In need of a change of scenery from our Haut Marais neighborhood, we decided to end the year and begin a new one, in southern Portugal. Given the many travel restrictions, this remained one of the safest destinations. And our last trip to Portugal, from cruising down the Duoro to road tripping in the Algarve, left us eager for more.

After a dose of sun and sea at Praia do Meco en route from Lisbon, we settled into our home in Zamujeira do Mar in the Alentejo region. With barely any tourists and very few locals, we explored the rugged coastline.

For an authentic lunch with the locals, we stopped at the neighboring village of Porto Covo followed by a visit to Vila Nova de Milfontes. The latter, filled with charm, quickly became a favorite in the Alentejo region.

Always eager for a road trip, we drove over two hours to the medieval town of Mértola close to the Spanish border. Deserted, this once Islamic open-air museum made for a perfect lunch stop in between rain showers.

Having spent a few scenic nights watching the sunset from our home in Zamujeira do Mar, it was time to continue south to the Algarve. But first, a quick stop at Praia de Odeceixe followed by an eclectic seafood lunch at O Sargo in Praia de Monte Clérigo. Will travel for food!

Our next home, and where we would celebrate the New Year, was the coastal town of Lagos with its rugged cliffs.

Each beach in Lagos looked more wild and dramatic than the last. We hiked our way along the coast, in awe.

The sun-filled week spent in Portugal, from the less touristic Alentejo region to the popular Algarve, filled us both with renewed strength and a positive outlook on the new year, as tough as the months ahead may be.