As I write this, I’ve gone back and forth on the title. Aljezur is officially part of the Algarve, though it sits right on the border with Alentejo and shares much of its rural character. The Algarve is often associated with beach resorts, dramatic cliffs, and family-friendly tourism, while Alentejo is better known for its farmland and quieter, more traditional towns.

In reality, the lines aren’t so clear. This part of Portugal blends elements of both regions: stretches of protected coastline, small surf towns, and a strong local food culture. It’s also a place where you’ll find a growing mix of immigrants families building small businesses and putting down roots, alongside generational lands that extends inland for miles.

An abridged internet-friendly version of my journal from that day: I woke up later than usual and said goodbye to my friend Hugo and his wife Ana, who I’d been staying with in Lisbon, before making my way to Oriente station to pick up my rental car. Once I popped my butt in the Mitsubishi Eclipse, I felt a familiar sense of freedom and empowerment. There was something about feeling confident about navigating through the streets of suburban Lisbon. It was expensive to drop the car off in Spain, but something told me the one-way fee would be worth it. After pit stop to drop some film at my favorite lab, LX Film in Roma and also pick up last week’s negatives, I started heading south, passing along familiar roads from earlier in the month when my family and I were on the way to Setúbal.

Along the way, I noticed egrets perched on electrical towers near Montijo, and at one point realized I wasn’t actually heading toward the coast. I veered off just in time, cutting through an exit for Sines. I didn’t stop until reaching a small town to refuel, and as I continued toward Aljezur, the landscape shifted: dry, rustic, and wide open. I pulled over a few times to take photos of cows, rivers, and the rolling terrain near the Alentejo border, and noticed just how many hikers were out on the trails. Is that something I should be doing?

I eventually arrived at my stay and got a quick tour of the place, Muxima. It was incredibly chic, though slightly “woo woo.” I had some trouble locking my door from the inside, but figured it out after a bit of trial and error using the porch access. After showering and getting ready, I headed out for Thai food here and had a great meal: chicken panang curry, dumplings, and a Super Bock. Drool. I wrote in my journal that the curry was super comparable to all of the panangs that I’ve had in my life, which was great news.

I headed out to Arrifana Beach, one of the main surf spots in the area. I should mention that I finished an entire pack of fruit Mentos on the drive over, as if I hadn’t just eaten a full meal.

I parked and walked down, settling onto a towel on the damp sand. It felt familiar: like Taghazout, El Pescadero, Punta Colorada in Puerto Escondido. There’s something about surf culture that pulls people in from all over the world, and once it does, the world seems to follow. I ended up going down a bit of a rabbit hole: reading about surf tourism, the ethics of it, what it does to local communities, how over-development creeps in. It’s complicated in a way that doesn’t really resolve.

After a while of just watching, I made my way back up to catch the sunset over the hills. It reminded me of the California coast, which is obvious given the geography and the Mediterranean climate.

I drove back to the guesthouse and walked around the property before it got too dark. I’m not crazy obsessed with animals, but I did spend a significant amount of time observing the frogs and listening to them back as the night creeped in. I spend the rest of the night winding down and planning the rest of my days here. A massage? Horseback ride? Swimming in the natural pool just outside or maybe sunrise yoga.

Okay, so unfortunately I slept in and missed the sunrise yoga session. Sue me. I really enjoyed the breakfast provided on site. Yogurts, hummus, olives, other vegan things. I knew this would just be a starter, because there was a coffee shop in town that I just had to try.

Before heading out, I walked around and hung around the chickens, took photos, and strolled around the trails.

I made my way to Toxic Magic and boy, that was good. Super international fusion expat coffee shop vibes, but so good. It really was one of the best sandwiches I ever had for breakfast and the coffee was correct.

The next beach I wanted to explore was Praia Amoreira.