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12 December 2019
Hello Frank. Thank you so much for your great website. We are planning our vacation and wanted to ask you whether it is pleasant in early or mid-October or is it too hot ?? This year we were on your trail along the Costa Brava. Thanks again for the many great tips regarding train, bus, download hiking map etc. Simply great. Other hiking suggestions: the Cami da Cavalls, circumnavigation of the island in Menorca and, as already often recommended here, the Ruta Vincentina, the fishing path in Portugal. Many greetings Ingrid and Dietmar
13 December 2019
Hello Ingrid and Dietmar,
thank you, thank you :-) Menorca and Ruta Vicentina are already in the works, I will publish them soon as further tips.
About the Algarve: I have been to the Algarve in September and April so far. Hiking was also quite possible in September, even if we did half-day hikes without luggage at the time. October is therefore, in my opinion, an ideal month for the coastal hike: the main season and the heat are already over, the accommodation prices are lower, but the temperatures can also be used for swimming. Under https://www.wetteronline.de/reiseplaner/algarve you can also call up the average weather for the past few years - very useful for this purpose!
Have fun in Portugal next October!
Frank
15. February 2020
Dear Frank,
now (in April) we will walk on your trail for the third time, this time in the Algarve. (We even want to continue to Sagres / vila do Bispo).
A question about planning: How attractive is the piece from Alvor to Mexiloheira Grande station? (We want to take the train to Lagos and continue walking from there.) Alternatively, we could get on the train in Ferragudo and omit Alvor entirely. What do you advise Is the dangle worthwhile over Alvor?
About the further route from Lagos: I know some of it already, it is certainly much less touristy and has recently been marked as the first part of the fishing path (Rota Vicentina).
Another hiking recommendation: Last year we walked the Rota Vicentina from Carrapateira to Porto Covo, so completely on the west coast. Lonely, a sea of flowers (April), brooding storks in the rocks, wild waves and surfers and the places not very touristy, many motorhomes in exposed places, a few dropouts ... Scenic a hit and for your side, you and other hikers certainly also good tip.
Best regards,
Almuth
24. February 2020
Good morning
Mi piacerebbe fare questo trekking, adoro il Portogallo, ho gia percorso la Rota Vicdntina, ma soffro di vertigini. Ci sono tratti esposti lungo le scogliere?
Many thanks in advance
24. February 2020
Good evening
Cercando un trekking in Portogallo ho avuto occasione di leggere questo bellissimo articolo. In advance chiedere se le parti lungo la scogliera sono molto esposte, in quanto soffro di vertigini. Mi complimento e ringrazio in anticipo.
Francesca
24. February 2020
Hello Francesca,
thank you for your question! Since I am not afraid of heights, I always find it difficult to judge when a job could be a problem for someone else. On stages 1 and 5, the hike should not be a problem for you, for the other stages the following tips from me:
1) A spot on stage 3 that could be a problem: Stage 3 picture
2) Usually there is always the possibility to avoid problematic places (if necessary along the coastal road)
3) Check out the 3D preview: https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/hoehenprofil-kuestenwanderweg-algarve/.
I hope this helps you with the planning!
Regards
Frank
16 January 2024
Hello, I came across this page by chance and find this hike fascinating. I'm now planning to spend a week hiking in the Algarve at the end of February; this route would appeal to me. Question: I am hiking alone, am female and in my mid-60s. Can you do this route alone as a woman with hiking experience? I would possibly do one more stage, then I would still have to find a hotel, or were the stages specifically designed from hotel to hotel. Or chose a hotel spontaneously?
I'm preparing for a crossing of the Alps in July this year.
Warm regards
Roman
17 January 2024
Hello Romaine,
I think that the route can be done alone - even as a woman - especially if you have hiking experience. At the end of February it shouldn't be a problem to book a hotel spontaneously. Since the first stage is quite long, you may have to plan an overnight stay (this depends on when you arrive and can start hiking).
Regards
Frank
September 8, 2020
Interesting tour. I am considering running similarly. One question: Why only 5 stages, why didn't you run "to the end"? Was it enough for you or is the way further west no longer worthwhile?
