Lonely Planet Portugal Read online

  ARoutes to the Landscapes and Habitats of Portugal, by Pedro Castro Henriques, Renato Neves and João Carlos Farinha (2005) − Features environmentally focused routes all over Portugal.

  APortugal Passo-a-Passo: 20 Passeios por Portugal, by Abel Melo e Sousa and Rui Cardoso (2004) − A great little guide for anyone who reads Portuguese, with full-colour pictures and maps outlining 20 hikes all around the country.

  AGuide to Walking Trails in the Algarve (www.iltm.com/__novadocuments/62282) Published by Turismo de Portugal, this free downloadable guide has info on dozens of walks in the south.

  When to Walk

  Summer temperatures can get stiflingly hot in some regions – particularly Trás-os-Montes, Beira Baixa, the Alentejo and the Algarve. To beat the heat, consider travelling in spring (April and May) or autumn (late September and October).

  What to Take

  Wherever you go, you’ll want a hat, strong sun protection and some type of palliative for aching feet. A compass can come in handy, as trail maintenance and signposting are often spotty. Maps (or photocopies thereof) are best obtained at local turismos (tourist offices). If you’re headed to the showery north, be sure to bring reliable rain gear.

  Prime Spots

  Southern Portugal offers some lovely hiking opportunities. One of the newest routes (opened in 2013) is the Rota Vicentina, which consists of two signed long-distance trails in the Alentejo – one along the coast (120km), one inland (230km) – both of which offer picturesque scenery, and there are opportunities to stay in guesthouses along the way.

  Those interested in walking the breadth of the country should consider the Via Algarviana, a 300km route following paved and unpaved roads between Alcoutim and Sagres that takes two to three weeks. Day hikers will find the Algarve equally rewarding, in places such as Monchique and Rocha da Pena.

  In the Beiras, the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela forms a beautiful backdrop for walking, with both day hikes and multiday itineraries. In many places you’re likely to have the trail to yourself. Especially beautiful is the Vale do Zêzere, a glacial valley at the foot of Torre, Portugal’s highest peak. A good base in this region is the mountain village of Manteigas. Also in the Beiras is the beautiful multiday GR-22 walking route, a 540km circuit of aldeias históricas (historic villages) including medieval hill towns such as Sortelha, Linhares and Monsanto.

  Perhaps the country’s best walking is in the far north, where Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês offers gorgeous hikes over mountainous terrain, encompassing forests, villages, high-altitude boulder fields, archaeological sites and ancient Roman milestones. A quiet base for adventure is Campo do Gerês, while a busier touristy base (but with lots of services) is Vila do Gerês. In neighbouring Trás-os-Montes, the natural parks of Montesinho, Alvão and Douro Internacional also have some splendid trails connecting the region’s remarkably picturesque stone villages.

  Closer to civilisation, there are some great day hikes in prime tourist areas, including the walk along the top of Évora’s 16th-century aqueduct and the climb from Sintra to its 9th-century Moorish castle.

  SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

  Every year thousands of walkers from around the world hike the Camino de Santiago, the classic pilgrimage route from France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. But what if you’re already in Portugal? Portuguese pilgrims have their own route to Santiago, less crowded but just as interesting for lovers of long-distance walking. Like its sister trail to the north, the Caminho Português has multiple starting points, but the best-known section originates in Porto. Information is available through the Associação dos Amigos do Caminho Português de Santiago (www.caminhoportuguesdesantiago.com).

  Walking Tours

  If you love to walk but hate to plan, why not consider an organised walking tour? The companies listed here offer both group walking tours – complete with tour leader – and self-guided tours where you walk independently, following an itinerary provided by the tour company, with pre-arranged meals and lodging included in the price.

  About 10km north of Sagres, walking-guide author Julie Statham runs Portugal Walks (%965 753 033; www.portugalwalks.com), which offers week-long packages (€640 to €945), as well as self-guided walks (seven days from €560, 14 days from €870) in mainland Portugal, as well as in Madeira and the Azores.

  Another dependable Portuguese outfitter offering guided walks throughout the country is A2Z Adventures (%917 946 653; www.a2z-adventures.com).

