The hiker’s guide to the Algarve: the best treks, trails and wilderness wanders to build into your break
From picturesque village wanders to challenging cliffside clambers, the Algarve’s diverse terrain makes a perfect hiking holiday
The sun shining on your face, a cool, salty breeze in your hair, and magnificent scenery confronting you at every turn: the Algarve is a beautiful place, and exploring it on foot allows you to make the most of its stunning landscapes. Stretching along the southern coast of Portugal, the region is, of course, famed for its gorgeous beaches, but there are so many more diverse and compelling terrains to explore.
From towering coastal cliffs and craggy coves, to inland Mediterranean scrub forests, shaded oak woods and brightly blooming orchards. There are many wetlands too, such as those within the Vicentine Coast, the Ria Formosa Natural Park and the Ria de Alvor. These rich habitats serve as wintering and breeding grounds for dozens of different bird species, meaning a hike or ramble through them can turn into a fascinating feathered safari.
To help you find your perfect hiking holiday, Jet2holidays offers breaks in more than 50 amazing destinations, including the Algarve. All holidays include accommodation, return flights, transfers and 22kg baggage, all wrapped up in an ABTA and ATOL-protected package for a low £60pp deposit*. There are thousands of Free Child Places** available, and infants under two go free✝. Meaning it couldn’t be easier to book a great value getaway with the Which? Travel Brand of the Year 2023 and Tripadvisor’s Best UK Airline.
Here we highlight just some of the wonderful wanders and invigorating climbs you can enjoy in this scenic region…
Charming villages and fragrant forests
There are hundreds of designated hiking trails throughout the Algarve, taking you through a mixture of many of these different landscapes. One of the best known is the Via Algarviana: an old pilgrims’ route which extends across the whole region and connects the seaside of Cabo de São Vicente on the southwest tip with Alcoutim, nearly 200 miles inland, through craggy, mountainous terrain to the east. Of course, you don’t have to do it all; it’s broken up into sections, which will take you through charming, rural villages such as Salir, Alte and Benafim, as well as scented pine forests, along mountain ridges, and past sandy coastlines. Stop to take in the view from Picota and Fóia, the highest points of the Algarve at 774m and 902m respectively, which sit along the Serra de Monchique chain.
Another well-known trail is the Rota Vicentina, which meanders for several hundred miles across one of Europe’s most attractive and well-preserved coastal areas (including through the neighbouring Alentejo region). You can choose from the Trilho dos Pescadores, or Fisherman’s Trail, a dramatic, 75-mile route along rugged cliffs by the sea, or the Caminho Histórico, which is 140 miles long and divided into several stages that extend through a rural landscape and wend through forest paths, villages and towns.
Breathtaking views and bird-friendly landscapes
One of the most spectacular sections of the Fisherman’s Trail is the stunning Ponta da Piedade walk. It follows the coast of Lagos, taking in aerial views of some lovely beaches and extraordinary geological formations among the ochre cliffs. Get off the trail and walk down a wooden staircase to Camilo Beach, a popular cove where you can take a dip in the crystal-clear waters, or catch your breath at the secluded oasis of Canavial Beach.
The showpiece of this walk is the Ponta da Piedade viewpoint, where you’ll see dramatic limestone formations and grottoes sculpted by the ocean over centuries. Marvel at the impressive sea stacks, arches and tunnels, and look out for the variety of birds that call this rocky sanctuary home, such as the cattle egret, red-rumped swallow and Iberian magpie.
Another impressive viewpoint is the dark, jagged Rocha Negra, or ‘black rock’, which was formed by lava from a volcano that erupted 70 million years ago. Here, you’ll find magnificent panoramic views encompassing the entire rocky coastline from the Lagos Lighthouse to the distant village of Sagres. Finish at the small, former fishing village of Praia da Luz, and reward yourself with a well-earned beer by the seafront.
For the chance to spot even more birdlife, take the short but engaging Praia Grande Interpretation Trail, near Albufeira. This runs through the Lagoa dos Salgados, one of the Algarve’s most well-known wetlands. A coastal lagoon, it’s fringed with dense beds of reeds and rushes, home to some fascinating species. Proper twitchers will be thrilled to spot the likes of the Eurasian spoonbill, the black-winged stilt or the purple heron. Large flocks of flamingos, which use the lagoon for resting and feeding, are also a common sight and in the salt marshes, you’ll see birds such as the herring gull, the common black-headed gull, and waders prodding the mud flats with their long beaks.
To make it even easier for you to enjoy the ultimate break in the Algarve, Jet2holidays provides the perfect package holiday, looking after you at every step of the way with award-winning customer service and In-Resort Customer Helpers to ensure your stay goes smoothly.
With accommodation to suit every budget and need, Jet2holidays offers a range of hotels, apartments and villas with a variety of board options, from Self Catering to All Inclusive Plus.
Fly to the Algarve from 11 UK airports: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and London Stansted. To find out more and start planning your trip, visit Jet2holidays
*On bookings made ten weeks or more before departure. Full payment required by balance due date.
** One free child place per two paying adults. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply, please seewww.jet2holidays.com/promotions#fcp for further details.
✝ Applicable for all infants under the age of two years on the date of return. Infants are not entitled to a flight seat (they must be seated with a parent or guardian) or a 22kg baggage allowance.