Beaches in the Algarve

We thought you might like to see our photo’s of some of the beaches we have seen on our travels in the Algarve.  The eastern Algarve has wide sandy beaches with golden sand containing lots of sea shells of different types.  We saw shell fishermen most days in the sea up to their thighs dragging their nets while stamping their feet to dislodge the tiny clams.  Later in the day they would be outside the smaller supermarkets with their catch hoping to make a bit of cash.  We did find a few clams ourselves but when we tried to cook them they were so full of sand we couldn’t eat them so obviously should have been water treated first - or were they the wrong type of clam?

Manta Rota 

 There are also the lagoons especially around Tavira and Salgados with lots of seabirds and some flamingos too.

 

                                                               Ria Formosa Estuary

As we travelled west, the coast and the beach walks became more rocky and interesting as we discovered the yellow and ochre of the cliffs, the hanging valleys, sink holes and stacks stranded way off the beach. 

 Galé Beach

on the walk at Praia da Marinha

The western tip of the Algarve is a Nature reserve and has a varied landscape which is very green in the Spring.  However the wind can be quite fierce as you look out across the Atlantic to Africa to the south or America to the west. 

  

Beach at Luz

Us parked for a few days at Boca do Rio 

 Of course the weather has not been as sunny as this all the time but no point in taking photo's in the rain is there?