Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

tourhub | UTracks | Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve | UWA
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9 Days From

$890

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Tour Overview

Embark on an unforgettable journey along the Rota Vicentina to the Algarve, exploring the stunning coastal scenery of western Portugal. This self-guided walking tour offers a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation, with comfortable family-run accommodations in charming coastal towns. Enjoy invigorating hikes along the picturesque coastline, swim at secluded beaches, and marvel at the breathtaking views from Cape St Vincent, the southwesternmost point of Portugal. With daily luggage transfers, private transfers, and a digital information pack, you can focus on the beauty around you. Ideal for active travelers, this moderate-grade tour promises an enriching experience in the heart of the Algarve. ...more ...less

Highlights

  • Hike through the impressive coastal scenery of the western Algarve

  • Swim at remote beaches away from the busy resorts

  • Arrive at Cape St Vincent on foot, the south-western most point of Portugal

  • Walk along the waymarked 'Rota Vicentina' path, following the coast via Cavaleiro and the lighthouse at Cape Sardao

  • Pass by rolling dunes en route to Odeceixe

  • Explore the historic village centre and Moorish castle in Aljezur

  • Spot fishermen perched high on the cliffs near Carrapateira

  • Enjoy sweeping views of the ocean at Cabo de São Vicente

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Arrive Zambujeira do Mar

Location: Zambujeira do Mar

Accommodation Name: small hotel

Make your way to the Algarve and the coastal village of Zambujeira do Mar. A transfer can be arranged from Faro airport or train station (additional cost applies and must be pre-booked), a journey of just over 2 hours. We can also assist with a transfer from Lisbon airport on request. Your accommodation in this small whitewashed village for two nights is a small hotel just 200m from the beach and 300m from the bus stop. ...more ...less

Day 2 : Transfer to Almograve, walk along the coast back to Zambujeira (6hrs)

Location: Zambujeira do Mar

Accommodation Name: small hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning a short taxi transfer will take you to the village of Almograve, where your walk starts. You will walk along the waymarked 'Rota Vicentina' path, following the coast via Cavaleiro and the lighthouse at Cape Sardao, enjoying spectacular views on the way back to Zambujeira do Mar.
Distance 20.2km/12.6mi, ascent/descent 175m/575ft
Option to shorten: ask the taxi driver to drop you off in Cavalheiro (2hrs, 9km/5.6mi less)

Day 3 : Pass by rolling dunes en route to Odeceixe (5-6hrs)

Location: Odeceixe

Accommodation Name: pension

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today's walk follows another section of the Rota Vicentina along the coast. Rolling dunes alternate with rocky shores where storks nest. You'll pass several beaches and the fishing village of Azenha do Mar, which has a nice bar
estaurant, before reaching Odeceixe.
Distance 18.6km/11.6mi, ascent/descent 220m/722ft

Day 4 : Choice of routes to the medieval town of Aljezur (5-6hrs)

Location: Aljezur

Accommodation Name: hotel with an outdoor pool

Meals Included: Breakfast

Once again, today's (18km) route follows the Rota Vicentina, although this time you walk inland. First you follow rural tracks and quiet tarmac lanes, winding through farmed fields. Then the scenery changes to an open landscape of heather and fragrant shrubs. Your route ends in the interesting village of Aljezur, where you will spend the night. This evening there will be time to explore the historic village centre and Moorish castle. (Option to shorten to 8km/5mi by transferring with the driver to Rogil)
If you prefer to walk on the coast today, the route you can walk a combination of the coastal Rota Vicentina and the inland Caminho Histórico, allowing for two stretches along the coast (one at the beginning, one at the end) and avoiding the middle section with dangerous cliffs and unstable terrain. The first 3km are on tarmac, so you may want to order a taxi* for the start. This walk ends at Praia da Amoreira and you can arrange an extra taxi* transfer to Aljezur. Note* the extra taxi transfers on this walk are not included and should be paid on the spot.
Our usual accommodation in Aljezur is a hotel with an outdoor pool, close to one of the best restaurants in town.
Distance 18km (option to shorten) or 22km/11.3mi or 13.6mi, ascent/descent 145m/476ft

Day 5 : Transfer to Arrifana or Chabouco, choice of routes to Carrapateira (3.5-6hrs)

