Andy's EPIC Adventures in Europe Fisherman's Trail, Portugal
Fisherman's Trail Alentejo, Portugal
Odeceixe - Zambujeira do Mar - Almograve - Vila Nova de Milfontes - Porto Covo 80 km, 4 days
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Welcome to the Alentejo: Home to Europe’s most spectacular beaches. All 38 of them; one more gorgeous than the other with beautiful vistas, crashing waves, and pristine, white or ochre-coloured sandy beaches. Given the superlative scenery one would assume that the area must be a tourist nirvana. Far from it: the landscape is rugged and wild, with only a few small towns and villages that are often precariously percehd on top of steep, rocky cliffs. And the Atlantic here can be fierce, and the water chillingly cold. Not the best conditions for your family-friendly bucket and spade holiday.
Yes, you will encounter the odd campervan, parked at the end of a dirt track leading onto an isolated beach or surfer dudes who bravely fight the elements, and some low key tourism wherever there is a safe stretch of beach in places like Porto Covo, Zabujeira do Mar or the regional centre of Vila Nova de Milfontes. But the Alentejo region is one of the lesser visited areas in Portugal, often falling below the tourist radar and side-lined by the Golf-loving Algarve, and the vibrant metropolitan delights of Lisbon or Porto. Part of the reason is accessibility. To get there from international airports requires a two to three hour drive from either Lisbon or Faro. Trains connect the region’s main towns, such as beautiful Evora or Estremoz. But no rail track leads to the Atlantic, and local bus connections are challenging to say the least. And the stunning coastline offers very few access points to the ocean which means that settlements are few and far between, with a distinct shortage of accommodation options. But unusual for an area exposed to the wild forces of nature, the climate is Mediterranean-like hot in the summer, and mild in the winter. Still, the Alentejo is certainly not a mass-tourist hot spot and most certainly far from the over-developed beaten track.
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Given its relative isolation, it is of little surprise that the Alentejo is one of the poorest, least developed, and least populated areas in Western Europe. Its GDP per capita is just under 60% of the EU average. The region makes up around 30% of Portugal’s land mass, but houses only 5% of its population, yet accounts for half of its agricultural production. Once you travel through its undulating landscape the reliance on crops, livestock and forestry soon become very obvious.
And cork oaks; lots of them. The Alentejo is the world’s most important area for growing cork, with the tree being the only specimen that does not seem to suffer from having its bark stripped. And so far, no mechanised method has yet been invented that could offer an effective way of harvesting, so in mid-summer, the sector’s 60,000 strong workforce rolls up its sleeves. Incredibly, one mature oak can produce as much as 4,000 bottle corks. Looking across a cork grove, you can see that the spaces between the trees are often used for grazing, but occasionally also for growing olives, vines, and citrus fruits, which – for agricultural production at least - results in an unusually diverse ecosystem.
How to get there and around:
Unfortunately, getting to the Fisherman’s Trail by train is not a feasible option as the main line from the capital Lisbon to the Algarve circumvents the Alentejo coast and travels much further inland. The trail is pretty much equidistant between the international airports in Lisbon and in Faro on Portugal’s southern coast. From there, a three hour bus journey will take you to the area. But on location, public transport will let you down. Yes, there is a frequent connection linking Vila Nova de Milfontes with Porto Covo, but all other stops are served rather poorly, and if so, then often at very inconvenient times (that are often geared towards the schedule of school children). Check out Rome2Rio for more information. We did the same and realised to our astonishment, that in mid-November, the price of two return bus tickets from the airport to the Alentejo was higher than renting a car: We got our deal through Holiday Autos.
When to go:
Although the winds coming in from the Atlantic Ocean can provide a source a of cooling relief, summers can be excruciatingly hot in this part of Europe. The months of July and August are therefore out. June and September are the busiest times of the year, but it is perfectly feasible to tackle the Rota as late as November or as early as March. Keep in mind though, that some hotels and restaurants are only open for the summer season, so if you are hiking between October and May, it might be wise to stock up on provisions in a supermarket before hitting the trail. You might not come across a single open establishment.