Thank you. Martin
September 8, 2020
Hello Martin,
the way further west is definitely worth it! At the time, I actually didn't hike any further because of time constraints. The convenient train connection back to Faro you still have to Lagos. Between Lagos and Sagres you have to rely on buses for the return journey.
For a compact hiking week, the 5 stages are ideal, if you have more time, you can hike for many more weeks and check off the fishing path at the same time (see https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/fernwanderung/portugal-rota-vicentina-fischerpfad/).
Regards
Frank
September 8, 2020
Hello Frank,
Thank you for the fast answer. I'll think this through.
Greetings Martin
June 11, 2021
Hello,
merci avant tout pour toutes ces infos précises et details, ça donne envie!
est ce que vous pensez qu'il est possible de faire du camping sauvage le long de l'itinéraire? Je sais que c'est interdit au Portugal mais malgré tout pratiqué.
est ce que votre itinéraire traverse des villages avec magasins ouverts pour faire des courses alimentaires?
dernière questions: est ce qu'il ya des camping sur le trajet?
thank you so much
Philz
June 18, 2021
Hello Philz,
the coast between Faro and Lagos is quite densely populated, so there are plenty of shops and some campsites. As for wild camping: since the Algarve is the number 1 tourist area in Portugal, I assume that there will be regular controls there. In the more remote areas of Portugal, wild camping may still go through, but in the Algarve I honestly wouldn't risk it.
Regards
Frank
September 25, 2021
Hello Frank,
I think your site is great! Thank you for all the information and tips and the effort you put into it.
I ran the tour with my daughter in September 2021. We liked it very much; the coast is sensationally beautiful, the rock formations breathtaking, there are long, wide and, above all, clean beaches and bays. We weren't bored for a second. However, mainly because of Corona, we booked the accommodations in advance so that we don't experience any surprises. But that would not have been necessary, there was enough free capacity in every town. There were countless hotels and holiday complexes of all kinds. The hinterland on the coast is more or less continuously built up.
As backpackers, we were absolutely exotic. When we answered the question: “How was the journey?”: “We ran from the airport”, we were amazed. ;-) There seems to be a walk only 2-3 km away from parking lots. And occasionally you can see day hikers.
The years before we were once in the Sagres area (often all alone) and 2 years ago we walked the fisherman's path on the west coast. The rock formations there are not as spectacular as in the southern Algarve, but you have the storks (which breed on the rocks in front of them) and a lot of untouched nature. Often you don't see houses or other people for hours. So I liked it better there.
However, our next Portugal hiking trip will definitely take us to the north.
Thanks again for your site! At the moment I'm flirting with the Malta and Slovenia tours. ;-)
Best regards,
Dagmar
September 26, 2021
Hello Dagmar,
Thank you for your great feedback! It's nice that you were also incredulous that you traveled "on foot" from the airport :-) I always find this moment of surprise great itself. We have been planning the fishing path for a long time, and that's definitely on our list. If necessary, we then also hang the missing section from Sagres to Lagos at the back, then we have the coast almost complete.
Many greetings and many more beautiful hikes!
Frank
29 November 2022
It is always recommended to hike the fisherman's path from south to north, otherwise you will have the sun on your face all the time.
30 November 2022
Ah thanks - I'll keep that in mind.
September 25, 2021
Hy,
and thank you for your detailed description and value information
Is it possible just to walk on the beach from Faro to Albufeira and how long you think it would take?
I'm asking for a day trip from Lisbon to Faro and returning on the same day from Albufeira back to Lisbon.
Best regards.
September 25, 2021
Hello Dannut,
that's too far from the route - from Faro to Albufeira it is about 38km along the beach. I would plan around 10 hours of hiking time for this. That seems too much for a day trip to me. What would theoretically be feasible is stage 1 (https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/kuestenwanderung-an-der-algarve-etappe-1/). To do this, you would have to plan a taxi ride to Albufeira at your destination (approx. 10 km).
