Algarve Sightseeing, Walks and Photos Guide.

Information about walking and hiking which you may care to try whilst on holiday on The Algarve Portugal.

A holiday on The Algarve in Southern Portugal is not necessarily just about beaches and playing golf - you can enjoy some really nice walks either along the coastal paths or go inland in the countryside hiking amongst the hills in the Algarve's North. Of course the mild winter weather in the Algarve is pretty handy for some winter walking as a break from our frequently damp and cold English winter weather conditions.
We have created a series of Algarve Walks and Photographs pages which give walking instructions and descriptive photographs of several walks or short area descriptions plus photos of places we visited and simply wandered around but where you can easily make up your own walks and go as far as you wish. The walks pages are full of photographs so are useful even if you do not go out walking much since they give an idea of what can be found on holiday sightseeing and touring trips as well. A brief description of all these walks etc are listed further below on a menu. Our hiking information/description are from our holiday to the Algarve during October 2006. There are lots of Fontes (springs) around when you go inland and several of our walks go via these - also we have a nice walk out of Paderne which visits a windmill and also a lovely Roman Bridge.

Although there are buses serving the Algarve the times are not that great and we found the best way - the only practical way - to get to these walks was by use of a hire car. Certainly for the inland walks and for wandering around the Algarve's fabulous Western Coast beaches you must have your own transport. The walks vary from circulars to the ones on the coast which are there and backs - it is important to note that the cliffs are pretty fragile along the coast and you need to take extreme care when any near to the edges.
Also the Algarve has what are known as Algarves*- these are large holes often found near cliffs and they are very deep with extremely fragile edges. The Algarves are often fairly well fenced and obvious in the more popular walking areas but we did find quite a few that were not obvious until we were right by them and it would be easy to walk/fall into one during poor visibility.

It is worth taking at least lightweight walking boots if you plan to do any walking on the Algarve whilst on holiday - we would have found some of the walks described quite uncomfortable and too slippery because of the rocky and scree surfaces - without the ankle and tread support of our walking boots. On the subject of visibility and caution when walking, we experienced really heavy mist conditions whilst out walking on several days - including inland on the hills. The proximity of the Atlantic Ocean means that the weather can change very rapidly with either heavy mist, heavy rain squalls, low cloud and even thunderstorms turning up very quickly - we found this particularly the case on the Algarve's Western Coast.

 

*Algarves are natural pits found amongst the limestone rocks that make up the Algarve Coastline and are created as a result of chemical and mechanical erosion over millions of years. As the limestone fractures it is infiltrated by rain water - and due to the water's high carbon dioxide content it becomes acidified and dissolves the limestone. This process continuously increases the cracks both in depth and width to create natural pits and underground caves.
Further cliff erosion is then created by the collapse of these underground galleries and caves - then the sea and wind do the rest to create the Algarve's really spectacular Southern Atlantic coastline.

 

Algarve Walks Menu.

 

A walk along Albufeira's Coastline with Photos. There are fabulous beaches and really scenic cliffs along the coast out of Albufeira towards Olhos de Agua. The cliffs are not too sheer as far as Santa Eulalia and if you are beach walking along here and the tide rises you can sometimes divert up into the cliffs else simply climb onto rocks and wait it out - obviously walking along as far as Santa Eulalia is therefore best during low tides. Certainly if you want to get along between Santa Eulalia and Olhos de Agua the beaches have really high and sheer cliffs - therefore being caught out by a rising tide around this stretch could be quite hazardous.
As guidance walking as far as Santa Eulalia and back is around 12kms.
From Albufeira Old Town go through the tunnel to reach the cliff top where there are several cafes, turn left and go through a rock archway to get to Albufeira's beach.

Giving any precise details about walking along the coast is pointless since you simply continue along walking past various beaches - sometimes having to divert off the beach for short distances before rejoining it again. The way you walk will be totally dependant on the state of the tide - sometimes walking on the sand and other times climbing through rocky areas - however the path is always clear to follow.

 

 

You cannot walk along the bottom of the cliffs here but have to walk up into the cliffs and into a conservation area. A sign says "to hotel area only" but a narrow path on the right takes you across to re-join the cliff path.
A little way along the cliff path you end up fairly high above the sea - the sea-shore at high tide is not passable. We continued up the cliff on a narrow path hoping to find a way round but reached a gate and a dead end - this finished our outbound walk.

Below are a few photos taken on the way back to Abulfeira - circular walks are always nice but you also do get very different views when you just return on coast walks like the one described above.

 

We have a series of Algarve Holiday Guides, Walks and Pictures which you may care to look at. These are packed with photos from around the Algarve so even if you are not too interested in walking and hiking the pages do show various locations which you might find of interest to visit whilst on holiday in Portugal - Please visit our Home Page.

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