Hiking from South to North: Most articles on the Fisherman’s Trail that I came across, and indeed the official website describe itineraries that tackle the trail in a southerly direction. Walking in direct sunshine struck me as being rather odd, and given my delicate, northern European skin, we decided to tackle the path in the opposite way. This proved to be a wise choice. Having the sun behind you allows for clearer vistas, and my schnoz felt gratitude at not being constantly slathered with factor 50 lotion. Yet, throughout the four-day trek, we did not encounter a single hiker that had adopted the same approach. On the downside, for the final two hours of stage 4, you will often catch the sight of the industrial oil refineries of Sines looming in the distance but crossing the finish line in the quirky village of Porto Covo certainly makes up for this slight aesthetic deficiency. On the other hand, on the first leg, your start is a peaceful 3 km amble along a river valley below the village of Odeceixe. Many ramblers going from north to south complained that this narrow, paved road seemed to last forever. But us walking in the opposite direction found it to be a perfect and gentle introduction to this multi-day hike. Where to stay: A number of hikers make their way up or down the trail by spending a night in one location, before heading for the next stop the day after. There are luggage services that transport your belongings between hotels (at a fee of about 15 EUR per person). We found this to be a rather cumbersome set up, as we are not particularly fond of all the packing and unpacking, so decided to base ourselves in Vila Nova de Milfontes; by far the biggest and busiest of all the potential overnight stops which even in the depth of autumn still had a well-functioning tourist infrastructure (unlike all the other places with the possible exception of Porto Covo). Each morning, we drove our rental car to the end of that day’s hike and booked a taxi to take us to the starting line. This turned out to be a rather simple and money-saving process as the taxi fares were around 25 EUR per journey. Better still, we could unpack properly, buy, and store provisions, and get comfortable in our rented apartment. Just make sure to book your taxi a day in advance. There are only a limited number of vehicles in operation, and you will not be the only ones who will commute in this way. We reserved our accommodation through Booking.com, which in November had a surprisingly large selection. The Rota’s official website also has a section on accommodation options. As to taxi and luggage transfer services, the website offers useful information and contact details.
Best restaurants in Milfontes: The Alentejo is not particularly famous for its local cuisine, which is often described as hearty, traditional and even unimaginative. We begged to differ. During the off-season, it might be challenging to find many open establishments along the Rota, but at our base in Milfontes we were still spoiled for choice. Patio Alentejano R. do Pinhal 4 Perfect for the hungry hiker intend on replenishing the day’s burnt calories. Cheap, cheerful, traditional, tasty. Don’t make the mistake of ordering a starter, the portions are huge. And the locals must love it too. The place was packed to the rafters even in mid-November. Tasca do Celso Rua dos Aviadores 34 Your choice for fine dining amidst a cosy, rustic atmosphere. A little more expensive but well worth it. The food was exceptional. Adega 22 Rua Doutor Duarte Silva 22 A stylish, modernist surprise of a restaurant that pays great attention to design and atmospheric details. You would not necessarily expect such a setting in this rather remote area of the country. And the food is wonderful too, with some rather unusual culinary delights (you never had tomato soup like theirs).
