Best of the Rota Vicentina Tour

Best of the Rota Vicentina

12 Days & 11 Nights 4.8 Read 17 reviews

Walk from Alentejo to the Algarve on Portugal's famous Rota Vicentina
Combine the best sections of the coastal Fishermen's Trail and inland Historical Way
Be the first to lay your footprints on deserted golden beaches
Eat grilled fish with a glass of "vinho" in authentic Portuguese villages
Overnight stays in traditional casa-style guesthouses

Walk the best of the Rota Vicentina starting in the bewitching Alentejo region and finishing in Cabo Sao Vicente, Europe's most south-westerly point. Combining the Fishermen's Trail coastal routes in the Alentejo with a couple of interesting inland sections to unspoiled Portuguese villages in the Algarve, we have selected the best sections of the network of walking trails which make up the Rota Vicentina. Spot plentiful birdlife nesting on the cliffs, walk over pristine sandy beaches and at the end of the day overnight in charming "casas" and small boutique hotels.

What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

Perfect if you have a couple of weeks available and want to experience both the Alentejo and Algarve regions of Portugal, this is a varied walk using both coastal and inland trails. The walking is moderate with a few steep ascents and descents from cliff-top paths as well as a few tiring sections walking along sand, although the sea views make up for the effort! Stay in a mix of boutique B&B’s and casa-style guesthouses offering warm Portuguese hospitality.

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Coastal Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded ‘moderate’ overall with the average daily distance being 19km. You will be walking for between 3 to 7 hours a day on undulating terrain and rugged clifftop paths, with some short ascents and descents, and often on sand which does make the walking quite tiring at times. There are a couple of days which would be closer to a strenuous grade due to the fact that you are either walking on some exposed terrain and/or long sections of sand, or that the days are longer. This is applicable on Day 2 - Porto Covo to Vila Nova de Milfontes, where the terrain is quite difficult including lots of beach walking, and on Day 4 - Almograve to Zambujeira do Mar, which is a long day. We do not recommend this trip for anyone with vertigo since many of the clifftop paths have steep drop-offs.

Navigation

This route is very well waymarked. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple and you cannot get lost.

You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Accommodations

Stay in predominately traditional casa-style guesthouses along with a mixture of 3* & 4* hotels. Below is an example of the accommodations we use on this trip. These accommodations are subject to availability and therefore alternatives of an equal standard may be offered.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. We also welcome solo walkers on this tour, again a supplement is payable.

Meals

Breakfasts are included each day. Packed lunch items can be bought locally from markets or cafes. We include 1 dinner on the night in Touril as it is a little distance away from local restaurants. On other evenings, dinner can be purchased in each town with many restaurants serving delicious seafood dishes!

Included

Overnights in casa-style guesthouses and boutique hotels
Breakfasts
1 Dinner (in Touril)
Luggage transfers
Transfers as per your itinerary
Information pack and access to maps & GPX tracks with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel insurance (required)
Travel to Porto Covo and from Sagres
Lunches
Dinners (apart from in Touril)
Personal equipment

Extras

Additional nights before, during and after the walk
Airport Transfers

When To Go

We offer this tour during the nicest months of the year to walk March to June, and then from September to November. We do not offer this tour in July and August due to high temperatures making it too hot for enjoyable walking then. If you walk in the springtime you can expect to see the inland areas covered with wildflowers and enjoy pleasant temperatures. The autumn months of September to November are also very mild. For keen birdwatchers, the autumn migration period from late August to mid-November brings lots of seabirds. For nesting birds such as the Alpine Swift visit during the spring.

Getting to the Start

By Air: Porto Covo is easily reached from Lisbon Airport. From Lisbon, take a bus into the city centre, and then another bus to Porto Covo (journey time 2.5hrs, up to 8 daily services, operated by www.rede-expressos.pt).

Private Transfers: We can arrange a private taxi transfer from Lisbon or Faro airport for you at an additional cost.

Getting from the End

By Air: The closest airport to Sagres is Faro. To get to the airport from Sagres, take the bus to Lagos with Eva Bus (1h, operates hourly) and then another bus to Faro with Eva Bus (2h). From the centre of Faro shuttle buses operate to the airport (15min).

Private Transfers: We can arrange a private transfer to take you from Sagres back to Faro Airport at an additional cost.

Luggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

General Information

The reviews for this tour up until December 2019, are based on a previous itinerary. As of December 2019, minor changes and improvements have been made including getting the routes all checked and route notes re-written.

Equipment

The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example. proper rain gear, sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has detailed advice and a kit list on what to take. This includes good waterproof gear, walking shoes/boots, and lots of other useful bits and bobs.

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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