For this year's summer vacation, we decided to take a different kind of trip. Instead of spending a week at a trendy beach resort like we've done in recent years, we thought it best to spend two weeks traveling around... Northern Portugal and Galicia, in Spain. We chose to camp during this period because we had already planned other trips for this year and didn't want to spend much more than our budget, and luckily it was an unforgettable trip for everyone. I won't lie and say it was a relaxing trip, but it was worth every hardship and penny spent. I want to camp again, but certainly not for two weeks! 🙂

Our Camping Equipment

We took advantage of a Decathlon sale in May and bought some camping gear because it's something we want to do with the kids at least once a year. Celo and I started dating in 2011 and... back then We used to camp and enjoy it, so we already had an idea that we'd like to do it with the kids. Now the time has come, and that's why we thought it was worth investing in quality essentials, and there's no better place than Decathlon for that, right? This isn't an ad, I just think it's a very complete store that offers good quality items at fair prices, especially if you're unsure about a purchase and want to exchange it later.

This is a list of our belongings:

• 5-person 2-bedroom camping tent, Fresh & Black, Arpenaz 5.2 – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/tenda-de-campismo-5-lugares-2-quartos-fresh-and-black-arpenaz-5-2/301124/c8c4m8810951 (A friend who camps here in Portugal highly recommended the Fresh and Black line, and we saw the difference. It really doesn't get too light inside the room and it doesn't get too hot or stuffy, meaning it's comfortable. We chose this size thinking long-term, but I think a 4.2 would be OK too.)
• Folding camping table, 4 seats, seats 4 to 6 people, green – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/mesa-dobravel-de-campismo-4-bancos-4-a-6-pessoas-verde/351273/c11c426m8950620 The children ended up using the benches, which are quite uncomfortable, so we bought chairs for ourselves.
• Comfortable, foldable camping chair with armrests. https://www.decathlon.pt/p/cadeira-de-campismo-confortavel-dobravel-e-com-apoios-de-bracos/13372/c98m8852991
• Comfortable Folding Camping Chair – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/cadeira-de-campismo-dobravel-e-confortavel/13369/c360c344m8852999 (This one was for Celo, who is taller than me and thought the previous chair wasn't very good for him.)
• Self-inflating camping mattress for 2 people, 200×132 cm, Comfort – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/colchao-autoinsuflavel-de-campismo-2-pessoas-200×132-cm-comfort/337635/c344m8733136 (We bought 2, since there are 4 of us)
• Camping Sleeping Bag 10ºC, Comfort Blue – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/saco-cama-de-campismo-10c-comfort-azul/354559/c328c193m8881983 (We bought 4 and 10 degree ones because we know it gets cold at night in Portugal)
• FOLDABLE TRANSPORT CART FOR CAMPING EQUIPMENT – TROLLEY – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/carrinho-de-transporte-desdobravel-para-material-de-campismo-trolley/342540/c71c70m8753715 (We already had it at home, and it was essential for transporting our belongings from the car to the more remote campsite in the Cíes Islands, and also for taking the children for walks within the campsites).
• U FISH 2.40 FISHING DISCOVERY SET – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/conjunto-de-descoberta-da-pesca-u-fish-2-40/350584/m8843245 – For beginners, of course. We used it once and weren't lucky. We had fake bait, but next time we'll buy real bait.
• Battery-Powered Camping Lantern BL100 – 100 Lumens – https://www.decathlon.pt/p/lanterna-de-campismo-a-pilhas-bl100-100-lumens/172514/c98c66m8492468
• Camping cookware set 500 in stainless steel + non-stick coating – 2 people – 15 pieces. https://www.decathlon.pt/p/conjunto-de-cozinha-500-de-campismo-em-aco-inox-anti-aderente-2p-15-pecas/174678/c311m8901656 – very useful and it's quite compact.
• Besides those things, we took pillows, a two-burner electric stove, an extension cord, a tarp for the tent floor, and a few other things to make the trip easier, but that was basically all we took in our car, which isn't very big. It was a real Tetris game organizing everything in our trunk and in the back seat with the kids, but in the end it worked out. We only took clothes for 6 days and did laundry at one of the campsites, so our bags weren't very big either.

Our Summary Itinerary

We left Cascais on a Saturday and returned home two Sundays later, meaning it was a full two-week trip. We chose to camp in three different places, namely... Peneda-Gerês National Park (Portugal), one Camping near Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, and a Camping in the Cíes Islands, ...also in Galicia. These were three very different experiences, and each campsite had its pros and cons, but I'll discuss those in the posts for each leg of the trip. In addition to these campsites, we stayed three nights in hotels, the first night of the trip being in... Pegrodão Grande and the last two nights in Amarante, Because they were transit points, and we wanted to enjoy water parks in those locations.

