Julien Leleu and Carl Ferreira decided one night that they were keen for a road trip. The next day, they hit the road. They left Tarifa, Spain to session along the southern coast of Portugal. Read their full trip report then start planning your trip!

Spontaneous road trips with close friends usually go one way or the other. When the opportunity arises, it’s hard to resist the promise of discovering new kite spots, the freedom to chase the best sessions, and the chance to spend long hours with your chosen company. Tag along as Julien Leleu and Carl Ferreira road trip along the southern coast of Portugal, looking for waves, freestyle and good times.

This whole epic started as a spontaneous idea during a late night out in Tarifa, Spain last summer. My good friend Carl Ferreira and I realised that we needed a break from Tarifa’s summer madness. I enjoy living in Tarifa, a town I’ve called home for several years, but summers can get a little crazy with tourists and parties. For the first time, I had my van with me in Tarifa the stars were aligning for an imminent road trip.

Without too much of a plan, Carl and I set off to discover the southwest coast of Portugal. Personally, I feel this area is a bit of an underrated kiteboarding destination, overshadowed by the more famous European summer destinations. We took one look at a map of Portugal and saw a thin peninsula jutting out into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. That little strip of land, the most westerly point on mainland Europe, was calling for us to come and play.

The small town of Sagres and the surrounding area is known for ruggedly breathtaking views and, more importantly, clean, powerful waves. As we traced the map between Tarifa and Sagres, we identified both wave and freestyle spots that we wanted to check off. So, we packed everything we had into my van for the van’s first official road trip. We only had a four-day window, and we were determined to kite and explore as much as possible.

Before departing, we made a trip to the supermarket to fill up the Dometic fridge with road-trip staples. Then, we set our navigation for Faro, Portugal and stepped on the gas. We drove 463 kilometres, straight to the Alvor lagoon and scored a fantastic freestyle session as soon as we arrived. It seemed like our last minute planning was coming together!

Our camping setup was ideal. We pulled into a spot with incredible vibes and put together a BBQ dinner while replaying the memories and media clips from the day. Alvor has an excellent campsite for travellers and it is perfect for vans too. The kiting spot is only 100 meters from the campsite; it’s ideal if you want to ride as much as possible while you are here and you’ll meet plenty of like-minded kiters too!

We woke up the next morning and cooked a classic, bacon and egg breakfast before spending the rest of the day on the water. To be honest, it felt like we were in Brazil. The wind was perfect for 11-metre kites; 11 heaven as they say! The wind stayed like that every day we were there. The spot is huge, so it was easy to find flat, empty sections. The water wasn’t cold, and a shorty wetsuit provided enough warmth to keep us riding all day. We even managed to get a mellow party going at night. A little music coming out of our sound system wasn’t a problem as there wasn’t anyone else around, so we didn’t have to worry about the noise.

A thermal wind from the north, called the Nortada, blows across the Algarve from May through October, with June and July being the most consistently windy months. In the summer, the wind can be quite intense and, by some standards, gusty. When the north wind blows, many of the spots along Portugal’s southern coast become almost un-rideable because the wind is gusty and directly offshore. However, the Alvor lagoon is shallow and surrounded by land on all sides, making it a safe, comfortable place to ride the Nortada. The conditions in the Alvor lagoon vary based on the wind direction. Wind straight out of the north is decent, and northwest wind is also reasonably good. However, wind from the northeast is gustier because it arrives after crossing over buildings and mountains.

During our trip, the wind pattern had the wind picking up around mid-day. The mornings are usually calm, great for sleeping and relaxing. If taking it easy isn’t your style, the cable park, Wake Salinas, is only five minutes from the spot. It was easy to ride at the 2.0 cable in the morning and make it back in plenty of time for a long afternoon kite session.

After our stay in Alvor, we decided it was time to hunt down some waves, so we headed in the direction of Sagres. After checking out several spots, we found one that seemed to be working. It was near the point of the Sagres peninsula. 

To find the wave spot, Tonel, we drove as far west as we could down the remote peninsula, and there it was. There was a small parking lot on top of a sizable cliff. From the parking spot, we scaled down the side of the mountain for five minutes and found an empty beach. The location is breathtakingly beautiful but rugged. Kiters with a nose for adventure will find this spot appealing.

Carl went out on his new RRD Religion MK9 and enjoyed the empty waves and fantastic landscape. The wind was gusty, and the spot wasn’t super easy to figure out. We only recommend this place for advanced riders. A word of warning to anyone who chooses to ride Tonel: in addition to gusty wind, there are rocks that can be hidden beneath the surface of the water, so be aware.

I was relieved when; finally, Carl was satisfied with his session. With the two of us, it’s always a battle because he prefers waves, and I look for freestyle spots.

From Sagres, we tried our luck at Carrapateira, on the west coast. Carrapateira is only 25 km north of Sagres. It’s a small, surfy town with a long, sandy beach. The spot we tried was another place with parking on the top of the cliff and a path down to the beach. The walk down to the sea was about 10 minutes, but worth it. Unfortunately, the wind wasn’t with us, but at least we scored a great surf session at this picture-perfect spot.

A report about our Portugal road trip wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the food. Local restaurants are everywhere, serving good food at excellent prices. There isn’t one restaurant that stood out because everywhere was good. According to Carl though, the carbonara and chicken salad that I prepared in my van were the best meal he ate during our trip haha!

Travel Tips

While in Portugal, don’t miss the opportunity to order an espresso and pastel de nata — a mouthwatering custard-filled pastry — at a local cafe. Or, if drinking wine is more your speed, you won’t be disappointed. The Algarve’s warm climate produces heavier red wines, or you can opt for a lighter vino verde that’s been sent down from the north of Portugal.

The Algarve offers something for everyone. The town of Lagos is a bustling tourist hub, and small, quiet villages are scattered along the rugged, craggy coastline. Communication is relatively straightforward, as many Portuguese, especially in the more touristy areas, speak English.

For kiters who are interested in booking a trip, the Faro airport is an easy access point. Direct flights come into the Faro airport from most of the major European hubs. From the Faro airport, you can rent a car and hit the road! The kite spots on the Algarve coast are all relatively close together and can be reached within 1.5 hours by car. For both waves and freestyle, the Algarve delivers so, if you’re sitting at home dreaming about next summer’s getaway, start planning!

 

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Portugal road trip with Julien Leleu and Carl Ferreira
By Julien Leleu

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