Powered By WorldPay


Self-Guided Walking Holidays Alentejo

   Overview  
 Alentejo  8 Days / 7 Nights  Grade B: Coastal/Hills
This walking holiday is based in The Natural Park of the Alentejo and Vicentina Coast in the southwest of Portugal. Lying on the junction of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines it is easily reached from either Faro or Lisbon airports.

This coastal region of Portugal is sparsely populated and can support year-round walking from September to June. We do not however recommend walking here in July and August.

The hiking on this holiday brings you along the wonderful Atlantic coastline - past sleepy fishing villages, rocky coves and deserted sandy beaches. You also walk through olive groves and low rolling hills as you head into the interior - walking past scenes of traditional agriculture as you meander through a countryside dotted with eucalyptus forest, cork plantations, whitewashed villages and towns.

With its extensive and varied flora and fauna, this warm and welcoming corner of Portugal is a hidden treasure waiting to be explored. It is no wonder that it now hosts Portugal's most recent Natural Park.
The coves of the rocky Alentejo coastline
Book your holiday
   Itinerary  

Day 1 (Arrival)
Transfer from either Lisbon or Faro airports to arrive at your hotel on the Mira estuary in the town of Vila Nova de Milfontes. You have time to relax, enjoy dinner or explore this beautiful Portuguese town.

Day 2 (15km/9.25 miles Vila Nova de Milfontes to Almograve)
Today's walking begins your exploration of this wonderful coastline. You pass along the cliff tops and over small dunes as the trail follows the jagged coastline replete with small coves and sandy beaches. Tonight is spent in a cosy rural guesthouse.

Day 3 (10km/7 miles Almograve to Zambujeira)
You continue south along the coast as the trail affords you the opportunity to see sea-birds nesting along the clifftops. In addition to the normal gulls you may be lucky to catch cliff-nesting storks or the beautiful peregrine falcon. You continue on past the tiny fishing port of Entrada da Barca and on to the bay of Zambujeira do Mar. Staying the night in Zambujeira you can sample the local cuisine in the town's restaurants and perhaps enjoy locally caught sea bass or bream.

Day 4 (15km/9.5 miles Zambujeira to Odeceixe)
Continuing to follow the coast you head on to Carvalhal Bay and start to leave the rocky coves behind as you drop down to the sandy estuary at the town of Odeceixe. It is at this point that you briefly enter the greater Algarve region and spend tonight in a traditional Pensão guesthouse.

Day 5 (15km/9.5 miles Odeceixe to São Teotonio)
Heading east you turn away from the coast and into the low rolling hill country of the interior. You pass along easy paths through a traditionally farmed landscape to finish in the market town of São Teotonio and your guesthouse for tonight.

Day 6 (10km/7 miles São Teotonio to Odemira)
You continue in a generally north-easterly direction as you forge further into the interior - walking amongst the cork oaks of the low hills. You then follow the course of a minor river to descend to the town of Odemira on the banks of the River Mira. Your accommodation tonight is in the centre of this small country town.

Day 7 (30km/20 miles Odemira to Vila Nova de Milfontes)
Today you have a long but easy walk - but you can also elect to shorten it with a road transfer if you wish. Leaving Odemira you follow the course of the River Mira as it heads back to the Atlantic. Along the way you pass smallholdings and sleepy villages such as Troviscais and Vale Bejinha (with its windmill still in operation). You finish the day by rounding the bay to return to where you started - and a well-earned rest in Vila Nova de Milfontes.

Day 8 (Departure)
The tour is completed following your breakfast in Vila Nova de Milfontes.

Included
7 nights accommodation, based on two adults sharing, in our partner hotels and guesthouses (normally with en-suite facilities).

Transfer to/from either Faro or Lisbon airports or rail stations at both start and end of the tour. Please contact us for transfers from further afield.

Meals on this holiday consist of a breakfast each day, and one evening meal (on the evening of arrival). A list of recommended local restaurants is also supplied on arrival enabling you to knowledgeably sample the local specialties of traditional Portuguese cuisine.

Luggage transfer each day along the route, detailed daily route notes, and map(s).

For more information on Alentejo visit the official Portugal Tourism website at www.portugal.org.
Flight schedules and information on Faro Airport.
Flight schedules and information on Lisbon Airport.
For information on trains to the area, visit the Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses site.

Book your holiday
   Prices  

Prices and options
The price for the Alentejo self-guided tour is £655 Sterling (approx $1,075 US Dollars or €735 Euro) per person sharing.

  • 7 nights accommodation, based on two adults sharing, in our approved partner hotels and guesthouses (normally with en-suite facilities).
  • Airport or railway station transfers to/from Faro and Lisbon are included. Please contact us for separate pricing of transfers to/from other airports or locations.
  • Meals consist of a breakfast each day, and one evening meal upon arrival.
  • Luggage transfer each day along the route, detailed daily route notes, and map(s).

Single supplement - Single occupancy (if accompanying a party) at £150
Lone traveller supplement - Travelling alone (not with a party) at £195. Note that this is in place of the single supplement (not in addition to it).

You can start your self-guided tour on any day that you wish throughout the season - however we do not normally accommodate bookings in July and August due to the Portuguese holidays. Please phone if you are trying to book a holiday in this period. Please complete a booking form, or contact us to arrange.

 Back to top    Photographs

Home - Escorted Tours - Self-guided Tours - Schedule - Custom Tours - Contact Us - Booking Form - FAQs - Links

Sitemap Home page Escorted walking holidays Self-guided walking holidays Schedule of holiday dates Custom walking holidays How to contact us Booking form Frequently asked questions Links to relevant sites