Regards
Frank
September 25, 2021
Isn't possible just to walk on the beach and not hiking?
Thank you
September 25, 2021
I'm not sure what the difference between “walking” and “hiking” is for you. Most of the path runs along the beach and is therefore flat. Stage 1 is particularly flat (see https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/hoehenprofil-kuestenwanderweg-algarve/). On the following stages it goes up and down more often, especially at the transitions from bay to bay.
September 25, 2021
I ask because on average a person can travel 8-10 km per hour and that's why I asked that for 38 km walking on flat ground should not be a problem for more than 4-5 hours ...
Have a nice day.
September 25, 2021
8-10 km per hour are very sporty. That would be more "trail running" than "walking". Most of the route is on sand - you sink in quite a bit. This is different than on paved roads.
September 25, 2021
Hello Frank,
can be reached from Praia de Faro walk directly on the beach in the direction of Quarteira?
Thanks for the info and kudos for your site.
September 26, 2021
Hello Ralf, yes that should go without any problems. I just walked inside the lagoon for a change to see the salt extraction basins, among other things.
Regards
Frank
8 October 2021
Hello Frank,
I came across your site and was very happy about the great report!
We are currently looking for flights and would start your tour on November 20.11th. to run :)
One quick question: is the trail a registered hiking trail or is it rather freely composed?
Do you have any current tips on diversions / detours and Co. that you need to consider?
Thank you very much and have a nice Friday!
Sarah-Lou and Tobi
8 October 2021
Hello Sarah-Lou and Tobi!
It's cool that you want to go to Portugal in November - maybe we'll even meet then! We want to go to Portugal again in November, but we are not quite ready with the planning yet :-)
The hike is freely compiled, you can find a few explanations of the route and detours here: https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/algarve-karte-zur-kuestenwanderung-faro-alvor/.
Regards
Frank
10 October 2021
Thank you for your quick feedback! Then please let me know when you start :)
I can possibly add to my experiences for Scotland tours - I have already been on the road for a few summers. Is also highly recommended :)
8 October 2021
And one more question: is it easy to divide the first stage of the day or is it halfway easy to cover the 30 km? We (36 and 28) usually cross the Alps, but have now been lying flat for six months with our corona infection and only work our way back to our previous condition bit by bit.
8 October 2021
Yes, in that case I would split up the first stage (overnight stay in Quarteira). At that time I exhausted myself quite well on stage 1, that doesn't necessarily have to be the case ...
13 November 2021
Hello Frank,
Your report inspired me, the tour right at the airport Faro to start and then three and a half days later to be at a meeting near Lagoa.
In preparation, I have a few more questions: is the national park signposted at the airport? Somehow I have to get started ;-) Which shoes do you recommend if you want to do the tour in January?
If you have to stop the tour earlier: how far is the train route away and what stops are there so that you can possibly take a train? (Here a keyword is enough for me to research further ;-))
Thank you in advance and you have many more great tours!
Ute
14 November 2021
Hello Ute!
How cool is that! I think business hiking will be the new trend sport in 2022 :-) To your questions: I can't remember that the nature reserve is advertised directly at the airport. When you step out of the airport building, just tend to keep left and walk parallel to the runway towards the west. At the end of the runway, the road makes a left curve, and this is where the actual hiking trail begins. The best thing to do is to download the GPX files to your smartphone. Or you can use the map embedded in each stage description on the way. If you tap the symbol in the top right corner of the map, your location will be shown on the map:
I always recommend hiking boots for long-distance hikes with heavy luggage. Although the hike started Faro is flat and not technically demanding, high hiking boots protect against twisting. And the higher the boot, the less sand in the shoe :-)
You can see the course of the railway line on this map: https://www.rome2rio.com/de/map/Faro/Lagos-Faro-Portugal#r/Train/s/0. All intermediate stops are also listed there.
I wish you a nice hike - and a successful meeting!
Frank
15 November 2021
Great, Frank! Thanks alot!
