PORTUGAL – A Van, Two Friends, and Endless Horizons

September 16, 2025 at 6:39 PM – edited note from a bus on the way to Lisbon

“A perfectly planned day, but the second flight missed. Five hours of waiting at the airport, then a new two-hour flight. Vacation has begun. Lots of laughter, a few tears (I get sensitive when things don’t go according to plan), and barely contained excitement about seeing my best friend, whom I see exactly twice a year.I’m fascinated by my Ana. We’ve been friends since elementary school. Second desk, middle row—that was ours, and the Šijana desks are probably still decorated with our haiku poems—unless they replaced them, like everything else.Life has pushed us apart, but never separated us, and this year I decided she’ll also be my maid of honor if I ever get married.My thoughts are everywhere. From breakups to current friendships and relationships.Emotionally, I’m completely lost. I don’t know what I feel. I don’t know who I feel what for, or if I even feel anything at all.A straight line that is never a straight line.My brain needs rest and my heart a reset, and that’s why this time I’m letting Portugal lead the plans, not me.”

1. EVENING

Pula – Brussels – Faro

A challenging and long first day of travel—time-wise it felt like I’d flown to Indonesia, but that’s the price of cheap flights and my overly ambitious calculations that failed me in math tests throughout school, but let’s leave that for now.

The plan was very simple - we didn’t have one. We rented a vintage Volkswagen van that we argued with for the first few kilometers, until we accepted that vintage really does mean vintage.

Ana landed a few hours before me, made it to Lisbon, and still managed to wait for me for a few more hours. We rented the van through myvanportugal - they have different models at different prices. With tolls and gas, it came to about €1300 for all nine days, and upon arrival we also left a €1000 deposit, which was returned a few days after the trip.

The van was great, but next time I’d probably choose a more updated version. The price you pay for something you shouldn’t drive over 100 km/h isn’t exactly reasonable, but it’s definitely an experience.

Wild camping in Portugal is allowed, but not everywhere. There’s an app called Park4Night that marks places where you can camp - from wild nature spots to parking lots where overnight stays are allowed. It’s especially useful because almost every location has reviews and photos.

Our first night we slept in a parking lot at the port in Lisbon. It was great, but even if it had been the worst in the world, we wouldn’t have noticed how tired we were.

2. DAY – Algarve

A few days before the trip I put together a beautiful presentation with photos and plans. Of course, it stayed at home on my laptop. So we spontaneously headed south from Lisbon.

Traveling by van is challenging. We weren’t exactly the most skilled at turning on the fridge because we were constantly afraid of running out of battery, and clearly we hadn’t mastered all the instructions. Day by day we decided what we’d eat and then went to nearby towns to buy groceries. I had only one concrete wish on this trip - without too many people around us - so we spent most of our time in nature, watching handsome surfers from a distance.

Algarve is a miracle. Personally, the most beautiful part of Portugal. I always said there’s no sea and beaches more beautiful than ours, but Algarve is serious competition. The nature, cliffs, and caves remind me of Cape Kamenjak in Premantura, and that’s very hard to beat in my world. It was insanely hot, so we had to cool down with Aperols.

By the way, they don’t know what a Hugo is in Portugal, but for all nine days Ana persistently tried to explain to waiters what she wanted. ELDERFLOWER SPRITZ. She didn’t drink a single one, but at least we have a woman who knows exactly what she wants.

Whichever direction you go, you can hike endlessly. Our path led us to the Benagil Cave - an impressive cave with a huge opening at the top. Flying a drone is allowed, which is extremely important when you’re just learning to use it, because running away isn’t an option when you don’t know how to land it. (I added this for drama - Ana handled the takeoff and landing very competently.)

We didn’t feel like paying for boat tours, so we stuck to our modest walks with expensive views.

Our favorite part of the day was our first attempt at grilling lunch. Salmon and raw zucchini that we grilled without oil because we forgot to buy it. I lit a fire for the first time in my life, like a pro, and we didn’t stay hungry. That’s the only thing that matters, right?

The first town we visited at the end of the day was Carvoeiro, where we gave the magnificent Atlantic Ocean a chance. Wim Hof would be proud of our 45 seconds of soaking.

We had dinner at a restaurant because we realized we had nothing in the van except oats and protein puddings that had very likely been boiled six times during the day. Prices are affordable and normal - although it’s hard to define “normal” after Croatia - but the portions are huge. We had leftovers for the next day… which failed because we still didn’t have a fridge.