  Ecotourism company Sistemas de Ar Livre, in Setúbal, arranges activities including three-hour guided walks.

  Three noteworthy outfitters based out of the UK also run tours. ATG Oxford (www.atg-oxford.co.uk) offers weeklong guided walking holidays between Sintra and Cascais; Headwater (www.headwater.com) leads week-long walking trips as well as cycling jaunts; and Ramblers Holidays (www.ramblersholidays.co.uk) has guided seven- to 10-day walking holidays in the Minho, the Douro and the Algarve.

  Resources

  Many turismos and natural-park offices offer free brochures about local walks, although materials frequently go out of print due to insufficient funding. Other organisations that produce free maps of their own trails include Odiana (www.odiana.pt) in the Algarve and the Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela in the town of Seia in the Serra da Estrela.

  Portugal uses a system of coloured blazes to mark its trails. White and red are the colours of choice for the major multiday trails known as Grandes Rotas, while red and yellow blazes indicate Pequenas Rotas (shorter day hikes).

  Natural Parks & Reserves

  Portugal’s mixed bag of natural parks and reserves is worth the effort. The Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês is the country’s only bona fide parque nacional (national park), but there are 24 other parques naturais (natural parks), reservas naturais (nature reserves) and paisagens protegidas (protected landscape areas). These areas total some 6500 sq km – just over 7% of Portugal’s land area.

  The Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e da Biodiversidade (ICNB; %213 507 900; www.icnf.pt; Av da República 16) is the government agency responsible for the parks. It has general information, but detailed maps and English-language materials are sometimes hard to come by. Standards of maintenance and facilities vary wildly, but trails and resources within the parks are showing signs of improvement.

  Park/Reserve Features

  Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês lushly forested mountains, rock-strewn plateaus, deer, birds of prey, hot springs, wolves, long-horned cattle

  Parque Natural da Arrábida coastal mountain range, damaged by wildfire, birds of prey, diverse flora

  Parque Natural da Ria Formosa salty coastal lagoons, lakes, marshes, dunes, rich bird life, beaches, Mediterranean chameleons

  Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela pristine mountains (Portugal’s highest), rich bird life, rare herbs

  Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros limestone mountains, cave systems, covered in gorse & olive trees

  Parque Natural de Montesinho remote oasis of peaceful grassland & forest, last wild refuge for Iberian wolf

  Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais rugged coastline & mountains, diverse flora

  Parque Natural do Alvão granite basin, pine forest, waterfalls, rich bird life, deer, boar

  Parque Natural do Douro Internacional canyon country with high cliffs & lakes, home to many endangered birds of prey

  Parque Natural do Vale do Guadiana gentle hills & plains, rivers, rare birds of prey, snakes, toads, prehistoric sites

  Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina coastal cliffs & remote beaches, unique plants, otters, foxes, 200 bird types

  Reserva Natural da Berlenga remote islands in clear seas, rock formations, caves, seabirds

  Reserva Natural das Dunas de São Jacinto thickly wooded coastal park, rich in bird life

  Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado estuary of mud, marshes, lagoons & dunes, bird life including flamingos, molluscs, bottlenose dolphins

  Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António marshland & salt pans, flamingos, spoonbills, avocet, Caspian terns, white storks

  Other Outdoor Activities

  While walking and cycling can be done at the drop of a hat, many other outdoor activities need a bit more organisation – and often specialist gear, as well as guides or instructors. Below are a few ideas to inform and inspire. If you need more details while you’re travelling in Portugal, turismos can advise about specialist local operators and adventure centres.

  Wildlife Watching

  Portugal provides excellent opportunities for birdwatching, especially in Atlantic coastal lagoons and the deep river canyons along the Spanish border. In the south, prime birdwatching spots include the Serra do Caldeirão, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Parque Natural do Vale do Guadiana and the Reserva Natural do Sapal de Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António. In the Alentejo, Castro Verde is near good birdwatching – in particular the LPN Interpretative and Environmental Centre – while the nature reserve of the Sado Estuary, Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado, near Setúbal is also a big draw.

  The local environmental organisation Formosamar (%918 720 002; www.formosamar.com) offers tours from Olhão in the Algarve, including a 2½-hour trip for €35 per person (minimum four people) in Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, employing marine biologists and raptor specialists as guides.

