Where to walk in Portugal
A walking holiday is the perfect way to appreciate this country. You can be surprisingly close to Lisbon or the touristy Algarve coast, yet hiking through peaceful, unspoiled scenery. Opt for centre based, self guided walking in the westerly Sintra-Cascais Natural Park or through the rolling hills of eastern Algarve. For a great overview of the western Algarve and Alentejo, trek point-to-point on the Rota Vicentina, tackling manageable daily sections of 15-25km. Choose a trip with luggage transfer and you’re free to hike light, cooling your feet in clear rivers or the rolling Atlantic at the end of each day. Our map below gives more inspiration on where to walk in Portugal.
Our Portugal walking Holidays
Madeira walking holiday
Small group walking tour of madeira
From
£1006 to £1636
8 days
inc UK flights
Alentejo & Algarve self guided walking holiday, Portugal
Independent coastal walking holidays in the Alentejo Coast
From
€460
8 days
ex flights
Azores walking holiday, Portugal
Walk to Cete Cidades and the Fire Lakes
From
£2079 to £2499
8 days
inc UK flights
Sintra Natural Park retreats & walks in Portugal
Walking, yoga, R&R near beaches, forests, historic sites
From
€600 to €1000
7 days
ex flights
Coastal walking holiday in Portugal
The very best walks from the 125km selection of coastal trails
From
£1599 to £1799
8 days
inc UK flights
Portugal walking tour
Self guided walking tour in Portuguese Schist Villages
From
€1060 to €2060
8 days
ex flights
Peneda Geres National Park accommodation in Portugal
In the middle of the Geres National Park in North Portugal
From
€80 to €95
per accommodation per night (sleeps 2)
Sintra Natural Park accommodation in Portugal
Eco-friendly B&B, in Sintra Natural Park near lovely beaches
From
€90 to €120
per room per night
Walking holiday in Madeira
Walk through the wild and varied scenery of Madeira
From
£1149 to £1399
8 days
inc UK flights
Portugal walking holiday, Eastern Algarve
Scenic coastal and inland walking in Portugal
From
£959 to £1219
8 days
inc UK flights
Alentejo self guided walking in Portugal
walk Rota Vicentina historical and fishermen's trail
From
€860
14 days
ex flights
Walking holiday in the Azores
A journey around beautiful Atlantic islands
From
£1689 to £2649
15 days
inc UK flights
Madeira walking holiday, self guided
A sub-tropical paradise perfect for year round walking
From
£1599 to £1619
8 days
inc UK flights
Rota Vicentina Fishermen's Trail walking holiday in Portugal
Fishermen's Trail, S W Portugal self-guided walking.
From
€435 to €455
7 days
ex flights
Peneda-Gerês National Park walking holiday in Portugal
1-week Self-guided Walking in Peneda-Gerês National Park
From
€695
8 days
ex flights
Portugal walking holiday, highlights of Rota Vicentina
Southern Portugal self-guided walking holiday, tailor-made
From
£599 to £924
8 days
ex flights
Portugal palaces and coast walks holiday
An exceptional Self Guided walk in the Serra de Sintra
From
£495
8 days
ex flights
Northern Portugal walking holiday
Walking in the Serra da Peneda
From
£995 to £1099
8 days
inc UK flights
Eastern Madeira walking holiday
Hike along rocky shore lines and mountainous interior
From
£1149 to £1629
8 days
inc UK flights
Walking and wine tasting holiday in Spain and Portugal
Journey from Madrid to Porto through the Ribera del Duero
From
£1833 to £1943
12 days
inc UK flights
Douro Valley self guided walking holiday in Portugal
Walking in Douro Valley through astonishingly landscape
From
€1090
8 days
ex flights
Easy Camino de Santiago walking holiday
Last section of the Portuguese Camino in short stages
From
€730
11 days
ex flights
Western Algarve short break walking holiday
Cycle the undiscovered Sagres Peninsula
From
£935 to £1075
5 days
inc UK flights
Portugal guided walking holiday
Walking holidays in the Paneda-Geres National Park
From
£420 to £490
6 days
ex flights
Portugal hiking holiday on the Rota Vicentina Way
Self-guided hiking on the Rota Vicentina, S W Portugal
From
€960 to €1075
13 days
ex flights
Algarve walking holiday, west to east
Twin-centre walking trip through Portugal's Algarve
From
