Sunset between the cliffs of the Algarve coastline. Credit Marcus Fleckner

Photography

The Algarve Coast

Portugal's gem

This year I won’t be able to travel. Mostly because of my financial situation, but also because I recently became a dad — which is also kind of the same thing.

That’s all good; that gives me time to reminisce about a trip I had to the beautiful Algarve Coast in Portugal.

My first time in Portugal, and I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Algarve Coast. This rugged, harsh yet beautiful coastline is something else.

The long and beautiful Algarve coastline. Credit Marcus Fleckner

There is something very physical about the landscape. The cliffs are not soft or gentle. They rise out of the Atlantic with sharp edges, warm colors and deep shadows. The ocean is constantly working against them, carving out caves, arches and small beaches that feel almost impossible to reach.

Around Sagres, the landscape has this feeling of being at the edge of something. It sits close to Cabo de São Vicente, the southwestern tip of mainland Europe. And even if you don’t know that when you stand there, you can feel it. The wind is stronger. The horizon feels wider. The land does not slowly fade into the sea. It stops.

Map of the Algarve coast.

One thing that surprised me was how quickly the weather could change.

One moment the sky was clear and warm. The next, clouds rolled in from the ocean and changed the whole mood of the coast. It made the place feel less like a beach destination and more like a living landscape. Not just somewhere pretty, but somewhere active. Wind, water, light and stone constantly shaping each other.

Funnily enough the weather can change very quickly during summer. Credit Marcus Fleckner

You don’t need a drone here.

The cliffs give you all the height you need. Walking along the top of them, you naturally get these dramatic views down towards the beaches and the water. You can frame the coastline from above, almost like an aerial shot, but still keep the feeling of being there.

That is something I really liked about photographing along the Algarve coast.

You don’t need a drone, when hiking on the top of the cliffs on the Algarve coast. Credit Marcus Fleckner

The cliffs are already warm in color, but when the sun starts to go down, everything becomes even more intense. The orange and yellow tones in the rock begin to glow. Shadows stretch across the coast. The ocean turns darker, but still catches small lines of light on the surface.

One of the perks of the cliffs is that it grants you perfect photo opportunity during sunsets. Credit Marcus Fleckner

The way the sunlight dances across the cliff side is just amazing. Credit Marcus Fleckner

I can’t wait to be able to visit the Algarve coast once again.

Thank you for reading.

Hi, I’m Marcus Fleckner — a UX/UI designer and freelance photographer. I write about my passion for design, maps and photography. Join my newsletter📨 to get fresh insights and inspiration about UX, design and maps.