We slept in a nearby parking lot that turned out to be criminally bad and noisy, so after a few hours of no sleep we changed locations. The night was unbearably hot, I got my period, the pills didn’t help, and the mosquitoes decided to fight their final battle of life and death. I hadn’t felt such an internal demon battle in a long time, but we survived. Unlike the mosquitoes. And the curtain I tore down while flailing around trying to silence the buzzing - but at least Ana didn’t silence me for good. Therefore, it was a good night.

3. DAY – Ponta da Piedade & Praia do Amado

Sleep-deprived by life, it was my turn to drive. Somehow we spontaneously split it so that each of us drove one day, but that day we patched things together however we could. We set off in search of the elixir of life - coffee - and the road led us to Ponta da Piedade.

The most important thing you need to know about me is that I can’t stand sounds before my first morning coffee. Ana and I functioned perfectly, which, considering our temperaments, is something we could put on a CV. We debated whether to nap in the van first or find a beach to revive ourselves, but the heat was merciless and sleeping was out of the question.

“We'll sleep at the beach.”

The café near the parking lot, besides excellent coffee, offered the famous desserts pastel de nata. And that was it. Love was born, I didn’t gain weight.

An extremely long walk along the cliffs woke us up quickly because the views were unreal. I truly have never seen so many beautiful beaches and landscapes in one place.

After a few hours we headed to Praia do Amado - a surfer beach with a great vibe, a brilliant beach bar, and charmingly drunk waiters who even googled what Hugo is. Above the beach there was a large gravel parking lot for campers where we decided to stay overnight. The waves were decent, the surfers persistent. There were several surf schools, but we postponed surfing the entire trip… and postponed it for another time altogether.

The sunset was magical. The colors spilling across the sky and sea felt unreal, as if Picasso were decorating one of his canvases. I made up the Picasso part, don’t crucify me - I’m not very knowledgeable about painting.

If I had to describe a perfect awakening, this beach and this place would be its definition. You wake up, before your first coffee you wish good morning to the people around you who have already been having their moments since sunrise, and you’re in a good mood - hey!

That’s where I realized I was healing.

4. DAY – Pontal de Carrapateira & Praia de Odeceixe (Costa Vicentina)

Pontal de Carrapateira completely amazed us. A classic surfer spot just as you imagine it while saying its name. A huge sandy beach with one surf school and countless capable people catching waves really well. The waves here are significantly bigger than at Praia do Amado, which made the views from the lookout spectacular. And that’s when I realized I want to marry a surfer.

After visualizing and chanting about a wedding at that lookout, we headed toward the famous Costa Vicentina and arrived at Praia de Odeceixe - a beach where the Ribeira de Seixe River meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Another fun fact about me: I’m terribly afraid of rivers, but when the ocean can swallow me at the same time, swimming in it is no problem. Dramatic again, but that’s part of my personality - what can I do.

That place was rest for the soul and sunbathing for breasts (not just ours). I adore their liberalism and the mindset they radiate. Beautiful.

After countless showers using the van’s hose, we decided to be ladies for a day and find a campsite where we could wash our hair with warm water. We’re not sure if it’s true, but apparently we’re responsible for a short circuit at the campsite, so everyone was without electricity until the next morning (we charged everything we had). Maybe they should work on their installations…

5. DAY – Lisbon & Cabo da Roca

When you finally fix your hair, it would be a shame not to take it for a walk around the capital. The situation was as follows: we entered a private parking lot in the center of Lisbon. A security guard approached us, noticed my semi-transparent shirt, and allowed us to park for free. The power of boobs, I’m telling you.

Lisbon is wonderful, but the timing of our visit was bad for some personal reasons. Still, we walked around, ate excellent pizza at an Italian restaurant, wandered the city a bit more, and drank the most expensive and best piña coladas of our lives. But hey, they were served in a real pineapple. We concluded we wanted to return to nature.

Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe, was our next location. In dresses and frozen by the wind, we realized we were leaving the summer side of Portugal. Day five, and I still couldn’t get enough of the natural beauty that exists in the world. How do you explain all of that with words?

We didn’t stay long because it was really cold and the sun was already setting. We decided to return the next morning, so nearby, above the famous Praia da Ursa, we found a place to sleep.

I can’t go to sleep without showering first, so I can tell you that it was the coldest wash of my life. No exaggeration.

