Overview
The first half of the Rota Vicentina complete route goes through the beautiful Alentejo region. Our Alentejo Coastal and Historical Trails walking holiday in Portugal invites you to explore the unspoiled landscapes and seascapes of Portugal’s south-western coastline combining sections of the Fishermen’s and Historical routes.
- The rugged coastline and traditional whitewashed villages
- The marble towns and majestic medieval cities
- The gastronomic delights – the seafood along the coastline
Our Co-Founder Peter Duncan hiked along the Vicentina Coast in the spring of 2019. You can read his blog post here.
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival – Santiago do Cacém
Arrive in Santiago do Cacém, a medieval town located in the inland of Alentejo’s coast, well worth exploring. After the check-in, our local representative will deliver a short briefing to clarify everything related to the tour. All the trails are fully marked, being part of Rota Vicentina’s Historical Way and Fishermen’s Trail.
- Accommodation: Hotel D. Nuno or similar
Day 2: Santiago do Cacém – Vale Seco | 20km
Time to start your adventure. Following the Alentejo’s coastline, this inland path will take you through woods and montado (groves of cork oaks). There’s also the chance of seeing some endemic species of birds which use the montado areas to settle their nests.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 6h ↑360m ↓430m
- Accommodation: Casinhas da Aldeia or similar
Day 3: Vale Seco – Cercal do Alentejo | 19km
The third day brings a strong rural flavour to the walk, passing by many farms and cultivated fields, a good opportunity to see a different lifestyle. You will walk through forests, open fields and olive tree groves, pass by small lakes and water reservoirs. Before getting to Cercal, the path takes you around the beautiful Campilhas lake, a nice place to refresh and go for a quick swim in the warmer days.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 6h ↑160m ↓200m
- Accommodation: Solar do Alentejo or similar
Day 4: Cercal do Alentejo – Porto Côvo | 19km
Now it’s time to get closer to the ocean, this stage is the connection with the Fishermen’s Trail. After the a few kilometres passing by small farms and their beautiful cultivated gardens, you can smell the eucalyptus in the air as you pass by a plantation. You’ll know the ocean’s getting closer as soon as you reach some open fields, with the blue already on the horizon.
- Walking for the day: 19km, 6h ↑160m ↓200m
- Accommodation: Hotel Porto Côvo or similar
Day 5: Porto Côvo – Vila Nova de Milfontes | 8-20km
Stock up on supplies for the day since that during the day, you won’t be able to get any. This is a moderate-to-strenuous walk, crossing several areas with loose sand, you will notice that this is an unexplored area, where you can take in some astonishing views. If you are not an experienced walker, there are two shorter alternative walks available – 14km and 8km.
- Walking for the day: 20km, 6h ↑160m ↓150m (or 14km / 8km alternative walks)
- Accommodation: Mil Réis or similar
Day 6: Milfontes – Almogarve / Longuerira | 15km
You have two options for today’s walk: a) take the small ferry to do the river crossing first and then start walking, or b) cross the river on foot via the bridge, taking the path from the beginning. Both options will lead you into an easy day of walking, crossing fields, and passing by small cliffs, with access to several beaches, heading to Almograve, further South. Almograve is a nice place to have lunch and enjoy the local gastronomy. After lunch, it’s time to explore the Almograve beach or to finish the route, heading to the village of Longueira, located inland (35 minutes walking distance).
- Walking for the day: 15km, 5h ↑90m ↓115m (full walk)
- Accommodation: Vicentina rooms by Isa or similar
Day 7: Almograve – Zambujeira do Mar | 21km
Leaving Almograve behind, you will be once again exploring the landscapes along the unspoilt coastal Alentejo. Pass by Zambujeira’s fishing harbour (Entrada da Barca), then walk next to the cliffs offering panoramic seascapes, where you’ll be able to watch cliff-nesting storks. You can make a stop at the small village of Cavaleiro, buy some supplies and enjoy a good home-made local dish, just before heading West to the beautiful lighthouse of Cabo Sardão. Your walk finishes in Zambujeira do Mar, with one of the most amazing beaches in Portugal.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 6h ↑200m ↓200m
- Accommodation: Rosa dos Ventos or similar
Day 8: Departure
Return home or individual stay extension.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is mainly on a bed and breakfast basis using local small hotels. The places we stay at during the tour are all privately owned, and have plenty of Portuguese character. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour. Please note that many rooms with en-suite/private facilities have a shower rather than a bath, usually because of limited space.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel D. Nuno
- Casinhas da Aldeia
- Solar do Alentejo
- Hotel Porto Côvo
- Mil Réis
- Vicentina rooms by Isa
- Rosa dos Ventos
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal or higher value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included, except on Day 2 (usually coffee and toast/bread/croissant). A recommended list of local restaurants (based on our personal experience) will be supplied on arrival – we have listed places with character which offer delicious traditional dishes of fresh Portuguese cuisine. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for seasoned walkers and requires a reasonable level of fitness; average walking time is 5-6h per day (18km) (read more about difficulty grades).
The routes are on waymarked paths and trails, including walking on sand and dirt roads, and in general, the itinerary is very easy to follow. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain.
We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available in February – May and mid-September – December. Best months to visit are March – May/June and October – November. Departures between 13 – 30 June 2022 available upon request.
The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season. The region is benefiting from the Mediterranean climate which brings long, warm and dry summers and very mild winters. The region receives more sun each year than California.
The spring season is warm, with temperatures averaging around 20C to 21 C across the season. The autumn is typically warm and pleasant, cooling slightly by November. Late-season sun-seekers can still be found sunbathing throughout the autumn, enjoying average daily maximum temperatures ranging from 26C in September to 19C in November. December is winter’s wettest month with 96 mm of rainfall through the month, typically. Whilst the winter season is warm – expect the air to feel cool to mild, although you might find temperatures in the sunlight to be as high as 20C – the days are much shorter, with 5 to 6h expected each month through the winter.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
- From Lisbon Airport, there is a direct bus to Santiago do Cacém.
- From Faro, you will have to take the bus to Lagos and then to Santiago do Cacém.
- On departure, you can get a private transfer to Funcheira train station (about 1h drive) and from there take direct train to Lisbon or Faro; or you can take the bus to Lagos and then bus or train to Faro. There is a direct bus to Lisbon from Zambujeira; to get to Faro with the bus, you will have to first travel to Lagos and then take bus or train to Faro.
- For more information, visit Rede Expressos or use the Omio planner above.
- Private transfers are available upon request.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation in small hotels, as described
- 7 breakfasts
- Briefing on arrival
- Recommended restaurants list
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days
- Detailed holiday information pack, including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions and maps
- GPS tracks to use via our smartphone navigation app
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights along the trail are bookable upon request
- Airport transfers
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