Surfing, Streching, Capturing and the Slow Days in Portugal

The smell of an orange tree, the crack of the baguette, and the mindful coffee stir from a local cafe and the satisfied sigh as the appreciation of the sun rising up in the morning. Strong senses. Passionate conversations. The smell of that strong espresso they love to enjoy here. Slow mornings…

Portugal is a country that took my heart within the first days of me being here. After reading a sucrfers classic, Barbarian Days – recommended by my friend Nick, I knew I had to visit the land of promise.

No other place like the coastal village of Santa Cruz, located on cliffs under which strong waves break, transitioning into a soothing sound to sleep to, at night. Providing a playground for many locals and wave searchers from around the world, during the day.

I fell in love with the fresh air, instantly. Mediterranean food, cheap pastry, and really good avocados. The village of St. Cruz is adorable. Old town brings me back to traveling around Sardinia and Corsica with my family. Little cafes and tranquil vibes, local bakeries on narrow streets and tiny fruterias, as you take yourself down to the beach.

If you are thinking about taking a trip somewhere, why not take advantage of my – 63$ off Airbnb discount?

santa cruz_portugal_surfing_surf portugal

Big thanks to Rui and Andreia, for welcoming me and my brother during our time in Portugal, in their home. A gem on the side of their village is a surf camp they’ve built in the last couple of years. They were kind enough to show you beautiful local hikes, put delicious meals on the table and welcomed us into their world for a while.

I personally recommend getting in touch with Andreia and her husband, if you are planning a trip to this side of Portugal. They are very accommodating, and their guest house is super cozy.

More about Surf Camp 360

Our days were spent surfing in the beach St. Rita, or Peniche – another surf capital of Portugal! Pastry and short espresso were a ritual after catching waves all day, and trust me, I didn’t say no to my after lunch siesta either!

Stoked to spent some time, watching the WQS Santa Cruz Pro event, with some local and worldwide pros mastering the waves in St. Cruz. That’s always a very exciting experience.

Of course, I couldn’t leave all my work behind. Too read more about what I do for work, please read this article.

More about Alenka

My name is Alenka and I’m a Squamish based photographer. I love shooting nature, sports, sports in nature… underwater shots, adventures in the mountains and days on snow! I’m stoked. Very simply put, I am a stoked girl, ready to get up at 2 in the morning and hike for a sunrise, ready to go to the airport and take a random flight… I’m stoked on living and I love what I do for work.

Photography, web design and digital marketing have been things I’m proud to call my job! Very flexible, lots of traveling and even more adventures than when I was a kid. Here, on my website I share tips on photography, spreading awareness about the zero-waste lifestyle and sustainabilty and crazy stories from my travels. Welcome.