

Did I already say that I’m really looking forward to this? #EvenOutofOffieBrbJoejoe.