  North of Lisbon, the Ilhas Berlengas make a perfect place to observe seabirds. Other good places for birdwatching include Reserva Natural do Paúl de Arzila near Coimbra; Dunas de São Jacinto near Aveiro; and the Tejo and Douro gorges, where vultures and eagles nest in the Parque Natural do Tejo Internacional and Parque Natural do Douro Internacional.

  Portugal’s leading ornithological society is the S
ociedade Portuguêsa para o Estudo de Aves ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %213 220 430; www.spea.pt; Avenida João Crisóstomo 18, Lisbon; h9.30am-1pm & 2-6pm Mon-Fri), which runs government-funded projects to map the distribution of Portugal’s breeding birds.

  For birdwatching and other nature-oriented guided excursions in the Algarve, Natura Algarve offers boat-based trips through the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa.

  UK-based Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk) runs an eight-day birdwatching excursion around southern Portugal starting at £1295.

  Various companies in the Algarve and around the Sado estuary offer dolphin-spotting trips, including Mar Ilimitado, Dolphins Driven, Dizzy Dolphins and Algarve Dolphins ( GOOGLE MAP ; %282 788 513; www.algarve-dolphins.com; adult/child from €35/25).

  Cycling

  Portugal has many exhilarating opportunities for mountain biking (bicicleta todo terreno; BTT). Monchique and Tavira in the Algarve, Sintra and Setúbal in central Portugal and Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês in the north are all popular starting points.

  Bicycle trails are also growing in popularity. Rio Lima in the north has a handful of short greenways (ranging from 8km to 13.3km) that are popular with cyclists, walkers and runners. Another rail-to-trails initiative, the 49km Ecopista do Dão (www.ecopista-portugal.com) between Viseu and Santa Comba Dão in the Beiras, opened in 2011; there are even places to rent bikes near the start in Santa Comba Dão. Down south, the ambitious Ecovia do Litoral is a 220km cycling route across the Algarve that connects Cabo de São Vicente at Portugal’s southwestern tip to Vila Real de Santo António on the Spanish border. For more information on the ecovia and other ecovias around Portugal, the Ecovias Portugal Road Book with maps and other key info is available for purchase online at www.ecoviasportugal.wix.com/ecoviasportugal.

  Meanwhile, bike paths have become fixtures of the urban landscape around Lisbon and in northern cities such as Porto, Coimbra and Guarda; popular bike trails have also cropped up in coastal venues such as the Estremadura’s Pinhal de Leiria and the Lisbon coast between Cascais and Praia do Guincho.

  Cycling Tours

  If you’re looking for a good day trip or a longer cycling holiday, there are a number of excellent companies that can point you in the right direction.

  In Lisbon, Portugal Bike (%214 783 153; www.portugalbike.com) has an excellent selection of bike tours. Trips go through the Algarve, the Minho or the Alentejo. There's also a route that follows the Camino de Santiago through northern Portugal and into Spain. Tours run five to 10 days and are available guided or self-guided.

  Pedal Portugal (www.pedalportugal.com) is a well-established company offering both guided and self-guided bike tours throughout Portugal.

  Based out of the USA, Easy Rider Tours (www.easyridertours.com) features several guided cycling itineraries in the Minho, Alentejo and Algarve, and along the Lisbon coast near Sintra.

  From the UK, Saddle Skedaddle (www.skedaddle.co.uk) has both guided and self-guided tours lasting seven to nine days. Trips go through the eastern Beiras and the Alentejo (with a coastal and an inland route).

  PENNILESS PEDALLING

  Fancy a ride without spending a euro-cent? An increasing number of Portuguese towns have adopted free bike programs. In places such as Aveiro and Cascais you can show up at the local free-bike agency, provide a photo ID, fill out a short form and hey, presto! – off you go on your very own bicycle.

  Rock Climbing, Paragliding & Adrenalin Sports

  In the far north, the granite peaks of Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês are a climber’s paradise. Other popular places are the schist cliffs at Nossa Senhora do Salto, east of Porto; the rugged 500m-tall granite outcropping of Cántaro Magro in the Serra da Estrela; the limestone crags of Reguengo do Fetal near Fátima; the sheer rock walls of Penedo da Amizade, just below Sintra’s Moorish castle; the dramatic quartzite ridge of Penha Garcia, near Monsanto in Beira Baixa; and Rocha da Pena in the Algarve.

