Another leisurely start to the day today. Tiana made the strategic decision not to drag Ollie out of bed again and just waited him out until he finally emerged. We whipped up some wraps for the road, grabbed breakfast, packed our bags, and got ready for the day’s adventure.
The destination was the PR16 Levada Walk, which meant about an hour on the scooter — a ride filled with tunnels, dual carriageways, and one very dramatic climb to the car park. The scenery was top-tier though, even before we started walking.
We set off along the levada trail and were immediately greeted with man-made waterfalls, followed by actual waterfalls, and then a very cool moment where we got to walk underneath one. There were also a couple of tight tunnels carved into the rock, with the levada running through the middle — not much space, a bit drippy, and lots of fun.
At one point we had to sprint under a waterfall to get to the entrance of the longest tunnel — over a kilometre long, dark, damp, and very awkward to pass people inside. Tiana bonked her head on the rock (she’s fine), and we emerged at the other end very soggy. There was yet another waterfall waiting for us as a reward, just in case we weren’t wet enough.
The final waterfall at the end of the trail was impressive, if a little fishy-smelling, and marked the halfway point. Fewer people were on the return leg, which made it a bit more peaceful. Once we were back at the scooter, we found a scenic cliff spot to sit and eat lunch — wraps and views, the classic combo.
Next stop: petrol! Somehow only cost €11, which felt like a bargain. Then we made our way to Seixal Beach, famous for its black sand. We stopped off at a viewpoint that overlooked some natural swimming pools (sadly closed), before heading to the main beach.
The beach was beautiful — surrounded by cliffs and waterfalls with lots of surfers and tourists milling around. The sand was almost charcoal-coloured and the views were next-level. After soaking up the vibes, we walked up the hill to a little shop where Tiana grabbed a coffee and some chocolate.
The ride back was just as pretty, with waterfalls lining parts of the road and stunning views all around. When we got back to the cabin, we spotted Dusty (our friendly neighbourhood cat) chilling in the car park — she seemed perfectly content.
We made dinner at the cabin and ate it out on the balcony while the sun set. Later on, we managed to tempt Dusty back to the cabin with some gentle coaxing. She hung out with us for an episode of Desperate Housewives before deciding we were boring and disappearing back into the night.
Ollie rating – 9/10: fewer people at the beach made it even better
Tiana rating – 8.5/10: would’ve liked to eat out, but still a great day