Three days of hiking are the best preparation for a business meeting ;-)
29 November 2021
Hello, I've been on the road in Lisbon for 2 weeks and I'm currently running the ruta vicenta in Luz. Wanted to find information about the circumnavigation of the Alvor lagoon ... there is probably only the Strada. Otherwise I always see the poor long-distance hikers with huge luggage and yesterday someone in jeans pants. You can also make it difficult for yourself. I have a 35 liter backpack and it is not very full. Walk in very light shoes but have good cushioning and have trekking sandals with you as an alternative. My stages have been 20 to 45 km so far ... should anyone have any questions via Whatsapp 00491634700910. Lg Wolfgang
18 January 2022
Moin Frank,
we want to go in March Faro to fly. During the preparation we came across your report.
Reads and looks (pictures) are really great.
Since we are not the extreme hikers, we wanted to know how the trail goes.
Is it more like long stretches on the beach, with deep sand or is there also, if necessary
Opportunities to use "small paths" that run near the beach.
Best regards from the Baltic Sea
Marion + Detlef
19 January 2022
Hello Marion & Detlef!
the pure sandy stretches are actually manageable. As far as I can remember, on stage 1 you have to cover about 5 km on the beach without any alternatives (from kilometer 9 to just before Quarteira). On the 6 km long sandy beach "Praia da Falésia", on the other hand, you can switch to the cliff and hike with a great view (part 2 of stage 1). In principle, the sandy stretches can also be derived from the elevation profile (https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/hoehenprofil-kuestenwanderweg-algarve/).
On the remaining stages, only short stretches of beach have to be mastered.
Since stage 1 is the longest/most strenuous, I would recommend an overnight stay in Quarteira, then you are on the safe side.
Greetings back to the Baltic Sea - you should actually have sandy beach experience ;-)
Frank
29 January 2022
Hello Frank,
2 years ago I read your report about the Algarve coastal hike with great enthusiasm... unfortunately Corona thwarted our plans at the time. Our planned hike had to be cancelled.
Now we are planning this great coastal hike with 6 people again for April. We start in Olhos de Agua at the Hotel Portobay Falesia. I took a close look at the cards and had a few questions about them. when we in Olhos de Agua walking on the beach, can we easily get onto the cliff path at the end? I couldn't find a way that leads up. Or do we have to walk on the street?
You wrote about Maria Luisa Beach... only possible at low tide... and also indicated a bypass by road. Otherwise it's always along the sea... The exception is the port of Albufeira.
Your photos inspire us... we hope to be able to write a nice report at the end.
Our destination is Alvor, from there we go back to the airport, but by taxi.
30 January 2022
Hello Roswitha,
then I'll keep my fingers crossed for you this year :-) I've sketched how I imagine the bypass over the street at the beach "Maria Luisa":
Do you mean this place at all? Or do you mean the spot just before at the beach restaurant "O Pássaro Azul"? So I got around the rocks around it without any problems – I don't remember exactly how, though. In my old pictures I found this one:
This should have been the entrance to the cliff path you may be looking for. I hope this helps you further!
Then you can tell :-)
Best regards and have fun!
Frank
September 21, 2022
Dear Frank
Thank you for your great travel reports! I did the Amalfi Coast hike this spring and loved it. Now I'm planning the coastal hike in the Algarve for November - and maybe then I'll add part of the fisherman's path to the hike.
In a number of Portugal travel reports I read that when hiking in Portugal you encounter many free-roaming dogs - whether "wild" or belonging to a farm. I'm traveling alone and admittedly I'm a bit scared of free-roaming dogs. Even if I'm informed about the correct behavior in an encounter and can pull myself together and stay calm if necessary, I don't want to give myself the adrenaline rush that I regularly feel when I meet them ;-). Can you tell me how you felt on your hike back then? Are there really so many free-roaming dogs or is it maybe different near the coast?
Thank you in advance for your feedback and warm regards from Switzerland
Sarah
September 21, 2022
Dear Sarah...I went on this beautiful coastal hike in the Algarve with 4 friends at the end of March and didn't see a single wild dog roaming free. It was a really great landscape experience.. you don't need to be afraid... however, the coastal hike is a bit demanding... I don't know how fit you are, but we have sometimes reached our limits... especially the first hikes without trail markings ... we had to rely on our maps ...
