Out here in East Algarve, everything moves at a slower, more deliberate pace. So for our walking holidays in Portugal’s southeast, we’ve crafted an 8-day tour that reflects this way of life, inviting you to savor each moment rather than rush through it. With gentle walks and delightful boat rides, we’ll discover the region’s natural wonders like Ria Formosa and Castro Marim, as well as historical towns of Tavila, Vila Real de Santo António, and Olhão—and even pop over to Spain for a few hours! Stop to chat with locals, catch the smell of fresh pão de ló cooling by the window, and watch the sunset as fishermen go about their daily routine in the distance. With a local guide by your side, this will be much more than a tick-off-the-sights kind of tour!
Portugal’s Algarve region is too charming to be missed—so consider joining this 8-day journey through eastern Algarve! An incredibly relaxing week awaits: gentle walks, ferry excursions, tours of historical towns, unspoiled nature reserves, and so much more. We’ll be staying in Monte Gordo for the whole trip, which is a lively resort town situated on one of the finest beaches in Portugal. This means that even in your free time and after our daily outings, you’ll always have a gorgeous place to retreat back to. Accommodation, transfers, breakfasts, and expert guidance by a local guide, it’s all arranged!
Make your way to Monte Gordo, a seaside town in the Algarve region—the very southeast of Portugal. We will all meet together at 6pm at our hotel for an introduction and a briefing. If time permits, we’ll go for an optional introductory walk.
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
This morning, we’ll leave the hotel and get a transfer to the nearby coastal village of Altura. From there, we’ll enjoy a scenic walk along the long sandy beach, passing wide stretches of dunes. Raised walkways give us the chance to observe the changing dune vegetation, especially from the inland edge of the dunes to the sea-facing ones.
Next to the sea, where the dunes are higher, we’ll see plants like European beach grass, sea holly, cottonweed, and eye-catching beach daffodils. At lunchtime, we’ll have the option of a picnic (not included) along the Monte Gordo seafront. Afterward, we’ll return to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon, free to enjoy the sun and sea at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Hiking: 8 km / 5 miles
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
We begin the day with a walk through the Monte Gordo pine forest, finishing in the charming town of Vila Real de Santo António, located on the Rio Guadiana estuary, which separates Portugal from Spain. This town, founded in 1774, was designed as a replica of Lisbon’s central layout after the 1755 earthquake, following Enlightenment principles. We’ll make sure to stroll through this fascinating city.
Next, we’ll take the ferry to Ayamonte in Spain for a tour of its quaint streets and atmosphere. After lunch, you can either walk back to the hotel with the tour guide or stay for some more exploration, returning by taxi or public bus (not included).
Meals: Breakfast
Hiking: 10 km / 6 miles
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
Today is an ideal opportunity to relax and enjoy East Algarve on your own! You can walk or tour independently, sightseeing the area’s best spots. From Monte Gordo, there’s quite a lot you can see, and your guide will be happy to recommend options according to your interests. Birdwatchers may wish to visit Castro Marim in the fens and marshes of the Reserva Natural do Sapal, famous for their flamingos!
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
This morning, we’ll take transport to explore Tavira, a charming town known for its old Portuguese charm, featuring over 30 churches, cobbled streets, and bougainvillea-lined balconies. In the historical center, the castle and traditional houses add cultural appeal.
The Gilão River flows through the town, leading to the beautiful lagoons of the Ria Formosa. We’ll enjoy a boat tour through the Ria’s channels, stopping to visit Tavira Island. Afterward, we’ll return by boat to Tavira’s center and take the train back to Monte Gordo.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
Today, we’ll transfer to Castro Marim Nature Reserve, a serene landscape in the Eastern Algarve, far from the busy beach resorts. This peaceful area, with its green-blue marshes and white salt pans, is a haven for bird species like flamingos. Our walk through the salt pans leads us to Castro Marim, one of the oldest communities in the Algarve and a former Arab stronghold. After lunch (not included), we’ll explore the historic town and visit the Castle, the first headquarters of the Knights Templar in Portugal, before returning to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Hiking: 8 km / 5 miles
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
After breakfast, we head to Olhão, a coastal town with Moroccan-inspired architecture that attracts artists and photographers from around the world. You’ll have free time to explore and grab something to eat. The town’s center features a patchwork of white houses with rooftop terraces, while the waterfront avenue showcases 19th-century townhouses adorned with tiles and wrought ironwork. The vibrant Municipal Market is a daytime hub and turns into a lively nightlife spot. We’ll then take a boat to explore one of the Ria Formosa’s barrier islands before returning for our final evening in Monte Gordo.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Baía Beach Hotel
Enjoy your last breakfast and then it’s time to pack and leave the hotel. If you’d like to stay longer in the area, just ask your guide for some recommendations!
Meals: Breakfast
A great introduction to the Algarve countryside, totally different from our previous experiences. My folks loved it!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
These Algarve walking holidays are beginner-friendly! All that’s required is a basic level of fitness and the ability to walk up to 10 km (6 miles) per day, with minimal elevation changes. This trip is all about taking in this gorgeous region of Portugal at a leisurely pace, with easy walks so you could enjoy your free time as well. You also won’t have to worry about transferring your luggage as you’ll be based in the same hotel for the whole week.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and pricing
Algarve walking tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
The starting point of your Algarve walking holidays is Monte Gordo, a town at the very southeast of Portugal, near the border with Spain. To get there, most people fly into Faro Airport (FAO), Sevilla Airport (SVQ), or Lisbon Airport (LIS). Depending on where you land, it will take you anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 hours to reach Monte Gordo. It’s possible to rent a car or take a taxi, or there even may be public transport options.
Once you’re there, you will meet your guide on Day 1 of the tour at 6pm at the hotel.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
Deposits
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
We enjoyed every minute of it. Very well organized. Easy walking in low lying coastal Algarve, staying in the same hotel throughout. We enjoyed having the same driver, Antonio, for airport transfers and journeys to the start of daily walks.