Location: Carrapateira

Accommodation Name: Carrapateira or Aldeia Pedralva

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today, your choice of walk will once again depend on the tide. After a short transfer (included) to the fishing village of Arrifana, you can choose between the coastal and inland route. If the tide is low, you can walk along rocky strands and sandy beaches. If the tide is high, there's an an inland route via Bordeira. It's also possible to do a combination of these, ie start on the inland route then switch to the coastal route after Chabouco. Both routes can also be shortened, by taking the transfer to Chabouco (near Monte Novo). The inland route is long but technically quite easy, as you follow the waymarked Rota Vicentina / Caminho Histórico, while part of the coastal route is not officially marked as the Rota Vicentina. Your destination is Carrapateira, where the beach is considered one of the most beautiful in Portugal. Overnight in Carrapateira, or subject to availability at Aldeia Pedralva (in which case a short transfer from Carrapateira to the accommodation is included).
Inland: distance 15.5-22.9km/9.7-14.3mi, ascent 175m-325m/574-1066ft, descent 250-425m/820-1395ft
Coastal: distance 18.5km/11.6mi, ascent 200m/656ft, descent 265m/869ft

Day 6 : Choice of loop walks (3-6.5hrs) or rest day in Carrapateira

Location: Carrapateira

Accommodation Name: Carrapateira or Aldeia Pedralva

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today you can have a rest day in Carrapateira or on the beach, or choose from two loop walks. The shorter walk is to Pontal, passing two beautiful beaches along the way. The longer walk is to Praia and Pedralva, traversing idyllic valleys.
If you stayed in Pedralva last night you can arrange to be driven to Carrapateira in the morning and walk back to Pedralva.
Distance 10km or 22km/6.3mi or 13.7mi, ascent/descent 125m/410ft or 215m/705ft

Day 7 : Walk to the historic town of Vila do Bispo (6-7hrs)

Location: Vila do Bispo

Accommodation Name: hotel with indoor pool/spa facilities

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today you will walk from Carrapateira heading south, with sections both on the coast and inland, depending on the tides. Near the start of the walk, there's a good chance you'll spot fishermen perched high on the cliffs. There's an option to shorten the stage by 3km via an inland route on the Caminho Historico. The route ends in Vila do Bispo, where you'll spend the next two nights at a welcoming hotel with indoor pool/spa facilities.
Distance 18km/11.3mi, ascent 400m/1312ft

Day 8 : Walk to Cape St Vincent, transfer back to Vila do Bispo (4-5hrs)

Location: Cape St Vincent

Accommodation Name: hotel with indoor pool/spa facilities

Meals Included: Breakfast

The last hike of the tour takes you through pastures and fields along the coast to the most south-western point of Portugal. If the weather is warm you can stop for a swim at ‘Praia do Ponto Ruiva’. The trail is a flat, with narrow fishermen’s paths above rocky shores. The walk ends at windy 'Cabo de São Vicente', with sweeping views of the ocean. A taxi transfer in the afternoon will take you back to your hotel in Vila do Bispo.
Distance 14km/9mi, ascent 150m/492ft

Day 9 : Trip concludes

Location: Faro

Meals Included: Breakfast

The trip concludes after breakfast. You can take the local bus to Lagos and change to another bus to Faro, or we can assist with a transfer to Faro Airport (on request, must be pre-booked - please ask for our rates.)

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    4 nights in pensions

  • 8 breakfasts

  • 8 nights accommodation: 5 nights in simple family run pensions, 3 nights in hotels with swimming pool, all on a twin share basis with ensuite facilities

  • Luggage transfers on days 3, 4, 5 & 7 - 1 piece maximum 20kg, supplement applies for excess

  • Digital information pack including smartphone app with maps and route book, GPX tracks

  • Private transfers on days 2, 5 & 8

  • Emergency hotline

  • Travel to Zambujeira do Mar and from Vila do Bispo. Arrival and departure transfers to/from Faro airport are available on request, please ask for our rates

  • Meals not listed as included, drinks

  • Travel insurance - mandatory

  • Guide – this is a self guided walking holiday

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What's Not Included

  • Meals not listed as included

    Lunch, dinner, and drinks throughout the trip are not included.

  • Travel insurance

    Travel insurance is not included and must be arranged separately.

  • Tour guide

    This is a self-guided walking holiday, so a tour guide is not included.

