Best realization we had on our trip to Portugal last month: traveling with a baby only makes you more adventurous. Why? Well, you can plan a nice day out and about, but then your baby falls asleep in the car (which almost NEVER happens) when you’re basically at your destination. So what do you do? If you have a baby who transitions back into sleep easily (you lucky bastard) you simply get on with your plan I guess. If you, however, have a little one who’s eyes jump open the second the car slows down, let alone if you dare to stop the car, there’s only one thing to do: keep on driving. Guess what we did? Yup.
So I looked at the map, spotted a town with a funky name, and hallelujah, it was 45 minutes away: perfect for a decent nap. And you know what? That little town was the best part of our entire Portugal vacay! And without the little dude we would’ve never discovered it. We may or may not have looked into booking a place for next Spring right then and there. Here’s why we think Odeceixe is the crème de la crème of southern Portugal.
The beach is unreal
I know I know, in this day and age of #takemeback and #throwbackthursday we’re constantly getting an influx of the most beautiful destinations (ah yes I forgot #beautifuldestinations) around the planet, so there’s a risk of getting numb when seeing another gorgeous beach. But I can honestly say: this beach is unreal. Laying eyes on it for the first time from where we parked our car on the hill was almost magical. Those long lines of waves coming in (mama immediately wanted to get her surf on), breaking right before they reach that beautiful soft sandy beach, with these steep cliffs on each side. How is this place so undiscovered? While at the same time the beaches in the southern Algarve are so tremendously OVERCROWDED.
From ocean to river and back again
What makes this beach a fantastic spot for families is the fact that there’s the Atlantic ocean on one side, and the Ribeira de Seixe on the other side. Ribeira means river in case you didn’t get that. The beach on the river side is perfect for little ones, while older kiddos can have fun in and on the waves of the Atlantic. Because our visit here was a pretty impromptu thing, we didn’t bring our beach gear, but we did have some family fun in the sun. Oh, and Luc had his lunch on the beach. Not bad for that little munchkin.
Praia de Odeceixe
It’s good to know that the actual town of Odeceixe is 3 km from the beach; the beach area is known as Praia de Odeceixe (I’m guessing I don’t need to translate praia, right?). There are quite a few vacation rentals in the village, and the road to the beach is technically a doable walk, but I would prefer to stay near the beach for obvious reasons.
Food Glorious Food
There are only a few places to eat in Praia de Odeceixe but luckily there’s one that’s really, like really really, good: Bar de Praia. It’s a tiny restaurant run by super friendly people who cook up some very good food. Just look for the terrace with the bright blue umbrellas. Also: get the brownie. Just do it. You’re welcome.
Eager to go to Odeceixe?
- Faro Airport is 1,5 hours away, but you can also fly into Lisbon Airport which is a 2,5 hour drive.
- I would HIGHLY recommend a rental car, not only to reach Odeceixe but also to explore other places in the region.
- Be mindful about picking a place to stay: there’s Odeceixe and Praia de Odeceixe.
- Since both are tiny, tiny towns, you can do your grocery shopping in Aljezur (15 km to the south).
- Check Surf Seixe Academy for surf gear and/or lessons.
- Be sure to check out other beautiful beaches in the area: Praia do Carvalhal to the north, or the beaches of Aljezur to the south.
- Traveling with a little one? Odeceixe is built on a cliff that leads to the ocean, and although it’s doable to get around with a stroller (especially with our lightweight Babyzen Yoyo), I would advise to also take the baby carrier with you. Need tips on flying with a baby? Read my last post!
See you next year, crazy beautiful Odeceixe!
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