September 23, 2022
Thank you very much for your feedback, dear Roswitha - that helps me!
September 23, 2022
Hi Sarah,
my daughter and I walked the trail last year. We also encountered no free-roaming dog.
Have fun and many
Dagmar
12 October 2022
Hi
thank you for the great site. I am currently considering whether I could hike in your footsteps in December or January. From Frankfurt Hahn there are very cheap flights to Faro. That's only from Monday to Friday - but still. In addition, the flight times are ok. Scheduled to arrive on Monday at 12:45 p.m. and fly back at 16:50 p.m. on Friday.
Do you also have experience at this time of year? Will there still be enough hotels open?
Also, one of my main problems is transportation. As I don't like to rely on public transport, I would prefer on the day of arrival from Faro travel west by train/bus and then walk back. Unfortunately I can't find any good connections there.
Portimao would fit as a destination. From there it should be doable back to in three days Faro, and there is still some time available on the day of arrival and departure.
Best regards & thanks in advance
Ulf
13 October 2022
Hello Ulf!
I did some random research: Hotels are sufficiently open in December and January in the Algarve, so that shouldn't be a problem. And the fact that you are currently unable to find any train connections for January is probably due to the annual timetable change at the beginning of December. You know that from Germany, but the date seems to be synchronized across Europe. Source: https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times. There you can currently not select a travel date after December 11th.
Of course, I can't guarantee the weather, but three years ago I was about to fly to the Algarve in January, but then decided on Malta and Gozo at short notice (see Hiking in Malta and Gozo).
Have fun with your hike and best regards!
Frank
10 November 2022
Dear Frank, dear coastal hikers
We would like to do the coastal hike next spring, but without luggage, just a day pack. Do you or anyone of you know if there is a luggage transport service?
Kind regards and thanks in advance
jacqueline
17 November 2022
Hello Jacqueline,
unfortunately I am not aware of any such luggage service in the Algarve. As an alternative, I could suggest you the fishermen's path ("Rota Vicentina") (see Link), there are several providers such as vicentinatransfers.pt.
Regards
Frank
16 November 2022
Hello Frank,
after we did "your" Amalfi Coast hike three years ago and were extremely enthusiastic, we have just booked flights and accommodation in the Algarve for the beginning of April.
Thanks also for the gps tracks. Since we always use gps, this is a really great service and saves a lot of time. However, I faltered at one point: in order to get to the Mexilhoeira Grande train station at the end of stage 5, you apparently have to cross the railway line a bit Faro-Lagos, which scared me a bit. did you really walk there? Was that dangerous or risky in any way? On the satellite image on Google Maps, the small bridge that seems to have to be crossed doesn't look very wide...
Greetings from the pot
Tanya and Christopher
17 November 2022
Hello Tanja and Christoph,
Thanks for the good question about the last stage. You've gotten a sore point with me :-) From time to time, the route I present or recommend here differs from the route actually hiked. I often try out different variants on site and then use them to create an optimized hiking route afterwards. Stage 5 you mentioned is one of those cases that I later optimized: Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to hike this route in its entirety when I was there.
To cut a long story short: No, I didn't walk over the railway bridge, I just did very intensive research. With Google Maps you can see (especially in the 3D view) that there is a railing and also footpaths that indicate regular use of the bridge (Link: https://goo.gl/maps/ea3nNekqRmPMmPqG9). And the aerial photos are also from 2022, so very up-to-date. Of course you have to be careful because of the train traffic, but it is a single-track route with little traffic.
I have not received any negative feedback on stage 5 so far. But I would be very happy if you send me two or three photos of the bridge, for example, so that I can publish them here.
Regards
Frank
15 December 2022
Dear Frank. Now the year is almost overx but I wanted to thank you again for the great hiking tips in the Algarve. It was a highlight of my year! I walked the route the other way around and had to take the bus in between because I was going slower than you, but it was great and I didn't think that the Algarve could be experienced away from tourist centers. Warm regards and have a good 2023! Jana from Berlin
27 December 2022
Hello Jana,
Thank you for your reply! Happy New Year to you too!
Frank
2 January 2023
Hi,
Thank you so much for sharing such detailed information about this route. We're really tempted to do at least some of it this year, but we can only go in July. We do know it's going to be hot but do you think this is feasible at all, especially if we leave early in the morning or is it really too hot?
Thanks for any advice you may be able to give,
Emmanuelle
3 January 2023
Hello Emmanuelle,
I would actually advise you against hiking in the Algarve in July and August. Here is a link where you can see the average and maximum temperatures of the last few years for the planned travel time (climate / travel planner):
https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/maps/city.
In short: it is reliably very warm in July and, in my opinion, often much too hot for prolonged physical activity in the sun.
We have made the mistake of hiking in southern Europe in August and then had sunstroke, although we started hiking early in the morning and were already at our destination at 12:00 noon...
Therefore, if I were you, I would not plan a long-distance hike in July but, depending on the weather, small half-day hikes (without luggage / only with a small backpack).
I hope this helps you!
Regards
Frank
18 January 2023
Dear Frank,
your trip report sounds great! You inspired my sister.
We would like to run the 5 stages at the end of September and possibly even further and are just beginning with the planning. So far I have not found any travel guide or similar about these stages.
To be honest, I'm "only" a Camino pilgrim (Camino Frances and Camino Portugues) on well-marked paths and accommodation. What is your experience with trail marking? Is it easy to walk the path in sneakers?
How do we best get back to at the end Faro?
Questions over questions...
Regards
Eva
22 January 2023
Hello Eva,
Late September is a good time for the trek! I always recommend hiking boots for long-distance hikes - mainly because of the extra weight you're carrying. The high shaft protects against twisting. Flat hiking shoes or sneakers are a disadvantage. High hiking boots are also better for hiking on the beach, as it is not so easy to get sand in your shoes.
As far as I can remember, there are no consistent trail markings, so I would always hike with a corresponding app (see Outdooractive - the outdoor app for GPS hiking). But since it's always more or less along the coast, you can actually drift quite well and don't have to focus too much on orientation.
You can also easily extend the tour further west - see https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/kuestenwanderung-an-der-algarve-erfahrungsberichte-fragen/#comment-2095. For orientation on the return journey: https://www.rome2rio.com/de/map/8650-Sagres-Portugal/Faro
Good luck with your further planning and have a nice hike!
Frank
20 April 2023
Hello Frank,
THANKS for the great description! I ran the route and absolutely loved it!!
Greetings Petra
21 April 2023
Great, I'm very happy about that!
August 7, 2023
Hello Frank,
I plan to hike the route spontaneously. However, I still have an extra day available. Which of your stations did you find the most beautiful? So where can you endure a second day? My priorities for the extra day would be either very nice beaches or cultural sights.
Greetings from Bavaria.
Christoph
August 7, 2023
Hello Christopher,
I would probably split stage 1 into two half-day stages, which is otherwise quite long and you can then take a little more time in the beautiful places. Also Faro should not be skipped (ideally the day before departure and then walk to the airport). Those would be my two tips.
Have fun hiking!
Frank
11 October 2023
Hello Frank,
My husband and I spent a wonderful 10 days in the Algarve, mostly hiking. On your route we were gifted with incredibly beautiful and a variety of impressions. Currently, at the beginning of October, we experienced the trail in mid-summer temperatures, which was quite a challenge for hiking. But the location of the towns and the tourist connections made it easy to adjust the stages to 10 to 15 km and to include a day at the beach to recover your feet. I can also totally recommend using local transport if necessary. We finished our hike in Alvor and from there took Taxi Bolt for a few euros to Portimao train station within 15 minutes, so we were able to avoid the perhaps somewhat tricky part of the railway bridge.
Thank you very much for the route data, planning aids and tips!