  • Single room supplement

    A supplement will apply if you are traveling solo or book a single room.

  • Entrance fees

    Entrance fees to attractions are not included.

  • Transfers not noted as included

    Any transfers not specifically noted as included are excluded.

  • Excess luggage

    A supplement applies for luggage exceeding the 20kg limit.

  • Items of a personal nature

    Personal items and expenses are not included.

  • Transfers to and from Faro airport

    Transfers to and from Faro airport are available for an additional cost.

Accommodation

4 nights in pensions. During the trip you will stay in a combination of simple but clean family-run pensions and comfortable hotels. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms. Breakfast is served at the hotels and included in the price. Dinner is not included but there is always a restaurant close by.

Grading

GRADE 3 - This trip involves walking between 4 and 7 hours per day over undulating terrain, sometimes on the beach, with some short steep ascents and descents. Daily distances range from 12-24km with ascents of between 150m and 340m. Some stages are easily shortened either by choosing a shorter route or through the use of public transport. The trip is graded moderate and is considered suitable for active people who have a good level of fitness. ...more ...less

What You Carry

As the walks are fully supported you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, phone, etc.

Mode of Transport

Private transfers on days 2, 5 & 8. Travel to Zambujeira do Mar and from Vila do Bispo. Arrival and departure transfers to/from Faro airport are available on request, please ask for our rates.

Check out our Q&As

  • What type of accommodation is provided during the tour?

    During the trip, you will stay in a combination of simple but clean family-run pensions and comfortable hotels. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms. Breakfast is served at the hotels and included in the price. Dinner is not included but there is always a restaurant close by.

  • Are luggage transfers included in the tour?

    Yes, luggage transfers are included on days 3, 4, 5, and 7. Each person is allowed one piece of luggage with a maximum weight of 20kg. A supplement applies for excess luggage.

  • Is this a guided tour?

    No, this is a self-guided walking holiday. You will receive a digital information pack including route notes, maps, and a navigational app that can be used offline.

  • What should I carry during the walks?

    As the walks are fully supported, you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, and phone.

  • What is the difficulty level of the tour?

    The trip is graded as moderate (Grade 3). It involves walking between 4 and 7 hours per day over undulating terrain, sometimes on the beach, with some short steep ascents and descents. Daily distances range from 12-24km with ascents of between 150m and 340m. Some stages can be easily shortened either by choosing a shorter route or through the use of public transport. ...more ...less

  • Are there any private transfers included in the tour?

    Yes, private transfers are included on days 2, 5, and 8.

  • What meals are included in the tour?

    The tour includes 8 breakfasts. Lunch, dinner, and drinks are not included.

  • What happens if I am traveling solo?

    A supplement will apply if you are traveling solo or book a single room.

  • What happens on the last day of the tour?

    The trip concludes after breakfast on the last day. You can take the local bus to Lagos and change to another bus to Faro, or assistance can be provided with a transfer to Faro Airport (on request, must be pre-booked).

  • How fit do I have to be?

    Our adventures are first and foremost holidays and can be undertaken by anyone in a reasonable state of health and fitness - however, please carefully read our Terms & Conditions when booking and view the trip grading. We rank our trips according to our honest Trip Grading System. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with our grading system by reading our detailed trip notes (which you can order through this site) and to speak with us about the physical requirements of your chosen trip.

  • What happens if something goes wrong?

    On our guided tours, you travel in small groups with a local multi-lingual guide whose knowledge of the terrain, flora, fauna and history of the region is exemplary. Our self guided tours give you the freedom to explore at your own pace - but they're not unsupported. We provide detailed route notes and maps and our local partners are on hand throughout the day in the unlikely event that something goes wrong. All we request is that you select a program that matches your level of fitness to ensure that you have a comfortable experience.

  • I'm travelling solo on a self-guided trip. Do I pay the single supplement or the single traveller surcharge?

    Most of our self guided trips are priced based on twinshare. If you are travelling solo the single traveller surcharge will apply. The single supplement would apply if you were travelling in a party with others and you had chosen to book a single room. You would never pay a single traveller surcharge and a single supplement.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

S. Templeton(Cambodia)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

23 Jul 2024

We throughly enjoyed walking the algarve. Communication, instructions and accommodation were all great. The walk is fairly exposed with stunning scenery. Good adaptations for when tides are in or you wish to walk inland. Easy to follow even for novices.

