January, 2015
There are a few places I visited in January, I haven’t mentioned. In these last days in Portugal I just enjoy some last encounters with people from around Cacela Velha, some last sight-seeing in the Eastern Algarve and trying to focus on my next trip to Spain.
There is Monte Gordo, a place full of apartment buildings and hotels, but with a fabulous wide beach, very busy in the Summer, but now just occupied by mainly Dutch overwintering retirees. The beach reminds me of Scheveningen, a famous Dutch beach town by Den Hague, but of course not as crowded.
Another interesting town is Castro Marim, where the two fortresses are seen from far away and from where you have fabulous views over the surrounding landscape and over the river Guadiana, which borders Portugal with Spain.
The last place on Portuguese grounds is Vila Real de St Antonio. A busy little town, where a lot of tourists come for a visit during their overwintering in neighboring villages, but also popular by Spanish daily visitors, who are often interested in the Portuguese textiles, which are sold in many stores.
The old town of Alcoutim is situated on the Spanish side of the river. You can reach this town by boat or by car via the bridge, which is towering over the river.