In summary, this is how our itinerary for this trip turned out:

These are the places we passed through:

And here's a summary of what we did each day:

• Day 1 - We left Cascais for Pedrogão, in Leiria, where the Mariparque water park is located. Unfortunately, Ju got sick and we ended up not going to visit it, but it's a good thing we hadn't bought tickets yet.
• Day 2 – We left Pedrogão, fished for the first time with our rod in a lagoon, ate Bairrada-style suckling pig, and arrived at the Parque Cerdeira campsite in Gerês at the end of the day.
• Day 3 - As Ju was still sick, we visited viewpoints, went horseback riding, and the children also went zip-lining to complete the day.
• Day 4 – With everyone feeling well, we went to the Portela do Homem Waterfall, passed through the Albergaria Forest, went for a swim, and had a fun day trip to the Alqueirão River Beach.
• Day 5 – Celo had a back injury and we had a slower day, stopping only at the Rio do Homem River Beach, the Lanhoso hospital, and we watched the solar eclipse with special glasses.
• Day 6 – We left the Gerês campsite, stopped in Ourense, Spain to enjoy the thermal baths, and continued on to our new campsite in Galicia.
• Day 7 – We spent the day camping.
• Day 8 – We went to visit La Coruna.
• Day 9 – We went to visit Santiago de Compostela.
• Day 10 – We left the Galicia campsite and went to Cangas, from where we took the ferry to the Cíes Islands.
• Day 11 – We enjoyed the beaches of Bólos and Vinos, right next to each other and very close to the campsite.
• Day 12 – We went to explore the beaches of Areina and Figueiras, closer to the port.
• Day 13 – We hiked to the Bird Observatory and then enjoyed Nossa Senhora Beach.
• Day 14 – We left the island and drove to Amarante, where we stayed overnight in a very central hotel.
• Day 15 – A day to enjoy the Amarante Water Park.
• Day 16 – We went paddle boating and left Amarante around lunchtime, stopping for a meal in Bairrada. We arrived in Cascais at the end of the day.

Unfortunately, Ju was sick on the first day of the trip, and our plans to go to... Maripark The first Saturday's events had to be cancelled, but at least we managed to go to... Amarante Water Park On the last Saturday of the trip. We love amusement parks, water parks or otherwise, so now that the kids are a little older, we're always trying to fit them into our itineraries.

Of everything we did and saw on this trip, my top 3 were... Portela do Homem Waterfall, in Gerês, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the Cies Islands. Completely different places, which made our trip very diverse, just the way we like it. Here are some photos of them:

Our Campsites and Hotels

We stayed at the following places during our trip:

• Pedrogão Guesthouse – A simple but well-kept little hotel, with a room that had a double bed and a bunk bed for the children. We had a sea view from the room and, being very close to the beach, we were able to walk there. The breakfast was tasty, but quite simple.
• Cerdeira Park Camping – My favorite campsite of the trip. Located in the Gerês National Park, this campsite has space for tents and also several bungalows/small houses for those who don't want to camp. It's right in the middle of the forest, and the facilities are excellent. We paid for our private bathroom, bought our supplies at the mini-market, had dinner at the restaurant with fair prices, played in the playground, and swam in the pool for a small fee. I thought everything was wonderful and I would happily return.
• Camping Huttopia This campsite has a different concept than the previous one. It occupies a huge plot of land, which is very poorly utilized. There are few bathrooms for those without caravans, but I don't know if that's because most people are in caravans anyway… The fact is, I found the bathrooms far away and I didn't like having only one washing machine and one dryer. On the other hand, the pool is lovely, the restaurant area is really nice, and there are many games and attractions for everyone. I thought it was a shame they didn't offer more food at the restaurant, because I would have had breakfast there a few days just for a change.
• Camping Islas Ciés – The campsite is well-organized and occupies a good portion of the island. There are many tents belonging to the campsite, but we brought our own. We found a spot with a great view and close to the bathroom and restaurant, so it was really nice. We liked the restaurant upstairs and the bar on the ground floor, although it didn't have that many snacks. The mini-market could have more options, but it was OK for us. We queued to shower and had to use coins for hot water. Each 10-cent coin was enough for two and a half minutes, and the reception staff gave them to us. I loved the grassy area where the children could play while we drank wine and enjoyed the view of the beach and lagoon with the birds flying around. It's certainly a special place.
• Hotel Navarra – Very good hotel, with a very complete breakfast and an excellent location in Amarante. We left the car in the parking lot behind and did everything on foot from the hotel. I loved the spacious and quiet room.

Our Detailed Itinerary

We did a lot during those days, and since I like to document every detail, I thought it best to create separate posts for each part of the trip. I'll post them here soon.

Our Photos

Here are some photos from this delightful trip: