Coastal hike in the Algarve: Stage 4

Stage 4 of the long-distance hike leads in the first part between Carvoeiro and Ferragudo past many rocky bays and beaches. The first part of the landscape is comparable to stage 3, but it was rainy here on my own tour, so I couldn't enjoy it very much. Note: Shortly after Carvoeiro, the direct beach hiking trail is closed (as of April 2019). From the restaurant "Mar d'Fora" a small detour is therefore absolutely necessary (see route above on the map).

The second section of the stage is characterized by the large holiday resort of Portimão, the sea of ​​houses directly opposite Ferragudo and partly through wasteland and industrial area. But that shouldn't deter hikers: the hike along the main beach of Portimão and along the beautifully landscaped promenades cannot keep up with the landscape and nature of the previous days, but is still quite pleasant and varied.

The third part of the hike, on the other hand, leads through nature and past some bays worth seeing to the elongated, largely undeveloped sandy beach of Alvor, whose historic center lies on the inside of a lagoon.

Stage 4 offers several abbreviations:

• If you want to end the hike after Part 1 in Ferragudo, you can take the train from here Faro return. The train station is a bit inland (see map above). The regional trains run every 2 to 3 hours and take about 1: 20h. Timetable information at https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/train-times or on the website of the German train.

• 

  If you want to hike stage 4 completely to Alvor, but want to shorten the rather unattractive section 2, you can switch to Ferragudo and Portimão by boat (Link: Taxi ferry Ferragudo). The simple crossing costs around 5 €. Since this is a tourist offer and not a public transport ferry, the boat only operates when the weather is good. If the boat is not in use, the small ticket booth in Ferragudo is also not occupied.