In the nick of time

THERE ARE SOME PLACES ONE KNOWS LITTLE ABOUT THAT ARE ON OUR DOORSTEP – OR RATHER ON THE NEXT BEACH.

NICK ROBINSON GOES WEST

right on the cliffs above the sand is difficult to beat.

After the Hotel Garbe, monstrous tower blocks were erected right on the beach and Armação de Pêra grew rapidly. Today, development is still a thing and a fancy line of apartments now borders the city to the east with a stunning view of the protected sand dunes which stretch towards Albufeira.

Top class beach restaurants dot the eastern reaches of the area. The centre of the city may look a little plain, but catch an old fishing boat from the western beaches (just before the caves and cliffs start) and you’ll be amazed at the cliffside panoramas, drifting past your little vessel. An hour or two gliding through this natural wonderland will honestly blow your mind. Even better if you take a kayak or a paddleboard. Companies abound on getyourguide.com

We awoke the next morning and I stumbled out onto the verandah as the sun rose above the ocean. It’s a special experience sleeping so close to the water and watching it change with the seasons.

My wife and I headed down to the Holiday Inn this winter for a weekend and the ocean proved to be a mighty spectacle as I sat on our balcony, sipping a drink while mighty Atlantic waves came crashing in.

Armação de Pêra does play host to thousands of tourists during the summer season and I’ve looked back from my paddle board on many occasions to see beaches packed with bodies. I usually utter a little prayer of gratitude that I am out patrolling the ocean and not sandwiched between the holiday-makers on the sand. Those same throngs keep the town alive though, and without them many of the fun beachside cafés, restaurants and bars couldn’t survive.

I urge you to have a look at Armação de Pêra. If you haven’t been over for a while, it’s definitely changing for the better.