We are planning a 3 week trip to Portugal in early December and will be spending the first 10 days in Lisbon, Porto and the Douro Valley on an organized itinerary. After that we will be on our own and are looking for recommendations for the Algarve region. Hiking is high on our list of things to do, but is that a crazy idea at that time of year? Thinking of basing in Tavira and/or Monchique.
Posted by
5316 posts
Following, but in the meantime, this book series is always my fist stop:
https://www.cicerone.co.uk/walking-in-the-algarve-2?srsltid=AfmBOoqsITruL0P2q9TQDS9GtxWszQb7zAqv9JSRZOupW3dlxB6fmpEH
Posted by
Bristol, UK
1496 posts
The weather in the Algarve is very mild all year round. I’d say weather wise December would be perfect for hiking.
Posted by
Georgetown,KY
148 posts
We are just back today. We hiked from Burgau to Luz and back on one day. A few years ago we hiked towards Praia de Marinha from Vale de Centianes.
Posted by
New Zealand
92 posts
The walk Sheila has mentioned from Luz to Burgau is a stunning Algarve cliff top walk. Its relatively easy, a bit rocky. Burgau is the cutest village. I can recommend Beach Bar Burgau for dining, although many restaurants close in December.
Another walk is from Alvor beach to Praia do Vau, or carry on to Praia da Rocha. Part cliff top and part beach walk. There are so many walks/hikes to choose from in the area, they are graded for degrees of difficulty.
We generally find the weather in December excellent for walking.
Posted by
Wynnewood, PA, USA
275 posts
Perhaps you'd be interested in walking parts of the Rota Vicentina? It's stunning and reasonably well marked. There are lot's of materials (books, maps & website) available to assist you in planning and guiding you whilst on the Rota. My walk was a two-week one-way walk from south of Lisbon to Lagos but I believe that you could plan day hikes along the Rota. I'd drive to or cab to a trailhead and then hiking onto a small town or village where you could call a cab to return you to your point of departure.
Posted by
OP
Eden, Utah
44 posts
Thank you all for your recommendations! I have purchased the Cicerone book, Walking in the Algarve, and it should arrive in plenty of time for planning.
Have any of you spent time in Monchique? Is it worth spending a few days there as a base for hiking?