  Useful organisations for climbers include Clube Nacional de Montanhismo (%917 827 472; www.cnm.org.pt) and Grupo de Montanha e Escalada de Sintra (www.gmesintra.com).

  Paragliding is also popular in the north. Two prime launch sites are Linhares in the Serra da Estrela and Alvados in the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros.

  Eco-aware, Sesimbra-based Vertente Natural offers trekking, canyoning, canoeing, diving and rappelling, while Porto-based Detours offers waterfall treks and canyoning, as well as off-track tours around the Douro in 4WD vehicles.

  Located outside of Coimbra, Capitão Dureza (%239 476 701; www.capitaodureza.com) is a one-stop shop for high-adrenalin activities including rafting, canyoning, abseiling (rappelling), mountain biking and trekking.

  Porto-based Trilhos (%225 504 604; www.trilhos.pt) is another reputable outfitter, offering climbing, caving, canyoning, trekking and other adventure sports.

  Boating

  Along the coast, especially in the Algarve, pleasure boats predominate, offering everything from barbecue cruises to grotto tours to dolphin-spotting excursions. Inland, Portugal’s rivers, lagoons and reservoirs offer a wide variety of boating opportunities, including kayaking, sailing, rafting and canoeing. Rivers popular for boating include the Guadiana, Mondego, Zêzere, Paiva, Minho and Tâmega.

  Companies that rent boats and/or operate boat trips can be found in Lagos, Mértola, Barragem do Alqueva, Tomar, Coimbra, Ponte de Lima, Rio Caldo and Amarante, just to name a few.

  Diving

  Portugal’s best dive sites are concentrated in the Algarve. The water temperature is a bit crisp (around 14°C to 16°C, though it doesn’t vary much between summer and winter); most divers prefer a 5mm suit. Visibility is usually between 4m and 6m; on the best days, it can range from 15m to 20m.

  One of the best places for beginners to learn to dive is off Praia do Carvoeiro ( GOOGLE MAP ), with several operators offering PADI-accredited courses in English. PADI-accredited courses are also offered in Peniche, as well as in Lagos and Sagres, among other Algarve locations.

  Closer to Lisbon, there are diving outfits at Costa da Caparica, Sesimbra and Reserva Natural da Berlenga.

  Windsurfing & Kitesurfing

  Praia do Guincho, west of Sintra, and Portimão in the Algarve are both world-championship windsurfing sites. Other prime spots include (from north to south) Viana do Castelo’s Praia do Cabedelo; Lagoa de Óbidos, a pretty lagoon that draws both sailors and windsurfers; and (closer to Lisbon) the Costa da Caparica’s Fonte da Telha. In the Algarve, Sagres attracts pros (its strong winds and fairly flat seas are ideal for free-riding), while Lagos, Albufeira and Praia da Rocha cater to all.

  Popular venues for windsurfing and kitesurfing lessons include the beaches around Viana do Castelo, Foz do Arelho, Peniche, Praia do Guincho, Lagos and Tavira.

  GREAT OUTDOOR ADVENTURES FOR FAMILIES

  AMountain bike through the outback to see the Palaeolithic petroglyphs at Parque Arqueológico do Vale do Côa.

  AKayak with your kids down the Rio Mondego from Penacova to Coimbra.

  ALearn to surf with the whole family at Hooked Surf School in Costa da Caparica.

  ATake the invigoratingly bouncy boat ride from Peniche to Berlenga Grande, then stay overnight in a 17th-century fort converted into a hostel.

  ALook for dolphins – and learn about them from an onboard marine biologist – as you ply the Atlantic waters off the Algarve coast.

  AWalk through a landscape of dramatic mountains and stone shepherds’ huts as you climb the glacial Zêzere Valley, then cool off with icy water from a natural spring in Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela.

  AScan the horizon for pirates from the 17th-century fort, play king of the castle at the Moorish castelo, or build sandcastles of your own on the beach at Sesimbra.