Portugal (2) - Ericeira | A Traveller's Serendipity

You must have heard Einstein’s famous saying:

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”

I am no Einstein, though, as 2018 was coming to an end, I decided to leave my insanity behind and do things that I had never done before. There were two things that topped the list: a) Surfing, b) Scuba diving. Both related to water, which somehow has always had cleansing and rejuvenating impact on me. They also challenge me in different ways, which made them perfect to discover a different version of myself.

So I consulted my best advisor: Google - “best places to learn surfing”

My initial plan was to go to Tenerife in December and celebrate the end of 2018 by returning to water. But life got in the way - as it always does, and other priorities took over. In the meantime, Ericeira started appearing in my search results.

After seeing an Instagram post from a friend on her surf experience in Ericeira, I made up my mind: I was going to Ericeira. At this stage, being the rookie I am, I still had no clue what a little gem this town was.

I first tried to book my stay with the surf house that my friend recommended, but they were not going to be open until 15 March and I wanted to celebrate my birthday surfing the waves on 9 March. So I booked my trip with another school I found online. Yet, another happy surprise came my way and I had to push back my stay by one week, which meant that the first surf house that I heard of on Instagram was going to be open during those days.

Oh life, how much fun do you have when you destroy our carefully designed plans?

“Go with the flow” I said to myself and sticked to the original plan.

So in the end, I was going to celebrate my birthday in London (not on the waves) and go to Ericeira the week after (not during the week of my birthday), staying at the surf house I found online (during the dates when the original surf house I wanted to stay in was going to be open).

I arrived at Ericeira on Friday evening following a day in Lisbon. I took the bus from Campo Grande bus terminal, which costs less than €7.

Ericeira bus terminal at the town centre… Only minutes away from famous surf houses & beaches

When I arrived in Ericeira it was around 10pm. The surf house offered to pick me up from the terminal, which I was grateful for. After settling in, I quickly fell asleep. The next day, I was fully rested and ready for the week ahead at Chill in Ericeira, which, by the end of my trip, became on my favourite places on the planet.

So what’s so special about Chill in Ericeira? Well, it is decorated in a colourful, quirky and artistic fashion, has a great ocean view, a backyard and a small bar. It is located very close to the town. But more than anything, it is the people! The guests, the staff and the surf teachers - every one I have met came from very different walks of life, but were all so very inspiring in their own way.

Ericeira, also called by many as “happy place”, “heavenly home” or “a magical place”, is a beautiful town. I was mesmerised by the shades of blue in the day and the size of starts at night. The town has so many faces - old buildings, surf shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, independent local shops, beaches… Bring your camera and you won’t be short of good Instagram-worthy pictures. I, personally, loved it so much there, my one-week holiday was extended for another week.

What turned out to be a complete serendipity in terms of timing, location and people was the best thing happened in my life for a very long time. It was like reaching heaven and falling back on Earth with the best heavenly experiences.

“How about surfing?” you may ask. Well, I do not need to vouch for this world-known surfer town. I, on the other hand, am at the very beginning of my surfing journey, still finding my balance, falling often, learning slowly… Yet, it is a journey that I am willing to commit to and let’s see where it takes me. Just going with the flow…

I am going back to Ericeira on 27 April, yet I often find myself wondering whether I will feel the magic again. Or was it a one time thing? I shall see…