Love is Freedom - the Algarve

Castro Marim, The Algarve, Portugal

I’m walking on the wall of the Castro Marim Castle. This 13th century fortification is positioned strategically on a prominent geological platform, giving stunning 360-views of the Algarve landscape. The sleepy little village around the castle looks adorable, with white houses and red brick roofs. It’s late Sunday morning and the streets are deserted. 

Looking westward, I can see the Guadiana River, which for centuries has defined a long stretch of the Portuguese-Spanish border. The land leading up the river is flat, renowned for protected wetlands and salt pans. It looks like intricate patchwork, the terrain cut into rectangular shapes of different dimensions.

I wander to the opposite side of the castle and admire the majestic Fort of São Sebastião, on an elevated rise a few hundred meters away. It was built in the 17th century to reinforce the area’s defense. That fort seems to be closed to visitors, and looks slightly spooky in its solitude. 

I’m one of the few tourists visiting the Castro Marim castle this morning, and am alone in this corner. I close my eyes for a moment, feeling the fresh wind on my face. It messes up my hair and smells salty. When I raise my arms to embrace the Atlantic air, I get hit by a powerful emotion, exhilarating and difficult to describe with words. 

Freedom!

Freedom. I feel so free. I want to let this wind fly me to every corner of the world!

Maybe it’s this location that evokes the feeling. The Algarve has been inhabited thousands of years and invaded by many different foreign powers. The Phoenicians were here, then the Romans, the Moors… I realize I’m an hour’s drive away from the historic Port of Palos, which is where Columbus set sail on his first expedition in 1492. And the vastness of Africa is just across the sea. If I was a strong bird I could fly there. 

Later in the afternoon, my friend Isabel takes me back to the beach. The white sand beach stretches further than my eyes can see. It’s mid-June, early in the summer season and the beach club is not crowded. This is heavenly, we have the beach almost to ourselves!

The gently crashing Atlantic waves invite me to the shore. The sand feels soft. The sun’s heat is intense but the water feels too cold for a swim, colder than the Adriatic back home. My friend laughs at me because to her, it’s warm. 

I’m standing in the water up to my ankles and close my eyes. This morning’s wind of freedom is tickling my face again. I say to myself: 

“This is what love is like. Freedom.”

Freedom to be your true self.

Freedom to love who you choose to love. 

Freedom to be loved back. 

Love is like a butterfly. It needs to fly free. If you try to capture it in your hands it will suffocate and die. You cannot force it, or control it. If you reach out gently it might choose to land on your hand. 

The Natura beach club at Praia do Cabeço.

Our love is freedom.

This flow of ideas makes me think about Umberto and our love. We give each other a lot of freedom, we always have, right from the beginning. Freedom to be who we are and do what we’re passionate about. We share some passions, but many times, our interests diverge. But there’s no envy, no jealousy, no need to control.

I don’t love him because we signed a contract and he put a ring on my finger. On the contrary, I chose the commitment of my own free will, because I love him. 

Walking slowly back to the umbrella, I remember the moment a few weeks ago when I told Umberto that a Portuguese friend invited me over. I was sitting at the computer, booking the flights. 

“Great! When are you flying out? How many days will you be staying?” he responded, as he typically does, happy for me. He didn’t even ask me which friend or which city. It wasn’t for the lack of interest.

I sit down on the sunbed and grab my phone. I miss Umberto. I’ll give him a quick call, just to hear his voice. And to tell him I want to bring him to the Algarve, next time, because he’s really going to enjoy it.

*****

I’m a beach person and absolutely love the beaches here!

Castro Marim is very close to the Portuguese-Spanish border.

My Algarve Favorites

First of all, I’d like to thank my darling friend Isabel, who was an amazing host and showed me some of her favorite spots! Without her, this piece of content would not exist. 

Second, the Algarve, a.k.a. The Faro District, is the southernmost district of Portugal and covers the entire southern corner of the country. My visit was focused only on the eastern part of the Algarve, near the Spanish border.  

Third, I would say June was an ideal time to visit. The weather is gorgeous and this part of the Algarve is not crowded  - I was told by locals that it will be so, later in July and August. 

I landed at Faro International Airport. It’s about 60km from Castro Marim. My flight back was from Lisbon Airport, 320km away. Lisbon, of course, is a fabulous city which merits stories of its own (watch this space!).

Here’s the castle that I’m writing about: Castelo de Castro Marim.

The gorgeous beach pictures are from the Natura Beach Club at Praia do Cabeço. Their restaurant Sem Espinhas is fantastic, featuring excellent fish and friendly service!

Guarita Terrace in Praia Verde is the spot for cocktails at sunset. 

Before driving up to Lisbon, we had a lovely lunch at Quinta da Fornalha, an organic farm in Castro Marim. Their guesthouse would be a gorgeous place to stay and the owner is very friendly.  

A townhouse in the center of Castro Marim.

Worth visiting near Castro Marim: 

Tavira was my favorite. A picturesque, hilly town with white houses and a great selection of restaurants. We had a very enjoyable dinner at Terraze on the bank of the Gilão River. 

Vila Real de Santo António is a small town situated near the Guadiana River - in other words, very close to the Spanish border. The historic center is compact and very cute. We had a traditional Portuguese dinner at O Pescador. 

Punta del Moral is a charming fisherman village in Spain, an easy twenty-minute drive from Castro Marim. We drove over for a simple Saturday lunch. The funny thing is, in addition to traveling across the border, you also travel in time as Portugal is one hour behind Central Europe. You have to reset your watch twice when you cross the border going over and coming back!

A bridge across the the Gilão River in the lovely town of Tavira.