‘Quiet vacationing’ sounds like a cute name for a low-key holiday, doesn’t it? Perhaps a short stay in a countryside cottage, or a few days in a beach hut…

But it’s actually whole lot more depressing than that.

To put it simply, this travel trend is when you go on holiday, but commit to doing a certain amount of work – whether that be from the beach or your AirBnB.

Your boss might not even know you’re away.

It’s similar to other workplace trends such as the ‘workcation’, when a business trip is combined with leisure – for example, working for a week in a villa in Ibiza.

As a freelance journalist, the idea of working-from-anywhere at first seemed like a great idea, so last month I booked a trip to Portugal – a top European destination for digital nomads – and planned to spend six fast-paced days between the country’s two largest cities: Porto and Lisbon.

I imagined working in coffee shops and hotel rooms by day, and exploring the bustling streets and cheap eateries by night.

But not long before I was set to travel, my rose-tinted sunglasses lifted and I realised that this so-called ‘break’ wasn’t going to be much of a break at all. Once I’d finally logged off, would I even have the energy to switch from worker to tourist?

Fearing I had made a terrible error, I decided to make the most of my location and give myself a few more days to explore the place with a trip to tourist-fave, the Algarve – and despite any reservations, I am so glad I did.

Why the Algarve?

After visiting Portugal’s two main and most popular cities, it made sense to venture down to its most sought-after beach destination. Plus, having experienced a a few rainy days in northern Porto (and only a couple more before I’d be heading back to drizzly old Manchester) a trip to the ‘California of Europe’ felt more than welcome.

By the time I arrived in Albufeira, on Portugal’s south coast, I’d spent the the majority of the last week either indoors staring at my screen, or on a three-hour train journey from one region to the other. I was tired and a little overwhelmed and more than ready to swap the blue light of my laptop for some well-deserved sunlight, and those espressos in coffee shops for beers by the pool.

I’d been to the Algarve once before, and knew it was a destination for Brits abroad and golf enthusiasts, so I wasn’t really going for a dose of culture – I’d had that in Lisbon and Porta.

Instead, I wanted to do nothing but relax, hence why I opted for a two night stay at the luxurious W Hotel, which has a spa, a poolside bar and is perched right on the beachfront, rather than a more quaint or authentic Airbnb or hostel.

The W is a 10-minute taxi from Albufeira’s Old Town and was also perfect for keeping a healthy distance from the crowds of tourists that flock to the destination during summer.

And relax…

When I got to the hotel, one of the first things I did was find myself an optimally placed deckchair next to the pool and ordered a pint.  I spent the next couple of hours blissfully dipping in and out of the pool and catching up on all the sun I missed out on when I was busy at my hotel desk the week before. 

Of course, I couldn’t spend all day just lying by the pool drinking beer, so I also looked into getting myself a massage at the hotel. After all, following the week I’d had trying to cram everything in on my ‘quiet vacation’, I more than deserved it.

Thankfully, the W Algarve has a brilliant spa (called the Away Spa) with six treatment rooms, a gym, a sauna and steam room, an ice bath and more. So, on my second day, not long after breakfast, I got a wonderful energising massage for €115, complete with a citrus scrub. 

I’ll admit the treatments aren’t cheap, but I was glowing inside and out when I left the massage table an hour later, and I could hardly remember the tech neck induced knots in my back from endlessly hunching over my laptop.

It’s aso worth noting that there are loads of other spas in the area, too, with the Garden Spa, in Falésia Hotel, is the top rated on Tripadvisor.

Venturing out

Although I was loving my full-on hotel relaxation, I also know that If there’s one thing about the Algarve that you cannot miss, it’s the beaches. 

The Algarve was named one of Europe’s most popular beach destinations for a reason, and I’d hazard a guess that the clean sandy beaches, distinct rocky enclaves and clear waters had a hand. 

Praia do Evaristo, the beach by the hotel, was a tiny little bay, protected by large golden cliffs. We spent the whole day there, soaking up the sun (read: getting burned) and dipping in and out of the wavy sea. 

What was so lovely about this particular beach was that it was closed off, with very few people, and a lovely little beach bar. Plus, it was a five minute walk from the room.

Food for thought

While the meals at the W were insane – did I mention the giant crab?! – it’s always nice to get out into the real world, even if just for an evening.

Albufeira’s Old Town is extremely lively and very, well, British. That is, it’s built for tourists and caters to the assumed palettes of those tourists. There’s Indian restaurants, souvenir shops, sports bars, Irish bars – pretty much everything you’d expect on a classic Brits Abroad destination. 

It was interesting to head into the Old Town as someone who tends to lean towards the more cultural escapes. It was a little tacky and the food (a chicken kebab with chips) wasn’t great.

That being said, it was cheap, fun and nostalgic, and I was not in the mood to explore, so if you lean into it, you can have a silly night out here.

After a couple of days of simply blissing out and doing nothing, I was able to reflect on how the last few weeks had actually been for me.

I realised that while working holidays – or quiet vacations, if you still prefer to call them that – are a great way to break up the monotony of your daily life with a big fat dose of culture and sunshine, it’s also really important to give yourself time to relax, too.

