Praia de Santa Cruz

Praia de Santa Cruz, 2560 A dos Cunhados e Maceira, Portugal

It’s easy to get around Portugal via train, but there is something incredibly indulgent about renting a car and driving the gorgeous Portuguese coast. The scenery is spectacular and reminiscent of northern California and Australia‘s Great Ocean Road and the journey is full of beckoning pit stops. I drove from Lisbon to Areias do Seixo hotel. The hotel gives guests free use of cruiser bikes, which offer an equally satisfying way to explore the coast. I followed the designated bike path from the hotel to the popular beach town of Santa Cruz. The area is home to a string of nearly 20 deserted beaches. I climbed down nearly 50 stairs to an empty stretch of sand to snooze and sun and have a picnic lunch.

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Coastal Road Trip in Portugal

It’s easy to get around Portugal via train, but there is something incredibly indulgent about renting a car and driving the gorgeous Portuguese coast. The scenery is spectacular and reminiscent of northern California and Australia‘s Great Ocean Road and the journey is full of beckoning pit stops. I drove from Lisbon to Areias do Seixo hotel. The hotel gives guests free use of cruiser bikes, which offer an equally satisfying way to explore the coast. I followed the designated bike path from the hotel to the popular beach town of Santa Cruz. The area is home to a string of nearly 20 deserted beaches. I climbed down nearly 50 stairs to an empty stretch of sand to snooze and sun and have a picnic lunch.

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