£1175 to £1235
8 days
inc UK flights
Portugese Way walk, Tui to Santiago de Compostella
8 days pilgrimage through Northern Portugal and Spain
From
€780
8 days
ex flights
Walking the Algarve Wild West, Portugal
Self-guided walking holiday through the Sagres Peninsula
From
£1045 to £1175
7 days
inc UK flights
Walking and wine tour of portugal
Walking and wine tours through the very best of Portugal
From
£1799 to £1949
8 days
inc UK flights
Self-Guided Portugal walking short break
Follow the Rota Vicentina along the coast
From
£425 to £535
14 days
ex flights
Alentejo
1. Alentejo
The Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina is the largest coastal park in Europe, a rolling landscape of river valleys, dramatic cliffs and golden beaches. The Fishermen’s Trail, part of the Rota Vicentina, sits within it, hugging the cliffs for 120km and often skirting precipitous drops. Views are long and spectacular and there’s wildlife to spot, from rare fishing eagles to the world’s only shore-living white storks.
Algarve
2. Algarve
Base yourself a mere 10km inland from Faro and you’re perfectly placed to access the Algarve’s most unspoiled walking routes. Follow the ‘backbone’ of northern Algarve on the Via Algarviana, head for the wild west coast between Sagres and Odeceixe or explore the unspoiled east, with its rolling hills, rivers, sandy beaches, natural parks and elegant towns such as Tavira.
Azores
3. Azores
This lush, green archipelago of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, peppered with steep craters, feels a long way from Portugal. Each of the nine islands is ideally explored on foot, so you can get close to the lava plateaux and volcanic lakes. You’ll have flat, well-maintained paths under your feet with the odd stretch of rough terrain, too.
Madeira
4. Madeira
Madeira has a great mix of walking for such a compact island. Trek the remote, dry eastern tip at Ponta de Sao Lourenco or the spectacular north coast path, or stroll along the flower-lined levadas, the irrigation canals that thread through the island. Want to test your calves? Hike through chestnut and eucalyptus woods, fragrant with wild thyme, to climb the 1,862m Pico Ruivo.
Sintra-Cascais Natural Park
5. Sintra-Cascais Natural Park
Just 25km from Lisbon, this UNESCO World Heritage site is home to the Serra de Sintra mountains, where dry stone walls divide fields between picturesque villages. Its wild landscape stretches right to the coast, where Cabo da Roca is continental Europe’s westernmost point. The park contains miles of walking trails, with centre based trips popular here, and its mild Atlantic climate means you can explore year-round.
The Portugal Way
6. The Portugal Way
Among the most popular of the many Camino de Santiago walking routes, the Portugal Way lets you embark on either a charmingly pastoral inland meander, or follow the wildly beautiful Atlantic and Galician coastline. It’s a comparatively forgiving route, mostly flat, with highlights include Ponte de Lima, the university city of Coimbra, and gorgeous Porto on the Douro River.
Portugal walking holidays
travel advice
Packing advice
Ricardo Estevao from our supplier Aventuractiva:
“Hiking boots are a must if taking the sandy trails along the coast of Alentejo and the Algarve, as well as a hat and sun protection. I would also suggest a 25-litre backpack to carry a picnic and plenty of water. The Fishermen’s Trail in the Alentejo Region is the most spectacular area, ideal if you only have a few days to do it. Walk along deserted beaches with stunning cliff areas and a great landscape variety; I love the stretch from Porto Côvo to Odeceixe village.”
“Hiking boots are a must if taking the sandy trails along the coast of Alentejo and the Algarve, as well as a hat and sun protection. I would also suggest a 25-litre backpack to carry a picnic and plenty of water. The Fishermen’s Trail in the Alentejo Region is the most spectacular area, ideal if you only have a few days to do it. Walk along deserted beaches with stunning cliff areas and a great landscape variety; I love the stretch from Porto Côvo to Odeceixe village.”
