Algarve Coastal Trails Self Guided Walking Tour

Algarve Coastal Trails

7 Days & 6 Nights 4.7 Read 34 reviews

Amble through the cobbled streets of Sagres and Salema
Enjoying a glass of Alentejo red as the sun sinks into the Atlantic
Strolling along honey-coloured cliffs above the turquoise sea and white beaches
Pausing to take in the prolific birdlife
Smelling the Atlantic air as you stand invigorated at Cape San Vicente lighthouse
Tucking into a heaped plate of Ameijoas na Cataplana at a harbour-side cafe

Follow the cliffs, beaches and turquoise ocean of Portugal’s Algarve Coast from Praia da Luz to Cabo Sao Vincente. Secluded sandy beaches, whitewashed fishing villages, excellent hotels and fresh caught seafood combine to delight you at every turn of the trail. Begin in the small town of Luz, originally a small fishermen's village. Continue west to the whitewashed houses and cobbled streets of Salema and, from here, you'll enjoy a walk inland through small villages and rural Algarve. Your walk continues to Sagres before the final leg of your journey takes you to the lighthouse at Cabo Sao Vicente.

What To Expect

Experience the unspoiled parts of the Algarve by following trails along the coast from Lagos to Sagres. If you love to walk along high cliffs and secluded bays, be surrounded by an abundance of wildlife and eat and drink fresh local food and wines, then this is a tour that would suit you perfectly.

Trip Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent active holiday.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | You will spend multiple nights in one or more of the locations on this walking holiday

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Coastal & Island

Inspiration:

Most Popular

Grade & Terrain

This walking tour is graded moderate. The daily walks are relatively short, however the terrain is hilly and summer temperatures can be high. Daily walks are of 3 to 6 hrs. You should be a regular walker and have a good level of walking fitness to get the most from this holiday. An element of caution should be exercised when walking along the cliff tops as the trail can at times take you close to the edge. You should therefore also have a good head for heights! The terrain on walks can also be rocky and uneven in parts although not particularly steep so we recommend the use of walking poles to aid with balance.

Navigation

The routes are partly way-marked. You will also be provided with route maps on arrival to help you find your way. As the local maps in this area are not great, you will also be given a GPS unit and will receive instructions on how to use them. You can also access the route on our smartphone app to make navigation even easier.

Accommodation Information

Your holiday includes 4 nights in 4* hotels and 2 nights in a 3* hotel. A warm welcome plus relaxing and comfortable rooms and public spaces are assured. Also take advantage of the warm weather and the fact that every hotel has a pool and is located near a beach.

Alternate accommodation

During the high season, you might be booked into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. Any alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard as those described although they may not always have a pool.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. Solo Walkers are also welcome on this tour but there is an additional supplement which is unfortunately quite high due to the fact that the shared transfer costs are quite high and not divided.

Meals

6 Breakfasts are included. You can either eat dinner in local restaurants or at the hotels, all of which have a restaurant. We recommend trying the traditional and locally-sourced food, especially the fresh seafood which is simply delicious. For lunches you can find local cheeses, meats and breads in local shops or markets, or the hotels may make you a packed lunch on request.

Included

4 Nights in 4* hotels
2 Nights in a 3* hotel
6 Breakfasts
Baggage transfers
Transfers at the beginning and end of the tour from the hotels to Faro Airport
3 required transfers during the walking days
Detailed maps, information pack, route notes, and loan of a GPS
Access to the Macs Smartphone App
Organisational assistance and backup from our area manager in Portugal and our office.

Excluded

Travel insurance (required)
Travel to and from Faro
6 Dinners
6 Lunches
Drinks and snacks
Personal equipment
Mountain rescue / emergency assistance

Extras

Additional nights before or after the holiday
Transfers to/from Lisbon Airport if arriving there instead of Faro

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day from March to June and from September to November.

Time of Year

As the summer months can be extremely hot, making walking quite uncomfortable the departure dates are limited to spring and autumn months. The spring and autumn are great as the weather is a little cooler and you may see the bird migrations.

Getting to the Start

By Air:

Faro is the closest airport and is an approximate one hour drive to Praia da Luz, the location of your first hotel on the tour. Faro is serviced by at least one carrier from almost every regional airport in the UK. Direct flights from outside of London tend to be with the low cost carriers or charter flights. Flight time from London is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. For more information on Faro Airport please go to the following website www.faroairport.eu

The tour is also accessible from Lisbon Airport. To get from Lisbon Airport to the starting point of the tour, you need to take the subway into the city centre and catch a bus to Lagos (4 hours). A transfer is then included to pick you up from Lagos and take you to Praia da Luz.

From Sagres, the location of your last hotel a transfer is included back to Faro Airport. Again it is possible to be transferred back to Lisbon for an additional charge.

Airport transfers to and from Faro Airport are included in the cost of your tour. If you are flying into Lisbon we can also arrange a transfer from there for you for an additional cost. Please note this is quite a high cost due to the length of the transfer involved.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation when you change hotels. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants),sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Algarve Day 2 Transfer to Lagos, walk to Praia da Luz 8 miles / 13 km Day 3 Luz Bay to Salema Village 8 miles / 13 km Day 4 Barão de São João to Salema 11 miles / 16.5 km Day 5 Salema to Sagres 11 miles / 16.5 km Day 6 Sagres to Cabo San Vicente 9 miles / 14 km Day 7 Onward travel

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