Walking in Portugal

Guidebook describing over 40 walks throughout Portugal. The mainly circular half-day and day routes cover most National and Nature Parks in Portugal including the country's highest peak in Serra da Estrela, as well as visiting traditional stone-built villages and sites of historical interest. Includes background information.

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Overview

This guide describes 40 graded walks, ranging from gentle family strolls to strenuous mountain hikes (including Portugal's highest peak Torre). The mainly circular routes range from 5 to 25km, and there are also two longer walks of 2 to 4 days duration. The walks are spread throughout Portugal, with a focus on the country's many natural and national parks, including Peneda-Geres, Serra da Estrela and Costa Vicentina. Clear route description is illustrated with 1:50,000 mapping and a route summary table makes it easy to choose the right walk.

As well as practical travel advice, there is information on Portugal's geology, history, plants, wildlife and agriculture and on numerous local points of interest. From the rugged mountains of the north to the UNESCO-listed Rio Douro river valley, from traditional schist villages to the unique geology of the Algarve coast, the walks have been carefully selected to showcase some of the best Portugal has to offer. They take in granite peaks, wildflower meadows, woodland, waterfalls, castles, churches and archeological remains.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
About Portugal
Geology
History
Wildlife
Plants and flowers
Agriculture
Weather
When to go
Getting there
Travelling around
Where to stay
Food and drink
Equipment
Waymarking
Maps
Water
Emergencies and safety
Using this guide
Northern Portugal
Peneda-Gerês National Park
Walk 1 Caminho dos Mortos, Real
Walk 2 Trilho Castrejo, Castro Laboreiro
Walk 3 Peneda circuit
Walk 4 Pertinho do Ceu, Gavieira
Walk 5 Bicos and Pedrada
Walk 6 Pitões das Júnias and Capela de São João da Fraga
Walk 7 Minas dos Carris, Portela de Homem
Walk 8 Gerês circuit
Walk 9 Águia do Sarilhão and Via Nova, Campo do Gerês
Walk 10 Trilho dos Currais, Vila do Gerês
Montesinho Nature Park
Walk 11 Trilho da Calçada, Moimenta
Walk 12 Montesinho summits
Around Alvão Nature Park
Walk 13 Senhora da Graça, Mondim de Basto
Walk 14 Marão summit
Douro International Nature Park
Walk 15 Azeite, Bruçó
Walk 16 Ribeira do Mosteiro
Central Portugal and Lisbon
Schist villages
Walk 17 Schist villages of Lousã
Walk 18 Caminho do Xisto das Aldeias de Góis and Lousã summit
Walk 19 Trilho do Vale do Ceira, Cabreira
Serra da Estrela Nature Park
Walk 20 Sol and Rota das Faias, Manteigas
Walk 21 Rota do Carvão, Manteigas
Walk 22 Javali and Poço do Inferno, Manteigas
Walk 23 Rota do Glaciar, Torre–Manteigas
Walk 24 Poios Brancos, Manteigas
Around Lisbon
Walk 25 Castelejo, Alvados
Walk 26 Chãos
Walk 27 Peninha, Sintra
Walk 28 Cabo Espichel, Arrábida
Tejo and São Mamede Nature Parks
Walk 29 Rota dos Abutres, Salvaterra do Extremo
Walk 30 GR29 Rota dos Veados
Walk 31 Marvão
Monsaraz and Évora
Walk 32 Évora aqueduct and Ecopista
Walk 33 Monsaraz
Southern Portugal
The Algarve, Costa Vicentina and Guadiana
Walk 34 Odeceixe beach circuit
Walk 35 Cabo de São Vicente
Walk 36 Rota das Cascatas, Monchique
Walk 37 Trilho da Fóia, Monchique
Walk 38 Pulo do Lobo, Guadiana
Walk 39 GR23
Walk 40 Serra do Caldeirão, Parizes

Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Useful contacts
Appendix C Language

Updates

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November 2020

Book updates

Walk 17 Schist villages of Lousã

UPDATE

P124 Paragraph 1 The route has been diverted at the cart track: just go straight over onto the new and well waymarked path.

Walk 21 RotadoCarvão

UPDATES

The waymarking is much better than before, plus they have cleared the route of vegetation.

Page 145 1st and 2nd paragraphs

The dead end sign on the plateau has been knocked over, and the wolfram pits later are completely hidden by vegetation.

Page 146 1st paragraph (After the cairn-festooned projection of rock)

The way to an incredibly narrow gap (with steps) between two massive boulders progressing directly to the nave, known locally as 'the eye of the needle' was previously blocked but is now open and waymarked, therefore the GPX has been updated, and is well worth doing. It leads to the Nave da Mestra.

ERROR

Page 147 1st paragraph

Should end 'turn left and go downhill'

Walk 22 Javali and Poço do Inferno

UPDATE

The route is much better waymarked than before. Some of the forks (to be ignored) mentioned in the description are so overgrown that they are obscured, leaving the main path easier to follow

Walk 24 PoiosBrancos

UPDATE

The waymarking on the first part of the trail is clearer than before, but once past the trig point the path is quite difficult to follow, GPS even more useful than usual.

Walk 33 Monsaraz

ERROR

Page 207 The first sentence of paragraph 2 should read:

Ignore a dead end on the left of the first fork and go right at the next fork, which is steeply downhill…

UPDATE

The Hotel Monte Saraz has closed therefore there are no signs but the directions remain the same

Reviews

The perfect accompaniment for an adventurous holiday in the country

Portugal may be best known for its coastal resorts and easy-access holidays, but get away from the swathes of holidaymakers and you'll be in for a treat. The terrain is incredibly varied, with rugged coastline, beautiful national parks and rocky mountains scattered across the country.

Walking in Portugal is a handy little guide that is the perfect accompaniment for an adventurous holiday in the country, with 40 walks of varying lengths and difficulties outlined in detail. Among them, you'll find multi-day long-distance paths and shorter day walks.

Adventure Travel magazine

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This excellent book opens up another side of the country and makes it accessible

You know some travel guide books are going to be good as soon as you open them and skim through a few pages. Walking in Portugal: 40 graded short and multi-day walks throughout the country by keen world hikers Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh is one of those books.

For any travel guide to be a success, especially a walking guide, it needs to answer certain questions. Among these are: does the book have easy to understand and follow maps? Walking in Portugal certainly does. Is the book well organized into sections by area? Check. Do the photographs add to the understanding of the text? Check. Are there sections on what to take and where to purchase maps of the walks? Check again.

In addition the first part of the book is full of useful information on what to expect and how to prepare to walk and hike one of Europe's most beautiful countries. There is useful information on Portugal's geology, flora and fauna, weather, food and drink and where to stay. The appendix also has a summary of the 40 walks covered in the book and listed at the beginning. These walks range from mountain hikes in the Peneda-Gerês National Park in the north of the country to walks in the Algarve region in the south. There is also a list of useful contacts (airlines, maps, accommodation) and a short language section.

The description of the walks themselves is, of course, mostly directions, (very, very detailed directions) and this book is meant to be taken out into the field. It is thus small enough to fit snugly in a pocket or rucksack. However, the text is enlivened by the authors' asides on the history, plants, animals and legends walkers following in their footsteps will be thrilled to discover. Portugal is well-known to visitors for its historic cities and glorious beaches. This excellent book opens up another side of the country and makes it accessible: Portugal's rich and diverse landscapes, the empty spaces and wonderful scenery.

Portugal Visitor

Downloads

GPX Files

Sample Route

Trade Information