Ok so I've been in two minds about writing about this place. It's the best place I've been to in Europe and one of the best kept secrets too with limited information about it out there unless you're really looking. What I decided in the end was that I'd write this and post it on forums about the place itself (once you've gotten that far, it's good to have more information right?). But for those of you who are reading this through The Sisterhood, you can contact us for the deets as and when you want to go.
Queue photos of the crossing in the mist... whhhoooaaaahhh.
This island, is just a 45 minute boat trip off the Portugese coast. You can go for the day, pack a picnic and walk around the island to the 15th Century monastery or if you plan in advance, you can stay in one of the old monk's cells in a turret looking out onto the sea. The cell is pretty much as it sounds. A simple, small bed in a small room with an air vent and a rickety wooden door.
WARNING: This accommodation is not for everyone. Some things to bear in mind. 1. You have to be good with heat (and potentially being cold at night too) 2. Come ready to walk 40 minutes up and down steep hills to get out of the monastery to other parts of the island, 3. You have to like fish... really quite a lot of it, including not having a choice of what fish you eat for dinner if they've only caught a fugggly deep sea fish with an underbite, spikes and the biggest fish eyes you've ever seen (It was truly delicious though)... and 4. Relax out of your hectic land-loving-life and chill out about only being able to shower or use any electricity twice per day in a special port-a-loo with a padlock on the door to keep the tourists out. (You are not classified as a tourist if you stay in a cell - obviously. It comes with the territory).
Breakfast at dawn.
An afternoon ramble.
The other sign of life on the island.
A read.
...and a swim.
The entire island is a nature reserve, though mostly this means it's full of breeding gulls. In the day, they are the common variety but at night they have 'night gulls' which make a terrifying noise a little like a buzzard and fly at your head whilst you're scaling the rocks. The most dangerous thing we saw though was two stone fish lurking just under the arched bridge to the monastery - these had bitten a young boy the day before and sent him to hospital so look out and don't put your feet down when you're swimming off rocks if you do go.
Sunset.
Dinner...
Shrimps al bulhao pato, grilled catch of the day, green salad and olive oily roast potatoes with coriander.
When you're stranded with no electricity, you have to entertain yourself... oh and don't forget a torch!
If you are into the above, then get in touch and I'll tell you how to wire the money. After that, you just need to get down to the harbour, buy breakfast and lunch goods from the supermarket, bring as much cash as you'll need for dinners with you, a torch and a sleeping bag. I did 4 days and during that time, had no contact with the outside world, which was heaven.
