Publisher's Synopsis
"Just imagine: a beach in the middle of nowhere. You can see a camper with sea view. You can hear Portuguese music coming from the speakers. The canopy is out and there are some chairs underneath. On the table is a plate of freshly grilled fish and a glass of vinho verde. Welcome to my surfer's life." "Living to the rhythm of the sea." "The waves, the flowing shapes, the poetry of the sea: surfing is, in fact, a distinctly female sport." Lifestyle journalist Veerle Helsen went "out-of-office" for six months, bought an old camper and travelled by herself along the Spanish and Portuguese coastline. Ever true to her motto "surf, see, sleep & eat", she combines three of her passions in this book: surfing, travelling and discovering hidden gems. How about a heavenly holiday mansion where there's a tree growing through the roof? Or an architectural public swimming pool that's hidden between rocks and the sea? She searched and found camper spots so quiet she could stay there for days without seeing another soul, secret beaches that aren't indicated on the map where one can sit back and watch the waves. Veerle Helsen dismisses the classic tourist image of Spain and Portugal and writes about a completely different world: untouched, fierce and free, with little beach bars serving the very fish they caught earlier that day, and roads wrapping themselves around cliffs and dunes, sheltered by pine trees and maintaining the view of sandcastles on the beach. While she drove, her drone was beside her on the passenger seat and her surf board was on the roof. This guide transcends the clichés and avoids the classic tourist traps. 'Sea' you soon! Locations include: the coastal regions of Algarve, Alentejo, Lisbon, Beira, Minho, Douro, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and Pais Vasco. Cities included are Lagos, Lisbon, Ericeira, Peniche, Coimbra, Porto, Viana do Castelo, Pontevedra, Santiago de Compostela, Coruna, Santander, Bilbao, San Sebastian.
