EUROPE 2025 : MARBELLA

Thursday 25th September

The Costa Del Sol can be crowded, overdeveloped and inauthentic but it ticks the boxes if you want an all-inclusive week in the sun. And there are some lovely spots that defy this reputation. Marbella has a charming old town with narrow lanes, nice shopping and pleasant outdoor restaurants.

Central Boutique Hotel is tucked away  down a little alley but the beach is an easy stroll away.

Stephen and Vivienne had a chilly dip in the Med. Neil loves the Dali sculptures in Av. del Mar.

By chance tonight was the Fiesta del Espato. Skewers of sardines, grilled on an open fire of vine wood and served for free with bread and sliced tomatoes. The streets were packed but we got a prime outdoor table at a restaurant on the promenade right opposite the live band.

EUROPE 2025 : JEREZ, SPAIN

Wednesday 24th September

Crossing into Spain, we began our Andalusian roadtrip in Jerez de Frontera; the home of Sherry.

There's a lot more to sherry than Obies, of course. Trying to keep six people in two cars happy and on track has it's moments and in making a last minute online booking for a tour of Tio Pepe Sherry House, I got us onto a Spanish tour! Let's just say connectivity in wine cellars is dodgy at best and live google translate has a way to go!

The sherry was tasty in any language, though.

Hotel Palacio Corredera was lovely and well located.

Tabanco Las Banderillas had great tapas and drinks. Ola!

EUROPE 2025 : ST.LUZIA, ALGARVE

Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 September

We said goodbye to Stephen and Vivienne for a few days. We drove to St. Luzia near Tavira on the Algarve to drop Andrew and Terry off at their home. Then we drove to Olhao to pick up our new travelmates, Larry and Jean. We drove up to Guia for the world famous peri peri chicken at Ramirez.

The chicken; spatchcocked, marinated in peri peri and cooked on open coals is an African import from Mozambique. Ramirez ( since 1964 ) is the original restaurant but now there are loads of chicken places in town. It's delicious and way better than Nandos!

Back in St. Luzia we settled into Casa do Mar on the riverfront.

Thanks Andrew,Terry and Wendy for hosting us. We all ate dinner at O'Mourao. The party has grown.

Family and friends. Locals and visitors. Happy times!

On Tuesday Neil and I took a rest day and I got admin done. We all caught up at dinner again; this time at Taberna Amaro. St. Luzia is a hidden gem. Next time we'll come for much longer!

EUROPE 2025 : COIMBRE AND EVORA

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September

It's always fun to stop at a supermarket when you are on a roadtrip. You don't only stock up on padkos but it's an insight into local daily life. And you get a chance to have a second cup of morning coffee.

Heading South we went to the Conimbriga Roman site; with it's well preserved floor mosaics.

Then we headed into Coimbre. We stayed at the very funky Zero Box Lodge.
A converted garage where rooms are windowless wooden boxes; pitch dark with the lights off to give us an excellent night's sleep.

We had a long climb up from the riverside to the university on the hill. It's one of the oldest in Europe, founded in 1290.

The pre booked ticket to the Baroque Joanina Library (1728) gives you just 10 minutes in the actual library.

The ticket also includes the palace and the best part of all- The Cabinet of Curiosities; a weird Victorian style display of mostly natural history oddities.

We were all tired so we had dinner at Bixos, the rooftop restaurant at our hotel.

Every morning we like to stroll out to find a bakery for coffee and a pastry or toasted sarmie. Portuguese cakes and pastries are amazing.

On Sunday we stopped at Tomar to visit the Convent of Christ en route to Evora. The castle was completed in 1160 as the stronghold of the Knights Templar in Portugal. The Charola ( round church) dates to 1190.

Evora is a lovely town. We visited the Chapel Of Bones and the Roman Forum.

We loved roaming the streets;stopping at a bar or a restaurant, enjoying the balmy autumn weather.