Surfing the west coast, hiking the Fisherman's Trail, dolphins off Lagos and waking up in a vineyard: a week in a van through southern Portugal.
What happens when you put someone who doesn't like camping in a van for a week in southern Portugal? YouTuber Noortje Jonkers joined a Portugal Nomads trip with her boyfriend Sebas and filmed everything. From surfing on the west coast and hiking the Fisherman's Trail to spotting dolphins near Lagos and waking up in a vineyard, here are the highlights of their road trip. The full video is at the top of this page.
- Lisbon – the start of your road trip
- West coast – surfing and van life
- Fisherman's Trail – hiking along the cliffs
- Sagres – the perfect beach
- Lagos – a boat trip and dolphin spotting
- The interior – camping, workouts and wine tasting
- Setúbal – the last kilometres back to Lisbon
1. Lisbon – the start of your road trip
The trip starts and ends in Lisbon, where you pick up your own van. Got a few hours to spare? Do what Noortje and Sebas did and head straight into the city. The airport is close to the centre and Ubers are cheap. They stumbled onto a lovely little square for a salade niçoise and a croque madame, then stocked up at the supermarket, because you'll regularly cook for yourself on the road. What they noticed right away: food in Portugal is affordable. That evening they ate unlimited picanha (grilled beef with rice, potatoes, beans and salad) for just €15 per person.
2. West coast – surfing and van life
From Lisbon you drive south towards the rugged west coast. Noortje booked a last-minute surf lesson. The picture of sun and perfect waves didn't quite happen that morning: it was foggy and the waves took their time. Still, life in the van suited them. The bed was surprisingly comfortable (they slept ten hours the first night) and the second campsite sat under tall trees with shade everywhere. Toasties on the camping stove, and in the evening watching the World Cup with other travellers in the village sports bar: camping at its best.
I'm just completely happy when I'm out there in the water.
Tip: If you book through Portugal Nomads you can add a surf lesson, suitable for beginners and more experienced surfers.
3. Fisherman's Trail – hiking along the cliffs
One of the best ways to see the west coast is on foot. Noortje and Sebas walked a 10 km stage of the famous Fisherman's Trail, mostly over sand, with one amazing view after another over the cliffs and the Atlantic. Tough? Definitely. But more than worth it. What surprised them was how quiet it was in June.
I really thought this was high season, but there's almost nobody here.
Our tip: Start your hike early in the morning. Even when it's only 24 degrees, the sun on the cliffs feels much hotter, and you'll have the whole afternoon left to recover on the beach. Good walking shoes help, because a lot of the trail is sand.
4. Sagres – the perfect beach
After the hike you drive on to Sagres, at the far south-western tip of Portugal. First a solid burger, then the beach. And what a beach: bright blue water, hardly any waves and so calm you can walk far out into the sea. Two sunbeds with a parasol cost just €20 together. That night's campsite sits on a slope, which gives you beautiful views from your van.
If you'd told me this was in some faraway country, I'd have believed you.
5. Lagos – a boat trip and dolphin spotting
One of the best moments of the week was the boat trip from Lagos. For the first hour you cruise along the coast past small beaches and rock formations shaped entirely by nature. Then a speedboat takes you out to open sea to look for dolphins. They swam and jumped together, calves included. Afterwards the group ate fresh fish by the coast, and Noortje and Sebas ended the afternoon with a Thai massage in Lagos.
We didn't even have to search for long, and there were so many big groups of dolphins.
Our tip: You can book this boat trip through Portugal Nomads. You'll see the Lagos cliffs from the water and look for dolphins in their natural habitat.
6. The interior – camping, workouts and wine tasting
After the coast the route heads inland. It gets much hotter here (35 degrees that day!), but you get the most atmospheric campsites in return. Noortje and Sebas stayed at a small campsite overlooking the hills, with a pool that doubles as a water reservoir and a cosy little bar. When two German campers made too much salad, they simply joined them and watched the World Cup on a mini TV. The next day Noortje found Titan Fitness Algarve, a half-open gym that reminded her of Bali. In the evening there was a wine tasting, and the next morning they woke up in the middle of a vineyard.
That's why I love this: just that homely, simple feeling.
7. Setúbal – the last kilometres back to Lisbon
From the vineyard it's about an hour and a half back towards Lisbon. A wrong turn turned their planned viewpoint into a coffee stop in Setúbal, a lively harbour town full of coffee spots. After the inland heat the fresh sea breeze was more than welcome. The road to the final campsite runs through a beautiful nature park. The next morning you return the van in Lisbon, hopefully with time for one last coffee in the city.
I had no idea Portugal, which is so close, was this beautiful. Looking back I could have stayed a few more days. I will definitely be back.
Insider tips for your road trip
- Plan a few hours in Lisbon before you pick up your van.
- Shop at the supermarket: you'll cook regularly and prices are reasonable.
- Hay fever? Bring enough medication.
- Expect heat inland: in June it can reach 35 degrees.
- Travel in June: nice and warm, but campsites and beaches are still quiet.
Want to follow the same route? Noortje travelled with Portugal Nomads, who offer a 7-day trip along the west coast and the Algarve in your own minivan, with routes, campsites and a roadbook arranged for you, from €559. And yes: Sebas survived his first camping week too.
