The Atlantic Ocean
- Jorgen Kirchhoff
- Nov 19
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Summary
A wild and powerful coastline where I walk my dog almost every day.
The Atlantic is stunning, unpredictable and truly one of Portugal's great wonders.
Practical Tips
Distance: Always close
Perfect for: everything
Bring: a sweater?
Tips: The atlantic ocean is not just ice cold - it is dangerous - take care
Why we recommend it: Read for yourself :)
The Atlantic Ocean is one of the reasons I moved to Portugal.
It was love at first sight.
The sea pulls me in — and I feel stronger here than anywhere else I've lived. All of Portugal’s west coast is shaped by the Atlantic. 750 km of coastline running north–south, until it bends east and becomes the Algarve coast. The Algarve is beautiful too, but it’s the wild West Coast that fascinates me the most.
Mountains, cliffs and long, stretched beaches in a powerful, harmonious symphony — all sharing the same theme: the sea, the wind, the light, the sound, the evening sun.
The Atlantic Coast.
I walk these beaches almost every day with my dog, in all kinds of weather.
The views never get old. The freedom never gets smaller.
The Atlantic is powerful — and you must respect it.
It is beautiful and seductive, but it is also raw, cold and unpredictable.
The waves can look calm and inviting one moment and dangerous the next.
You don’t play with the Atlantic. You meet it with admiration, awareness and a healthy dose of humility.
Still, the magic never fades. I have taken long barefoot walks with the wind in my face, feeling the energy of the ocean and the intensity of the coastline.
The feeling of freedom is real, every single time.
The coast is still far from overcrowded.
There are stretches where you won’t meet a tourist — sometimes not even a local. There are beaches where you can barely buy a coffee…and others where the beauty is so remote that reaching them takes effort.
And the light.
I can’t leave out the light. It shifts from crystal clear to misty to golden to dramatic. It blends with the sea and shapes the coastline in constant movement. Grey, white, blue, green, almost black.
And the evenings… magical is the only honest word.
A coast that faces west is a privileged coast. I feel privileged to live here — and to share it with the people I care about, and with everyone who comes to visit.
I believe most who read this feel privileged too… but that’s another story.
Let this be a tribute to Portugal’s magical Atlantic Coast!
Jorgen/Living on the West Coast of Portugal
Small moments • True gems • Real Portugal
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