While parks may not be Portugal’s primary tourism draw, this Iberian state’s protected lands have both natural and historical features in spades. From boulder-strewn slopes to ruins of hill top castles, Portugal’s parks have some fascinating spots to explore. Here’s the catch; the most well documented sites in these parks, especially those detailed in guidebooks, are most often over run with tour buses. Fortunately, for those who wish to get away from the crowds, there are lesser-known spots to explore.
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For any surfer, a pilgrimage to Praia do Norte - just north of Nazaré is a must if you find yourself visiting Portugal. Not only is the site of Garrett McNamara's ridiculously epic ride down an estimated 100 foot wave (I'm sure even the non-surfers among you have seen the pictures) - it's also just the most beautiful beach I've maybe ever been to.
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When I play the memories from our first week in Portugal back in my head, it all feels so distant. I struggled quite a lot that week, especially with my inability to carry out the full plans for filming our two week road trip adventure. There were so many moments where my body just wasn't having it and I'd have to nap in the car in some beautiful location instead of getting the shots I wanted.
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As we looked south along the cliff tops above one of Europe's finest body boarding beaches, Praia Grande, I couldn't help but wonder where this Portugal had been hiding in all my pre-trip research. "I could have sworn we booked a trip to Portugal and not Scotland," I said to my husband, Zeke. The craggy coastline and windswept bluffs looked a whole lot more like photographs of wild Scottish landscapes as opposed to golden Portuguese beaches.
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For the first time in my travels, I found every guidebook purchased for this trip almost entirely useless. Perhaps their only positive contribution was to guide us to a spot we wouldn’t find interesting, so we would then be forced to go explore on our own. It was a fascinating set up for what has become one of my favorite travel adventures yet.
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On our second night in Portugal, we ventured down to Praia da Adraga to watch the sunset - our very first over the Atlantic Ocean. These few hours we spent beach combing and shooting photos were the first indication that golden hour has an entirely new degree in Portugal. The photos you'll see in this post don't have their saturation levels raised - in fact they're just barely edited at all. This is what golden hour really looks like in Portugal.
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In January 2012, while researching for our trip to Northern Spain, the GOOP newsletter arrived in my inbox with some details about visiting Portugal for a film festival. As I scrolled down, I noticed a small entry about an eco-friendly bed and breakfast named Colina Flora. Following the link to their website, I was immediately enchanted and suddenly Portugal had made it on to my travel wish list. So you could say that Colina Flora was the initial impetus for our two-week trip to Portugal this year.
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