The Algarve, with it’s constant sunshine and glorious coastline, was the ideal place to do exactly that. I couldn’t recommend it more.

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With only so much annual leave, choosing where to go on holiday, then making sure you make the most of what little time you get there, can be stressful.

Oftentimes, I find myself unable to make a decision and leaving a destination without having seen, or done, as much as I possibly could.

Enter: Quinta do Lago’s surprise package, which takes all the work out of a weekend break.

Quinta do Lago is a stunning resort nestled in Portugal’s Algarve, offering a package deal including accommodation and multiple experiences around the resort and local area, allowing you to make the most of your time in the region.

Prices start from just €500 (£430) per person for three nights and four experiences over two days, but despite the low prices, what really makes this package such a sweet deal isn’t just the excitement and anticipation of not fully knowing what to expect, but it also takes all of the planning out of your hands. 

It’s the ideal smooth brain holiday choice. All you have to do is pay and turn up. Everything else, from the itinerary to the logistics, is covered. 

Quinta do Lago in a nutshell 

Quinta is a sprawling, upmarket golf resort nestled inside an even bigger nature reserve, with so much to see and do.

The Ria Formosa Natural Park, a protected nature reserve that stretches along Portugal’s southeastern coast, from Faro to Tavira, is one of the country’s seven wonders, and is a defining feature of the luxurious area.

Quinta itself is a residential resort, with luxury villas and apartments – one of which is owned by Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard – nestled among hotels and holiday homes. 

With this in mind, the price of the surprise package is an insanely good deal. With facilities fit for the stars, it’s hard to argue.

I stayed in a private room at the resort’s boutique-yet-cheap hotel, the Magnolia, which had a Palm Springs feel to it. 

It was the ideal place for me as it had a gym, sauna, jacuzzi and swimming pool – all the things that bring me comfort when I’m on holiday. Not to mention, the breakfast was lovely and the cappuccinos were great, too. 

The resort is also home to 15 dining and drink options, including a Japanese restaurant, a fresh seafood restaurant and a classic Portuguese steakhouse. There are some more casual options for lunch, too, including sports bar Dano’s and health cafe PURE. 

While food is not included in the price of the surprise packages, Quinta’s dining options are, frankly, unmissable. The selection of steaks at Bovina were mouthwateringly tender, and lakeside Casa Lago’s seabass was cooked to perfection.

Did I mention the fruit platter we had for dessert?

The surprise package 

There are a plethora of excursions and activities to try at Quinta, from sports and fitness classes at the renowned Campus fitness centre to golf lessons, cooking classes and nature tours. 

To help the resort choose which experiences to put into my three day itinerary, I answered a questionnaire, which asked questions about dietary requirements, the sorts of things you’re into (art and culture, food, fitness, etc.) and some broader questions about yourself and whoever you’re travelling with. It also meant I had a rough idea of what to pack.

When I walked into my hotel room, I was eager to check out my itinerary for the next few days. So, what did they come up with?

Day 1: Razor clams and padel

On the first day, I was up bright and early for a bit of an adventure — a trip down the Ria Formosa lagoon on a fishing boat adorned with huge, painted eyes. We’re off to learn how the Algarve fisherman dig for clams.

We spent the morning up to our calves in either sea water or sand, using alien (to our city dwelling hands) tools to root through the earth for razor clams and cockles. 

I figured out how to squat comfortably while keeping my not-well-thought-out midi skirt out of the muck, and dug away, filling a basket with little critters which we eventually sent back to the ocean. 

Afterwards it was another new and nerve wracking experience for me: learning to play padel, a new racket sport, and one of the fastest growing sports in the world. 

Despite the flashbacks to high school PE classes and fears of being smacked in the face by a ball, the padel class was easily my favourite activity — and something I never would have chosen to do if it wasn’t for the surprise package.

The endorphins rushed through my body as I went along for a quick gym session before heading back to the hotel. If this is what getting out of my comfort zone felt like, why had I waited so long to do it?

Day 2: Lake sports and nature walks

Day two was more sports, and a wander through the nature reserve with a wildlife specialist, who pointed out rare species of birds, fiddler crabs and turtles – yes, turtles! – which lived around the resort. 

The owners of Quinta do their bit to preserve the natural environment, with 91% of the land conserved, and it’s a blessing. Being able to wander through the nature reserve under the beating sun was truly beautiful, and something I’d have liked to do whether it was included in my package or not.

Later, we headed to the lake to try out some watersports. I’d never been on a paddleboard before – I’d always been too scared of falling in – but I put on my brave face and gave it a go.

To my surprise, it’s really easy to balance on a paddleboard. What’s less easy is trying to navigate around a gaggle of school children also trying their hand at sailing on the lake. 

Afterwards, we went to Umami, the resort’s Japanese restaurant, and feasted on the most delicious food, the standouts including platters of sushi, milk buns and chicken satay, before heading back to the Magnolia bar for drinks.

On the surface, Quinta do Lago is a destination for golf lovers – and that it is  – but it’s also so much more than that. Whether you’re a fitness and wellness buff, a culture vulture or the ultimate foodie, there’s something for everyone.

I came away from the trip feeling inspired, invigorated and genuinely fulfilled. Now, I feel like I can take on anything. 

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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