Last month, a group of us went away for my dad’s 50th to Guia in Portugal. Whilst I expect I probably look paler now than I did before I went, it was great to escape to a villa that was basking in sunshine for the whole week!

Alongside my close family were my stepfamily, one of best friends and my boyfriend (who had the pleasure of meeting them all for the first time ever on arrival at the villa). Whilst the trip wasn’t quite so peaceful as my solo trip to Rome, it was a fantastic week filled with sunshine, laughter, and exploring.

Highlights were definitely horse riding on the beach, visiting the Silves, a picturesque town nestled in the hills with a beautiful cathedral and castle, and wandering down the back streets of Albufeira.

 

I was absolutely ecstatic that a few of us got the chance to see some dolphins in the wild whilst out on a Caves and Coastline boat tour – which is the first time I’ve ever seen them! They were playfully jumping in front of our boat for around 10 minutes or so and a wave of excitement passed through the people on board.

Whilst in Portugal we also had some INCREDIBLE food, including a traditional Cataplana in a stunning little restaurant recommended by our taxi driver. It was the sort of place you could imagine a proposal dinner, with beautiful lighting after dark and excellent service.

Pop Shop Albufeira

Now, those who know me know that I couldn’t have gone a week without some proper coffee. By the end of our trip I was starting to feel like a typical Brit who can’t handle warm climates and after a few hours of shopping in Albufeira, we decided it was time to stop for a well-deserved coffee and ice cream.

Like any city, there was no shortage of places to eat and drink. We stumbled across Pop Shop Albufeira by chance and chose it at random out of the three establishments around us.

And boy, were we glad we did!

My nan, being ever curious, opted for one of their funky fruit ice pops which were made from real fruit and were laid out in a freezer in a variety of beautiful colours and flavours. My best friend Sarah opted for the same kiwi flavour as nan and both were surprised at how tasty and fruity they were.

My granddad and Scott chose to keep it simple and ordered coffee.

Me on the other hand, I was tempted not only by an Americano, but also by their crepes which come with a scoop of ice cream of your choice, plus cream and sauce. YUM.

I fell in love with Pop Shop. It was adorable inside, with a limited but beautiful seating area. Plus, my crepes were absolutely delicious and the choice of salted caramel ice cream to top them off was a great one, if I do say so myself.

One thing that I remember distinctly about that shop, is that we left feeling an instant buzz from the Lavazza coffee – which is just what we needed!

Thanks for reading guys – don’t forget to tell me about your favourite coffee stop down below!