Our top Portugal walking Holiday
Alentejo & Algarve self guided walking holiday, Portugal
Independent coastal walking holidays in the Alentejo Coast
From
€460
8 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This independent holiday is available any day of the year except August and the last two weeks of July.
This independent holiday is available any day of the year except August and the last two weeks of July.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Portugal walking or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Portugal walking tips from
our travellers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with, packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful walking in Portugal holiday tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful walking in Portugal holiday tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.
Take time to look and absorb and enjoy! It's not a race!![]()
– Denise Anne
“Bring binoculars so you can get a closer look at the storks and their nests, cleverly situated on remote, high rocks by the sea. And bring plenty of socks as the sand may well end up in your shoes as it did ours! Be prepared for spells of walking/ploughing through tracts of soft sand which inevitably slows down the pace a bit.” – Rosemary Cunniffe
“The Rota Vicentina is very reliable and marked with great frequency, but make sure you become acquainted with the marker system of the trails before you begin. The markers even go so far as to let you know when there may NOT be anything to follow for a while. For those afraid of heights, parts of the Fisherman’s Trail will prove challenging. The fishermen who carved this original trail were, in a word, crazy! There are times the trail literally skirts a sheer vertical edge 130m above a pounding sea. It is very stable ground, but intimidating. Most of the time there is an alternate route.” – Jeffrey Fish
“The Rota Vicentina is very reliable and marked with great frequency, but make sure you become acquainted with the marker system of the trails before you begin. The markers even go so far as to let you know when there may NOT be anything to follow for a while. For those afraid of heights, parts of the Fisherman’s Trail will prove challenging. The fishermen who carved this original trail were, in a word, crazy! There are times the trail literally skirts a sheer vertical edge 130m above a pounding sea. It is very stable ground, but intimidating. Most of the time there is an alternate route.” – Jeffrey Fish
If you love walking and exploring off the beaten track, then you will love it. This is not a city break.![]()
– Doreen Brett
“Pack light, carry plenty of water and a First Aid kit. In short be prepared for any conditions. We were provide with a GPS downloaded with the trail maps. This was an excellent tool.” – Barry Corbett
“Be prepared for weather in Alentejo to be unpredictable in March. Bring a fairly heavy rain poncho and a warm hat that covers the ears - it can also get windy at the coast - or come in April when the sun is more common.” – Kathy House
“If you’re walking in Sintra Natural Park, bring snacks and sunblock. If you love walking and exploring off the beaten track, then you will love it. This is not a city break. Stay at least three days (the longer, the better). There’s so much to see and do.” – Doreen Brett
“In Sintra, consider hiring a guide to really get the most out of your visit. Our guide was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable and added so much to the whole experience.” - Joanne Deller
“Be prepared for weather in Alentejo to be unpredictable in March. Bring a fairly heavy rain poncho and a warm hat that covers the ears - it can also get windy at the coast - or come in April when the sun is more common.” – Kathy House
“If you’re walking in Sintra Natural Park, bring snacks and sunblock. If you love walking and exploring off the beaten track, then you will love it. This is not a city break. Stay at least three days (the longer, the better). There’s so much to see and do.” – Doreen Brett
“In Sintra, consider hiring a guide to really get the most out of your visit. Our guide was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable and added so much to the whole experience.” - Joanne Deller
More about Portugal walking
This is the wild west of Europe, brilliantly accessible on two feet, as our Portugal walking holiday travel guide explains with a handy weather chart will help choose the best time to visit Portugal.
You’ll have a whale of a time on walking holidays in the Azores, with short and generally easygoing coastal routes around islands such as Pico and Faial offering magnificent views.
Walking in Alentejo introduces you to a sparsely populated and beautiful region where the landscapes, both rural and coastal, seem to have gone virtually unchanged for centuries.
Madeira is a fabulous destination for a walking holiday, wonderfully verdant with a real ‘paradise island’ vibe to it, and itineraries that follow some of its most beguiling scenery.
Our Portugal Way travel guide explains one of the most popular routes on the iconic Camino de Santiago, with the option to walk either inland or along the wildly beautiful Atlantic coast.
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