15/07/18 – 19/07/18 – Foz do Arelho, Centro Region
Do you like wind surfing, surfing, kite surfing, body boarding, paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing, white sandy beaches and stunning nature? Well, Foz do Arelho beach situated on Obidos Lagoon (Lagoa de Obidos) will definitely be for you!!
Obidos Lagoon is the biggest saltwater lagoon in Portugal with its lakes and waterways stretching over 6km. Foz de Arelho beach is on the Northern side of the lagoon, close to the estuary mouth and the town. It remains undeveloped and feels very traditionally Portuguese. However, venture a few kilometres outside the centre, there are signs of modern residential development in progress.
Fortunately we’d read up Foz de Arelho and had the opportunity to stay for three very relaxing days. On two of the days we went out on the bikes and explored the area, which really is stunning. It’s pretty good for cycling, but there are some nice steep hills that got us quite out of breath.
Foz de Arelho is also where we discovered our first nao concessionario beach (no restrictions), which was an amazing find for Marley. There is a sign that states ‘Consessionario’ on one side of the beach indicating no dogs, no fishing…so not exactly obvious, but after reading up and observing fishermen and people walking their dogs on the other side of the beach, all became clear. Having said this, there does seem to be quite a relaxed attitude to dogs being on the beach here in general. (Unlike what we perceived when we entered Portugal)
It was so nice for the 3 of us to do a spot of sunbathing together on the beach alongside other bathers, as it had been a while. Our moho was parked just 10 meters away from the beach so we knew we could easily pop back to it to cool off. We stayed at Foz do Arelho Motorhome Park and opted to pay €4 a night with facilities, but without electric hook up (as we don’t need it). The place was quite run down, but the owners were really nice and it felt safe, as well as a nice vibe there. That was apart from the grumpy old French lady who had a right old moan (in French to herself) when Marley barked a little too much for her liking. How dare she rant about my baby, we were here first!!!
At the far corner of the moho park, there is a little trailer bar, which we had a beer at one night, and you could also buy churros (Mexican treats that taste like doughnuts).
There were a few other beach bars and some restaurants, which looked nice but we ate at home. I’m discovering that Portuguese cuisine really doesn’t cater for vegetarians unless you go to an Indian or Italian restaurant, even Portuguese vegetable soup often has animal fat or fish stock in it….VILE. Bit of a shame, but hopefully the situation for us veggie and plant lovers will improve over time. Come on Portugal, get with the times – there’s more to life than fish and meat!
