Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel guidebook publisher, has compiled a list of Portugal’s most “incredible hikes” which includes two that can be completed partially or completely in the Algarve – the Via Algarviana and Rota Vicentina.
“If you’ve had enough of lounging on one of the Algarve’s postcard-pretty beaches, a hike along part (or, if you’re really brave, all) of the 300km Via Algarviana is the best way to appreciate the magnificent landscapes of this region,” says Lonely Planet.
“The trail stretches from Alcoutim in the northeast to Cabo de São Vicente in the southwest, with some of the most beautiful sections around Monchique, where splendid vistas open up as you climb through cork groves to the Algarve’s highest peaks.”
The publisher also recommends the Rota Vicentina, which extends from the southwestern Alentejo to the western coast of the Algarve.
“The Rota Vicentina comprises two walking trails – one coastal and one inland – and runs along the southwest coast to Cabo de São Vincente. The coastal walk (referred to as ‘the fishermen’s trail’) uses paths forged by beachgoers and fisherfolk and passes through some of the harsher, yet stunning, coastal scenery and wilderness. The inland route (dubbed the ‘historical way’) is equally appealing. It runs through the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, plus rural towns and villages, cork-tree forests and valleys,” it explains.
Also featured on the list are the Castro Laboreiro Loop, Piódão to Foz d’Égua, Via Gueira Roman Road, Vale do Zêzere and Rocha da Pena (click here).