P. Margiott(South Windsor, Australia)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

8 Nov 2024

Trip was smooth. Description was accurate. All Electronic maps were up to date. Hotels were as good as possible in the towns traveled to.

C. Jarman(Hamilton, Australia)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

2 Jan 2024

Well planned and organized. We had such a positive experience. The walking was great and very happy with the accommodation.

P. Jarman(Hamilton, Australia)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

26 Dec 2023

Well organized. We walked a lot of the Fisherman's Trail but the organization made the process easy.

S. Lewis(Calgary, Canada)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

1 Jun 2023

Loved this trip. The app was easy to follow and the trail is well marked. The accommodations were excellent and there were lots of places to have dinner in the villages we stayed in. Most villages had a corner store or market where we got food for our lunches - this worked well as there’s not always places to buy food along the route. We were able to time our hikes on the beaches for when the tide was out and we didn’t find any rivers that we had to cross which the descriptions suggested. Beautiful flowers when we went at the end of March and lots of birds too. Highly recommend going in March before it gets busy and hot. Most days it was high teens or low twenties - perfect for hiking. It cooled off in the evenings though so you needed long pants and a fleece. ...more ...less

D. Johannesen(Kamloops, Canada)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

31 May 2023

Well organized, good accommodations and well supportive. We hope do do more UTracks trips and have recommended this company to our friends.

Sigríður Hrafnkelsdóttir(Reykjavík, , Iceland)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

3 Jul 2024

We were delighted with our self-guided trip, Rota Vicentina to Algarve. The beautiful beaches, with interesting vegetation and colorful cliffs. We enjoyed the guesthouses, Celeste had very much charm although not luxurious, our house in Carrapateira were excellent for us. We were happy the tips you gave us to stop in Sarges on our way from Cabo de Sao Vicente (we asked our taxi driver to drop us out on a beach bar). In whole the trip was an adventure. ...more ...less

R. Till(Roberts Creek, Canada)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

8 Oct 2024

Well organized and services are well delivered. Excellent stay places. The work of UTracks was very well delivered overall. The path was easy to follow and easy to walk. Some of the bridge/ladder structures were poorly maintained and or in a state of semi-collapse but did not impede walking. The scenery was world class. It’s a good path. The only downside to the path was the plethora of toilet tissue scattered everywhere and the unburied human feces. At first a minor tarnish but eventually a legetitmate gripe. As an outdoor guide and land based educator of over over 40 years I find it incomprehensible that a path so frequented and widely promoted could become so polluted. But complaining without offering solutions in merely whining. It would appear that education on appropriate burial of human waste and or toilets or a training course on trail etiquette may help alleviate the situation. Obviously the local hospitality, restaurant and taxi business makes revenue from the paths—could not the service providers and local governments improve the path at least in terms of educating on hygiene? That said, it’s probably more a more complex issue. All this said the service provided was excellent. Thank you. ...more ...less

R. Moore(Coldstream, Canada)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

21 Feb 2024

A great hike along the west coastline of southern Portugal...scenic!

M. Gregora(Bli Bli, QLD)  

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

03 Oct 2019

Great coastal hiking with wonderful views. Beautiful beaches - good surf and very clear water. Be aware that there is quite a lot of walking on soft sand. The level of walking is easy to moderate.

Read all 14 reviews

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Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    UTracks allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform utracks, 70 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    UTracks requires a minimum deposit of 250 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of utracks charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 35 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

Rota Vicentina: to the Algarve

9 Days Starting in Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal and ending in Vila do Bispo, Portugal

Visiting: Zambujeira do Mar, Odeceixe, Aljezur, Carrapateira, Vila do Bispo, Cape St Vincent, Faro

Tour operator:

UTracks

Tour code:

UWA

Group Type:

Independent

Guide Type:

Self Guided

Physical rating:

moderate

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Active, Walking Hiking and Trekking

Interests:

Beach Tours, Cultural

Activities:

Sightseeing, Swimming

From: $890 (USD)

NB: Prices correct on 07-Mar-2025 but subject to change.

Not what you're looking for?

People that have booked this tour have also searched for the following:

Walking Hiking and Trekking tours in Portugal Walking Hiking and Trekking tours Tours in Portugal Active tours Swimming tours Beach tours Cultural tours Sightseeing tours

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