Bewildering Natural Beauty of Ponta de Piedade

The Portuguese region of the Algarve is known for its breath-taking natural beauty and dramatic panoramas, particularly around its rugged shoreline which is replete with hidden inlets, clandestine coves and rocky cliffs, sculpted over thousands of years by the restless Mediterranean Sea. However, few places around the Algarve are as intriguing as the Ponta de Piedade, a headland on the Lagos coast known for its unique landscape of deep beach caves and steep arches protruding from the sea.

Photo Credit: Pat Neary http://www.flickr.com/photos/pat-neary/4744004540/

Shimmering green and blue waters lap at the rocks at the Ponta de Piedade, although spectacular waves can be witnessed when the seas are rough. A grand lighthouse sits atop the cliffs overlooking the Ponte de Piedade, and for spectacular views of the entire area you should take a cautious walk around the edge of the cliffs close to this historic building, particularly at dusk as the sun begins to drop below the horizon and dramatic shadows are cast over the water by the lighthouse.

Photo Credit: Pat Neary http://www.flickr.com/photos/pat-neary/4743352047/

Still, observing the Ponta de Piedade from the cliffs themselves will only give you a taste of their true magnificence and sheer scale, so during the day when the waves are gentle, make your way down the stairs to the small cove where numerous experienced fishermen await with their boats.

Photo Credit: Ian Lloyd http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianlloyd/512923323/

These fishermen are experts on the Ponta de Piedade and will relish in recounting to you their astonishing knowledge of this fascinating rock formation as they take you on a boat trip around the coast. You’ll also learn all about the wildly shaped rocks and caverns that make up the Ponta de Piedade and their individual names, which include the Chimney, the Cathedral, the Camel, the General de Gaulle, the Kitchen and most intriguingly, the Grotto of Love. 

Photo Credit: Jose Manuel Mazintosh http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazintosh/193852846/

You’ll also be able to stop off at the beaches inside the caves at the Ponta de Piedade, allowing you to discover their mystery for yourself, and of course enjoy a refreshing dip in one of the most beautiful stretches of water found anywhere in the Algarve.

Photo Credit: Plsg77 http://www.flickr.com/photos/plsg77/4158476564/

Don’t forget to watch out for the birds that inhabit the Ponta de Piedade too, including numerous species of swifts and egrets, peregrine falcons, jackdaws and ravens. 

Photo Credit: Jose Manuel Mazintosh http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazintosh/193854352/

A trip to the Ponta de Piedade is an essential part of any holiday to the Algarve for those that enjoy a sense of adventure. As the area is in the heart of the Algarve, staying at a hotel like the Luna Alpinus with Jet2holidays will put you in a prime position to visit the Ponta de Piedade, as well as the abundant other attractions that the region has to offer.

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