Algarve: Coastal Walk Map (Faro - Alvor)

Coastal hike Algarve map material route download

In the embedded map you can see the hotels where I stayed. As a further planning and orientation aid, I have inserted markings at a distance of kilometers - these appear as soon as the map is zoomed far enough.

The route always runs as close as possible to the sea, I only deviated from it in the following places (kilometer markings appear on the map as soon as the map is zoomed far enough):

  • at km 2: Because of the special landscape: way through the lagoon instead of on the beach.
  • at km 18: Walk around the Marina de Vilamoura basin.
  • km 26 to 28: Detour to one of the hotels / interesting gorge in the red cliff with a beach elevator.
  • km 31 to 32: at high tide, a short stretch may not be passable here. Possible workaround: see Description of stage 2.
  • at km 38: Marina de Albufeira harbor basin.
  • at km 48: Here I think the path along the lagoon is more varied.
  • between km 50 and 51 Because of the estuary of the Ribeira de Alcantarilha River, fording is recommended. Even on or after rainy days, it's possible to get through the knee-deep water. Update 2025: A modern bridge for pedestrians and cyclists has now been completed at this location, and the estuary no longer poses a challenge. This is not yet marked on the maps, and the GPX file is still in the old, "original" version. This is what the new bridge looks like:
New bridge near Armacao de Pera
  • between km 67 and 69 The coastal hiking trail is closed, unfortunately this section has to be bypassed. Update 2025: The necessary detour isn't as long as indicated on the map. Shortly after kilometer 68, there's a small, narrow path that leads back to the coast and to a very worthwhile stretch of beautiful coves. Pay attention to the official signs:
Detour Alternative path
  • at km 74: The Castelo de Ferragudo castle can only be circumnavigated from the sea side at low tide. If the tide is too high, you must take the nearby Rua Dr. Coelho de Carvalho (entrance is approximately 200 meters back).
  • at km 75: In Ferragudo there is an option to shorten the hike by approx. 6 km: in good weather you can take the boat to Portimão (link: Taxi ferry Ferragudo). From there continue hiking from km 81.
  • km 93 to 99: From Alvor, the route runs along the lagoon through the interior to get to the Mexilhoeira Grande train station. At km 97,5, the path leads a short section over the narrow, single-track railway bridge. Particular caution must be exercised here!

The route is also available as a GPX file download and as a PDF hiking map (see also Instructions for importing GPX files into the smartphone app):

Frank

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4 Comments

  1. Regina Rothbarth
    August 10, 2025

    Hello Frank, I'm very interested in this trip and would like to start it at the beginning of November. Six years have passed; has much changed? I'd be delighted to hear from you. Best regards from Hamburg, Regina.

    Reply
    1. Frank
      August 11, 2025

      Hello Regina,
      Yes, a few small things have changed since then – for example, new walkways have been added in some places, making hiking even more comfortable.
      At kilometer 50, at your request, I added a reference to the new pedestrian bridge and the improved detour at kilometer 68. In my opinion, these are the only significant changes or improvements. I've been planning to do this for a long time, and you were a good inspiration for it...
      Many greetings back from Hamburg-Eimsbüttel :-)
      Frank

      Reply
  2. Eveline
    1 October 2025

    Hello Frank,
    I want this route to follow the seeds with my daughter. Is this route available to all women?
    Do you want to change your mind? Is the route shown?

    Reply
    1. Frank
      2 October 2025

      Hello Eveline,

      Thank you for your questions! My impression is that the entire area, and therefore the hiking route as well, is very safe – and if there are two of you, I don't think it's a problem at all. Hiking poles aren't really necessary – most of the route is fairly flat. There are a few places where you might have to climb a bit steeper slopes or overcome a few rocky ledges. However, I wouldn't carry hiking poles around all the time for that.
      The hiking route I'm suggesting isn't signposted, and for much of it, it's not even an official hiking trail. Therefore, it's best to use the recommended GPX files on your smartphone or print out the PDF hiking map.
      Best wishes and have fun next year!
      Frank

      Reply

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