Hiking from South to North: Most articles on the Fisherman’s Trail that I came across, and indeed the official website describe itineraries that tackle the trail in a southerly direction. Walking in direct sunshine struck me as being rather odd, and given my delicate, northern European skin, we decided to tackle the path in the opposite way. This proved to be a wise choice. Having the sun behind you allows for clearer vistas, and my schnoz felt gratitude at not being constantly slathered with factor 50 lotion. Yet, throughout the four-day trek, we did not encounter a single hiker that had adopted the same approach. On the downside, for the final two hours of stage 4, you will often catch the sight of the industrial oil refineries of Sines looming in the distance but crossing the finish line in the quirky village of Porto Covo certainly makes up for this slight aesthetic deficiency. On the other hand, on the first leg, your start is a peaceful 3 km amble along a river valley below the village of Odeceixe. Many ramblers going from north to south complained that this narrow, paved road seemed to last forever. But us walking in the opposite direction found it to be a perfect and gentle introduction to this multi-day hike. Where to stay: A number of hikers make their way up or down the trail by spending a night in one location, before heading for the next stop the day after. There are luggage services that transport your belongings between hotels (at a fee of about 15 EUR per person). We found this to be a rather cumbersome set up, as we are not particularly fond of all the packing and unpacking, so decided to base ourselves in Vila Nova de Milfontes; by far the biggest and busiest of all the potential overnight stops which even in the depth of autumn still had a well-functioning tourist infrastructure (unlike all the other places with the possible exception of Porto Covo). Each morning, we drove our rental car to the end of that day’s hike and booked a taxi to take us to the starting line. This turned out to be a rather simple and money-saving process as the taxi fares were around 25 EUR per journey. Better still, we could unpack properly, buy, and store provisions, and get comfortable in our rented apartment. Just make sure to book your taxi a day in advance. There are only a limited number of vehicles in operation, and you will not be the only ones who will commute in this way. We reserved our accommodation through Booking.com, which in November had a surprisingly large selection. The Rota’s official website also has a section on accommodation options. As to taxi and luggage transfer services, the website offers useful information and contact details.
Best restaurants in Milfontes: The Alentejo is not particularly famous for its local cuisine, which is often described as hearty, traditional and even unimaginative. We begged to differ. During the off-season, it might be challenging to find many open establishments along the Rota, but at our base in Milfontes we were still spoiled for choice. Patio Alentejano R. do Pinhal 4 Perfect for the hungry hiker intend on replenishing the day’s burnt calories. Cheap, cheerful, traditional, tasty. Don’t make the mistake of ordering a starter, the portions are huge. And the locals must love it too. The place was packed to the rafters even in mid-November. Tasca do Celso Rua dos Aviadores 34 Your choice for fine dining amidst a cosy, rustic atmosphere. A little more expensive but well worth it. The food was exceptional. Adega 22 Rua Doutor Duarte Silva 22 A stylish, modernist surprise of a restaurant that pays great attention to design and atmospheric details. You would not necessarily expect such a setting in this rather remote area of the country. And the food is wonderful too, with some rather unusual culinary delights (you never had tomato soup like theirs).
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But my plan was not to sample the local wine, stroll across rolling hills, or amble through sleepy and atmospheric villages. I could do that in Tuscany or in the Provence. Instead, I had my mind set on the Fisherman’s Trail which according to Conde Nast, is one of the world’s six most beautiful coastal walks.
The trail is part of the Rota Vincentina, a 350 km long network of paths from Santiago do Cacém in the northern Alentejo to Cabo de São Vincente at the south-western tip of the country. The Rota consists of two different section: the Historical Way, which stays inland and meanders through valleys, forests, and villages, as well as the Fisherman’s Trail, a 216.5 km path made up of 13 stages that follow the cliffs of the Atlantic Coast from São Torpes to Lagos. The most scenic stretch is the section between Odeceixe and Porto Covo, handily subdivided into four legs of between 17.5 and 21 km.
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Once more, I turned to my trusted travel companion Carlos, wondering whether our creaking limbs could withstand a four-day onslaught. Of course they could, was the affirmative reply; a claim supported by our recent sojourns up the mountains of the Canaries and across the isles of the Outer Hebrides. Can’t be tougher than that, was our hopeful, but not necessarily fully convincing conclusion. Yet, given our undoubtedly advancing state of physical decay, a long-distance hike of 80 km just about seemed manageable.
Coming down the motorway from Lisbon, and just before hitting the coast at Porto Covo, we could not fail but notice the anti-climactic presence of one of Europe’s biggest oil refineries: the massive Galp Energia plant on the outskirts of Sines. We were here to experience the wonders of nature yet were briefly confronted with a marvel of a different type. The plant produces a whopping 226,000 barrels (or close to 36 million litres) of oil a day; anything from diesel to LPG to jet fuel, amidst a vast, industrial setting that would make every chemistry teacher’s heart beat just that little bit faster. For the list maniacs amongst you, that thing in Sines is ranked only #18 amongst European oil refineries, with Rotterdam producing nearly twice as much. Kom op Nederlanders!
