Good Morning fellow travellers and would be adventurers. Hope all is good in your hood. Today was a blue sky, wall to wall sunshine kind of day and, whilst the beach was always a magnet, we were off exploring again. An old school friend has recommended that we get off the well beaten tourist track and go see somewhere a bit more typical. We were definitely up for that so I packed us a yummy picnic and off we went, up, up, up into the hills to find the village of Alte. We were warned it was a little bit remote but the drive was so lovely, it mattered not. We were doing the journey by car today as we didn’t want to lose our fabulous pitch at Manta Rota. The route we took, towards Loule and then beyond was fine for Motorhomes and there was even a small Aire on the outskirts (I don’t think there were any services). It would be a wonderful place to spend a couple of tranquil nights. It was so gorgeous meandering through the green hills and fertile valleys full of flowers. The scenery was simply stunning. Cork trees stretching for miles and the odd Vineyard. Alte was certainly typical, one of the most traditional villages we’ve seen in the Algarve. Its whitewashed houses with ornate chimneys, each one different from the next, are scattered amongst the fig and pomegranate trees. You can see strong Arab influences once again in the architecture. The highlight though was the two natural springs. The smaller of the two, Fonte Pequena, and the larger Fonte Grande. Back in the day these were a meeting place for the town’s womenfolk who gathered to collect water and do their laundry. Nowadays, the local children come to swim. The water was crystal clear with little waterfalls tumbling into the river.

It’s such a pretty and peaceful place. No hustle and bustle here. We sat by the river and ate our lunch listening to the bird’s singing. Dylan had a dip, chased a few ducks then realised they were actually bigger than him so retreated with his tail between his legs! We discovered a quirky little shop selling locally produced soaps with the most amazing scents and bought some local honey. All very quaint. The beautiful old church was the pinnacle of the village centre, do try and take a peek inside. The Baroque alter was quite magnificent. There’s a 13th century water mill and breathtaking views around every corner over the steep, lush valleys. What a pleasant afternoon and yet another Portuguese gem to add to the list. We drove back as the sun was setting over the hills of Serra do Caldeiro with the sea sparkling in the distance. It had been a good day. A really good day. Definitely put this place on your list. Time for us to say adious now for another day. Hope you all enjoyed the trip! Sending love to you and yours. Happiest of travels. M and M 🇵🇹🇵🇹❤️