6. DAY – Cabo da Roca, Praia da Ursa & Sintra

We woke up around 7:30 as usual, got ready, and went back to the Cape. Honestly, I’m very glad we experienced the evening scene without crowds and noise, because shortly after our morning arrival countless other people showed up. Ana stayed in the van on a video call while I went to have my solo moment on the cliffs. After five days of constant togetherness, I think we needed a bit of that too. I was amazed at how well the two of us functioned together, considering we were rarely apart.

We had coffee and headed toward Praia da Ursa. The beach is literally just a few minutes’ drive from Cabo da Roca, and you can reach it only on foot. A mini-hike, just enough to avoid sciatica from all the driving. The beach is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen (I know, I said that about everything before, but this one is really next level). Photogenic cliffs rising from the ocean, the kind you usually see on computer wallpapers… another moment we decided to spend each in our own peace.

What I’ve learned about myself is that when someone tells me, “You have to go there,” I usually don’t find it that exciting. Still, our next stop was Sintra and Pena Palace, so before culturally elevated people crucify me, I’ll say it’s truly beautiful and interesting, but for me such attractions are generally exhausting to visit. Lots of history and lots of waiting in lines. I’d say “lots of people,” but then I’d sound overly dramatic again.

To be a bit hypocritical - for lunch we went to the restaurant Mira Serra and I must say: you have to go there. We ate a proper portion of octopus for 15 euros, and it was spectacular.

The sun was already starting to set, so after Sintra we headed toward Nazaré, where we spent the night in a nearby parking lot.

7. DAY – Nazaré, Aveiro & Praia da Costa Nova

Nazaré - the big wave surf spot. As the place’s name suggests, the biggest legends come here. The waves were big, but far from what they can be.

I don’t buy souvenirs, but I have a habit of bringing back some sand, pebbles, and shells from each destination and making my own souvenir. From that beach I collected my Portugal jar.

The place is very touristy, so there wasn’t much to explore. After breakfast at the best (and only) brunch café, Terrasse - where I grabbed two takeaway pastéis because they were world-class - we headed to Aveiro.

Aveiro is literally called the Portuguese Venice. Narrow streets, gondolas, Aperols by the canals - a very good beginning to the end of our journey. As part of Aveiro, located on a peninsula between the ocean and the Aveiro Lagoon, we also visited the fishing village of Costa Nova, known for its colorful striped houses.

Another in a series of perfect beaches, Praia da Costa Nova stretches along the village, and it’s already embarrassing to say, but this is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches this surfer soul - who still has to learn to surf - has ever seen.

Here it was already quite autumnal weather, which we didn’t expect while packing, so a single hoodie survived the entire north. We slept in a parking lot by the beach and wrapped up another beautiful day.

8. DAY – A Magical Morning & Porto

I woke up a bit earlier than Ana and went for a walk along the beach. For a good hour I sat on a fence watching two surfers trying to find each other in the ocean, circling around one pier. The girl next to me was the girlfriend of one of them, so we laughed together at the scene. She didn’t offer me her coffee from a thermos, so I realized we couldn’t be friends long-term - although she had a very nice dog.

We headed toward the final destination of our trip - Porto.

Porto is definitely a city where I could stay for a while. Although I’m not sure I could show my face again at the bar where we drank all the Aperol, but that was already the end.

Traffic is quite chaotic, so we parked outside the center and walked toward the city - each in our own direction. Moments, right?

All eight days I had been craving a good seafood risotto, so my first stop was Time Out Market - a gastronomic center offering the best local chefs. The best risotto ever. No exaggeration.

The city has a special vibe and a beautiful aesthetic - everything my camera needs. I walked through the center all the way to the Luís I Bridge, where I settled comfortably for a few hours, drinking Aperols and thinking about life. After some time Ana joined me, and I think that was the first time I truly opened up to her about many things.

The conversations practically turned into psychotherapy, and that’s when I realized how lucky I am that she exists.

The year 2025 crystallized everything that needed crystallizing. It recycled people who no longer belonged in my world. Decisions were made that I knew deep down were right. It broke my heart several times, but one thing is certain - it’s the year that built me the most, and the new one will only confirm it.

Our van story through Portugal ends in Porto, but the life story is only being written.

Thank you, Ana, for the trip of a lifetime. I want you to know that you are the best friend a person can have. I love you.

To everyone else - thank you for reading, and Happy New Year. 🤍