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But soon we were back amongst the cork forests and came across a number of storks seemingly dispassionately sitting in their nests. Ever since white storks received legal protection in Portugal in the 1980s, the population has increased impressively to around 15,000. No wonder these majestic creatures thrive in the Alentejo: not too many humans around, and plenty of food on land and sea. But that does not mean that the birds are averse to modern technology, and we encountered some impressive nests being built on telephone poles or atop motorway signs. Although a migratory species, many storks have adapted to a more sedate lifestyle recently and altogether stopped the arduous winter commute to more southerly climes. Makes perfect sense given the mild winters on Portugal’s Atlantic coast. Alentejo white storks were also the first of its kind to nest at sea; a behavioural pattern that has now also spread to some stork families further south on the Algarve. The Alentejo as the trendsetter – for once. Vamos, cegonha branca!
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Day 1: Odeceixe to Zambujeira do Mar
18.5 km, 5 hours
Elevation: 336 m
We drove our rental car to the village of Zambujeira, which was completely deserted with just a couple of school kids about to take the bus to Odemira. No restaurants, bars, cafes or indeed any shops open. Then again, it was 8.30 in the morning. At the bus stop, we spotted a taxi call sign and got in touch with Eliziarios Taxis, who thankfully spoke beautiful English. About 5 minutes later, a rough-looking, yet friendly cabbie appeared out of nowhere and drove us the 20 minutes or so to Odeceixe, nicely positioned on a hilltop overlooking a verdant valley. The town’s windmill is usually the finishing line for the 4-day hike, but for us it was the starting point. ‘Really?’, remarked the taxi driver. ‘The first 3 km are just along a paved road. You don’t want me to drive you to the beach? Being the purists that we are, we politely declined and set off.
The four hours back to Zambujeiro were more of a lengthy walk than a strenuous hike. And the scenery was stunning. After almost every turn we encountered yet another beautiful bay, or a rocky outcrop that seemed to have been dropped into the sea by magic. The day before, we had arrived in a torrential downpour, so now the landscape looked lush with divine smells of fennel, eucalyptus, and pine trees. Along the way we came across the odd beach accessible by dirt road with some tourist outfits, such as surf schools or restaurants all now closed for the season. But by and large, this stretch of the coast is just too hostile and inaccessible for any bigger settlements to thrive. We encountered 12 other hikers, making their way in the opposite direction; only slightly more than the number of storks that we came across.
Calories burnt: 1895 Blister Count: Zero Joints and muscles: functioning suitably Rain: just a few drops
The four hours back to Zambujeiro were more of a lengthy walk than a strenuous hike. And the scenery was stunning. After almost every turn we encountered yet another beautiful bay, or a rocky outcrop that seemed to have been dropped into the sea by magic. The day before, we had arrived in a torrential downpour, so now the landscape looked lush with divine smells of fennel, eucalyptus, and pine trees. Along the way we came across the odd beach accessible by dirt road with some tourist outfits, such as surf schools or restaurants all now closed for the season. But by and large, this stretch of the coast is just too hostile and inaccessible for any bigger settlements to thrive. We encountered 12 other hikers, making their way in the opposite direction; only slightly more than the number of storks that we came across.
Calories burnt: 1895 Blister Count: Zero Joints and muscles: functioning suitably Rain: just a few drops
Praia da Amália
Day 2: Zambujeira do Mar to Almograve
21 km, 4.45 hours
Elevation: 221 m
This time we came prepared: Last night, we had contacted yesterday’s taxi man whose boss picked us up in Almograve where we had parked the rental. Then back down the coast to Zambujeira. Quite an operation that these taxi dudes have carved out for themselves: four vehicles in Milfontes, and then one or two at the other pit stops along the trail. During the off-season, practically all of their trade is crammed into two daily slots: One in the morning between 8.00 and 10.00 when other hikes who had adopted the same approach as us needed to be dropped off at the start of their hiking routine. And then two more hours in the afternoon to bring hikers back to their accommodation. Doesn’t make you rich, but quite a decent work-life balance. We started to wonder whether this set-up might just be the reason why a coherent local bus route that would connect the villages along the trail had not been set up just yet. A dozen or so cabbies would have barely anything to do outside the summer months.
