Beaches to Lisbon

Our final day with Rui, and we had a 300km/4.5 hour journey back to Lisbon, via the scenic coast road.

First stop was the Cape of Saint Vincent and The Fortress of Sagres, on the most south westerly point of continental Europe. A noticeable line is visible where the cold waters of the Atlantic meet the warm water of the Mediterranean. It is also home to one of the brightest lighthouses in the world, its light visible up to 60km away.

Lunch stop was the picturesque beach, Praia de Odeceixe (pronounced o-de-say-shu).

Our last stop of the day was Pessegueiro Fort and nearby Pessegueiro Island (Peach Tree Fort/Island). The island also has an unfinished fort, and evidence of occupation dating back to 200BC. It was home to a small fishing centre, and has recently discovered remains of salting tanks. As there are no peach trees on the island, it is believed the fishing activities gave the island its name as a mistranslation of the Latin "piscatorius" (fisherman). Or perhaps it's the medieval French, where "Pêche" (peach) and "pêche" (fishing) are still homophones, as we saw in Morocco where Peach Juice was mistranslated as Fishing Juice!

The cache of the day was in the quarry where rock for Pessegueiro Fort was sourced, while trying to avoid the stinging nettles which covered the passages. Extraction was done by bending a vine into a cradle and lifting it without setting foot on the ground.

The remainder of the journey was on motorways and we arrived in Lisbon at 5.30pm for a night in an airport hotel before our flight to Madeira tomorrow.Read more