We spent thee days in Vila Nova de Milfontes, a town on a sandy inlet on the west coast of Portugal, south of Lisbon.  Diana had booked us into an airbnb apartment that was supposed to have a view.  And it did.  We most likely had one of the best views in town.

View across the estuary from our apartment. There is a lighthouse on the point on the right.
View across the inlet from our apartment. There is a lighthouse on the point on the right.

Vila Nova de Milfontes is not exactly an undiscovered place, but it was pretty quiet in early May.  Just a few German retirees were cruising around in RVs, and a few locals were out for the weekend.

The water temperature in the inlet was slightly higher than the open Atlantic, and we swam across the right channel to the sandbar in the middle of the estuary.

Diana swims in the sea.
Diana swims in the sea.

The sandbar was ankle-deep at high tide, and exposed at low tide.  We had to take into account the tidal currents when swimming out and back.

Arie on the sandbar.
Arie on the sandbar.

We hiked out towards the lighthouse where there was access to a couple of small cove beaches.

Heading across the dunes.
Heading across the dunes.

The weather was stellar.  During our stay in Vila Nova de Milfontes we never saw a cloud.

Praia do Farol - Lighthouse Beach.
Praia do Farol – Lighthouse Beach.

We walked along a small seawall at the head of the estuary.

Seawall along the inlet.
Seawall along the inlet.

From our apartment we had spotted a series of beaches on the other side of the inlet.  We drove across the bridge, parked, and set out to have a look around.

Diana at Praia das Furnas.
Diana at Praia das Furnas.

We found beautiful golden sand beaches and clear green-blue water.

Praia das Furnas.
Praia das Furnas.

At the end of the beach, progress was blocked by a small headland.  We found a spot and relaxed, soaking up some sunshine.  I waded out on a sandbar.

Arie on the sandbar.
Arie on the sandbar.

After a few hours the tide had ebbed, and we were able to continue on to the next beach.

The next beach to the south.
The next beach to the south.

Black slates of Carboniferous age, tilted by the Variscan orogeny, are overlain by younger yellow- and orange-colored sediments.

Black slates.
Black slates.

I had fun poking around and looking at the rocks.

Dipping black slates jutting out to sea.
Dipping black slates jutting out to sea.

We walked back the way we came.

Diana on a sandbar.
Diana on a sandbar.

Back at the apartment it was time for appetizers.

Portuguese cheese and olives.
Portuguese cheese and olives.

We enjoyed dinner on our patio.

Dinner on our patio.
Dinner on our patio.

We watched fishing boats navigate the sandbars of the inlet in the early evening light.

Fishing boat heading out.
Fishing boat heading out.

Later in the evening, the horizon glowed orange and the lights along the road to the lighthouse turned on.

Blue hour, Vila Nova de Milfontes.
Blue hour, Vila Nova de Milfontes.

From Vila Nova de Milfontes we made some daytrips. We visited Porto Covo.

Coastline at Porto Covo.
Coastline at Porto Covo.

We sat and enjoyed the beautiful coastal scenery.

Looking out to sea.
Looking out to sea.

Just inland from Porto Covo we came across one of the must stunning fields of wildflowers I have ever seen.

Wildflowers, Porto Covo.
Wildflowers, Porto Covo.

Scratch that.  This is the nicest field of wildflowers I have ever seen.  I slammed on the brakes, pulled over, and snapped pictures.

A stunning display of wildflowers.
A stunning display of wildflowers.

Just south of Porto Covo is a castle with views of Ilha do Pessegueiro (Peachtree Island).

Diana at Pessegueiro castle.
Diana at Pessegueiro castle.

We drove south to Zambujeira do Mar.

Praia do Zambujeira do Mar.
Praia do Zambujeira do Mar.

As a daytrip we hiked a nearby section of the Rota Vicentina.  I relate our hike in a separate post.

Logistics

Vila Nova de Milfontes is on the Atlantic coast, about 2.5 hours driving south of Lisbon.  This stretch of coastline seems to be less visited than the coast north of Lisbon, and much, much less than the Algarve on Portugal’s south coast.

We visited the area in early May.  The spring wildflowers were at their peak during this time.

We stayed in an airbnb apartment in Vila Nova de Milfontes.

Portuguese beaches: Vila Nova de Milfontes