Sunny greetings Faro
Katja
13 October 2023
Hello Katja,
Glad you liked it! I agree with you completely: the tourist infrastructure makes it easy for hikers in the off-season to replan quite spontaneously and adapt the stage depending on the weather - there is a nice place with accommodation every few kilometers.
Thank you also for the photo of the ferry connection that you sent me - I included that directly in stage 4.
Regards
Frank
5 November 2023
Hello Frank,
Thanks for the great information put together! Boyfriend and I will probably be starting at the end of October Faro start.
A few years ago we walked Rota Vicentina to Cabo san Vicente.
Do you have any route suggestions from Alvor to Cabo san Vincente?
Best regards,
Pravit
7 November 2023
Hello Pravit,
We've had the Rota Vicentina on our list for ages, maybe our plans will happen next spring! If there's enough time, we'll even walk straight to it Faro continue - that would then include your route :-)
So far I have only been on half-day hikes in sections between Alvor and Cabo de São Vicente. In my opinion, there is almost always a hiking trail that runs very close to the sea and can't be missed. It is only necessary to walk around the lagoon between Alvor and Lagos: as shown in stage 5 to the small Mexilhoeira Grande train station, where I would then get on the train and drive at least 1 station, otherwise in my opinion you would be too is traveling for a long time on the railway track/on railway bridges.
Let's see which of us can report on this part first...
Regards
Frank
25 November 2023
Hello Frank.
Thank you for your site – so inspiring.
My husband and I are walking the path this January. We usually walk approximately 25-30 km a day. Is that possible to walk the Algarve coastal hike in 4 stages or is there other considerations to make?
Regards
Karina (Denmark)
25 November 2023
Hello Karina,
Completing the route in 4 days shouldn't be a problem if you're trained and used to backpacking over 25km per day. The last stage is only a half-day hike anyway. In January you don't have to worry about not being able to find accommodation. If I were you, I would hike every day as far as you can go and then book an overnight stay at short notice.
Have fun in January and greetings from Denmark!
Frank
12 January 2024
Hello Frank,
We postponed the Algarve hike (see above) announced in February 2020 for reasons that are easy to guess and only realized it last year (March 2023, with flight vouchers). Your report about the route from Faro After Lagos motivated us to go to the Algarve, even though the map image (and later reality) shows a stretch of coast that is extremely densely populated with tourists. The bays are actually fantastic, the colors of rock, sand and water are unique, the hiking trails are wonderful and almost always close to the coast. But the many hotels, apartment complexes, villas... You have to overlook it.
We continued the route from Lagos and walked via Luz, Salema, Sagres, Vila do Bispo to Carrapateira and in an arc back to Vila do Bispo. This second part is completely marked as a fishing route and is much more lonely, also has some extremely spectacular bays and suited our love for beautiful landscapes, unspoiled nature and silence even more.
From Vila do Bispo (as well as from Sagres) you can easily get back to Lagos by bus, even in the low season, and then by train Faro.
And I would also recommend the northern part of the Fischerweg from south to north with the sun behind you. We ran it like this in 2019.
(Menorca is planned for March, all accommodations are booked, I will report.)
Many greetings and thank you for the site
Almuth
7 April 2024
Hello Almuth,
Thank you very much for your valuable input! In fact, we will be setting off for the Algarve in about 10 days and hiking the already familiar route together again (the first time I was alone). And in fact we will do the same as you and extend the route as far as we can. Let's see if we can make it as far as you :-) We have 14 days and are already full of anticipation! We won't be able to complete the entire Fischerweg, but at least the southern part is the plan.
I will report!
Many greetings
Frank
8 April 2024
Hello Frank,
I'm just reading your comment. Starting at the end of April, my daughter and I will walk the last stretch (approx. 80km) from Carrapateira to Lagos. Then we drove the entire route from Porto Covo to Faro hiked. We're running in the opposite direction as you, which means we're pretty sure we'll/could bump into each other somewhere! Maybe we recognize each other?