Today’s trail was much less scenic. The first two thirds were mostly inland, at the start even along a paved road, then through fields and past the odd farm. Good for clocking up the miles, but not much else, though we did encounter some more storks and wondered what these massive azalea bushes might look like in the spring. But the scenery changed dramatically once we had reached the lighthouse at Farol do Cabo Sardão. Nearby, in the village of Cavaleiro we encountered the first open restaurant along the way with some hikers stocking up on carbs. Through another forest, with pines gradually giving way to eucalyptus trees before reaching today’s highlight, the Praio de Cavaleiro beach, surrounded by ochre-coloured sand dunes, steep cliffs and crushing waves. But during this last stretch, a soft sand started to be the predominant surface on the trail. Our steps were getting heavier, and calves and thighs started to send out the first, though still mildly distressing signals. Clouds were rolling in, the wind picked up and we made it back to the car at the beach at Almograve just before a mighty deluge. That was lucky.
Calories burnt: 1993 Blister Count: Still zero Joints and muscles: hello darkness my old friends … Rain: one hour; torrential
Calories burnt: 1993 Blister Count: Still zero Joints and muscles: hello darkness my old friends … Rain: one hour; torrential
Farol do Cabo Sardão
Day 3: Almograve to Milfontes
17.5 km, 4.5 hours
Elevation: 320 m
Another early taxi pick-up, this time rather conveniently from our holiday home in Milfontes back south to Almograve. The sun came out for long stretches, and we happily snapped away: farmhouse amidst rolling fields; foaming waves crashing onto an isolated beach; occur-coloured cliffs; big, open sky over sand dunes: check, check, check and check again. Today was a breeze and before we knew it, the white-washed houses of Milfontes were looming in the distance. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the vast Praia de Furnas just across the Mira estuary and checked whether the much hyped ferry back across the river and into Milfontes was in operation at this time of year. We saw the vessel peacefully moored in Milfontes’ harbour with no ferryman or woman in sight, so we had no choice but to walk the 3 km detour across the beautiful bridge and into town for coffee and cake. Today was spectacular.
Calories burnt: 1890 Blister Count: where are you guys? Joints and muscles: Maybe time for some Pilates to stretch out hamstrings and neck muscles Rain: none whatsoever
Calories burnt: 1890 Blister Count: where are you guys? Joints and muscles: Maybe time for some Pilates to stretch out hamstrings and neck muscles Rain: none whatsoever
Vila Nova de Milfontes
Day 4: Milfontes to Porto Covo
20 km, 5 hours
Elevation: 216 m
Today was tough, and at the end of the trail, my body, sensing that it was about to reach the finish line sent out screaming signals that my left foot, front thighs and left hamstring all need a prolonged rest. About 5 km out of Milfontes, the trail turned sandy once more and stayed that way pretty much until Porto Covo. Of all the four stages, this was the toughest one by some margin, and would have been even harder, if the trail had descended down on to the numerous bays that we had passed. And it all started so well. The sun was out, the light was sharp and until our lunch break three hours into the hike, we had made good progress.
But the final two hours were memorable for all the wrong reasons. A storm was coming in, the temperature dropped significantly, a stiff wind rattled our jaws and heavy rain was coming down. It arrived so suddenyl that we barely managed to put on our waterproofs. After ten minutes the storm had passed, and we staggered to the finish line in a sleepy, deserted Porto Covo. I had spent a family holiday here some years ago, when the place of heaving with Lisbonites who had come down the coast for their annual break. Now the charming pedestrian stretch was all but deserted. For once we were able to rely on public transport for our journey back to Milfontes. Yet the bus driver informed us that we needed to purchase tickets on the internet. Carlos placed a ten Euro note on his console and we slumped into comfy leather seats. We’re not moving, sorry pal. Take us home.
Calories burnt: 1959
Blister Count: Who cares? We’re done.
Joints and muscles: Don’t’ ask; I might never embark on another long-distance hike.
Rain: oh yes, and it just had to happen in the final hours.
Praia dos Aivados