Best regards,
Dagmar and Rosa
9 April 2024
Hello Dagmar and Rosa,
We will definitely keep our eyes open and watch the “oncoming traffic” closely :-) I would be happy if we met on the way!
Regards
Frank
3. February 2024
It’s a strange question for sure…. but I would still like to know the answer, please! Are there public toilets on this hike along the Algarve coast? I will be doing the tour in three weeks and would like to understand how the toilets work in the off season.
3. February 2024
Hello Cinzia,
yes, there are many public toilets and beach restaurants with toilets along the hiking route. In towns and on the beach promenades anyway, but sometimes also on popular beaches with parking, etc. Apps like “Toilet Finder” or simply searching for “public toilet” in Google Maps are helpful here. I just downloaded “Toilet Finder” and took a few spot checks along the hiking route. There are certainly some secluded sections without public toilets, the density of toilets in the Algarve is certainly significantly higher than on other hiking routes in the mountains or similar :-)
Best regards and have fun hiking!
Frank
21. February 2024
Hello Frank,
we walk from Albufeira to Cabo do Sao Vicente in mid-March. We arrive around 12 p.m Faro and wanted to tell us the route from Olhos de Agua arrive to Albufeira. Is the 8 km worth the scenic drive or would we often have to take the road? Thanks in advance for the information.
VG Heike
21. February 2024
Hello Heike,
I also find the route between Olhos de Água and Albufeira is very scenically worthwhile. In the picture gallery for stage 2, this corresponds to the first 11 pictures.
You only have to avoid the road in one place (and only at high tide; at low tide you continue along the beach).
Best regards and have fun hiking!
Frank
22. February 2024
Addition: Rosi also wrote me her assessment:
9 Maj 2024
Hi Frank, glad I found your web page as other sites give poor detail information on this route. I have done the Fishermans trail in January and fell in love with Portugal. I came across this route and started researching. I was going to start in Santo Ant up to Lagos. Have you done this or thinking of doing it? Is there much walking on the motorway? Walking straight from Faro airport got me interested lol and thinking to do that and then go back and walk Santo Ant to Faro. I might have more questions later I see you wrote that you were doing the trail again in April..will you post this trip? Thanks a lot Abigail
9 Maj 2024
Hello Abigail,
You surely mean “Vila Real de Santo António”, right? I haven't been in this direction yet, the coast there is definitely flat and sandy (no rocks or cliffs). I think you can get through it quite well, sometimes on the beach, sometimes a little inland. There is even a section of the Way of St. James as far as Tavira. For planning you can use my interactive hiking map, for example, where you can also see the Way of St. James (https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/interaktive-karte-fernwanderungen-selbst-planen/) and perhaps additionally the route planner function from alltrails.com.
We actually returned from Portugal a few days ago - unfortunately I won't find the time to write anything about it, I'll just adjust or add smaller details from the tour so far.
Regards
Frank
27 Maj 2024
Ciao vorrei fare a breve questa escursione with mia figlia. L'unico dubbio è che se non ho capito male, non c'è a sentiero segnalato ma si deve proprio seguire il litorale e quindi camminare longo le spiagge non le strade quindi. Corretto?
thank you
Anna
27 Maj 2024
Hi Anna,
yes, that's exactly how it is in principle. There are a few path markings, but they are not consistent. You should definitely download the GPX files and, if necessary, the PDF map.
In one or two places the hike depends on the ebb and flow of the tide - when the tide is high you simply have to take a small detour. But that actually always works itself out.
Regards
Frank
13 January 2025
Thank you for the tip about the coastal hike directly from Faro with the detailed description. I will set off in February, I am really looking forward to it.
Has anyone walked over the railway bridge in front of Mexilhoeira (you can actually see a clear trace on google…)…???
Thanks for an answer Gisela
13 January 2025
Hello Gisela,
Yes, the route over the railway bridge is easily doable. There is even a short video of the bridge: https://www.wanderndeluxe.de/kuestenwanderung-an-der-algarve-etappe-5/So it really is only 30 seconds on a flat, easily visible, single-track railway line.
Have fun in February!
Frank