best of the algarve

BEST OF THE ALGARVE
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF THE HOLIDAY COAST
BEST OF THE ALGARVE—HIDDEN SIDE OF THE HOLIDAY COAST
The Best of the Algarve walking trail winds its way across the Western end of the famous Portuguese
Coastal Region. Well, known for its sun, sea and sand holidays, this trip takes you off the beaten track to
discover a side of the Algarve not known to many.
SUMMARY
The walk encompasses a contrasting variety of landscapes. From the rich greens of the interior hills to the
sun baked ochres and browns of the sea cliffs. From the traditional Portuguese Hamlets to the
cosmopolitan coastal towns, there is a real sense of capturing every side of the Algarve.
You start your trip in Silves wher you will stroll through streets lined with citrus trees and crumbling historical
beauty. Let the scents of pine and eucalyptus invigorate you on your climb up to the thermal spa town of
Monchique before heading down to the coast. Here seafood is king and you can spend your days high over
the turquoise sea before tucking into fresh prawns and a glass of vinho verde at night. After walking
through the wildlife rich Budens wetlands, the trip finishes at the most Westerly point in Europe, Cabo sao
Vincente which adds a dramatic and historical full stop to this wonderful trip.
Your holiday includes seven nights accommodation, breakfast, luggage transfer, emergency support,
detailed route notes and maps are all included so you can just relax and enjoy the walking, food and wine of
the Algarve.
HIGHLIGHTS
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The history and charm of Silves.
Wonderful beach side restaurants offering seafood straight from the boat.
Wildlife spotting in the Budens Wetlands and Cabo Sao Vincente National Park.
The relaxed and friendly charm of the Portuguese people.
WHY CHOOSE A SELF GUIDED WALKING HOLIDAY WITH US?
Macs Adventure specialise in great value self guided walking holidays. As passionate and regular walkers
we know what makes for an unforgettable trip and we pride ourselves on delivering outstanding walking
holidays with every last detail taken care of. Great walking routes, breathtaking scenery and warm, good
food and welcoming accommodation are all part of our winning formula.
From your first contact with Macs Adventure you will deal with a specialist who knows Portugal inside out.
They help you plan every aspect of your holiday and to make the most of your time in the Algarve with their
in-depth knowledge of the route, accommodation and must-see attractions.
Self guided walking holidays are the very best way to explore the Western Algarve. Pre booked
accommodation of character, insider hints and tips, detailed route notes and maps, baggage transfer and
transfers as necessary and local backup support mean you can relax and enjoy your time walking in
Portugal.
Tour: The Best of the Algarve
Code: WPSBOA
Type: Self-Guided Walking Holiday
Price: See Website
Single Supplement: See Website
Dates: Sep—June
Walking Days: 6 Days
Nights: 7 Nights
Start/Finish: Silves / Sagres
Grade: Easy to Moderate
Closest Airport: Faro
Is It For Me?
The Algarve is one of the most easily
accessed holiday destinations, but rather
than just baking on the beach for a week,
this trip gives you the opportunity to see a
side to the Algarve that most tourists will
never see.
What’s Included?
Accommodation: 7 Nights accommodation
in a mix of family run hotels and B&B.
Meals: A delicious breakfast is included
each day. Lunch and dinner are not included
but always available at your accommodation
or nearby.
Baggage Transfer: Door-to-door
baggage transfer.
Transfers: You will be transferred to and
from Faro Airport in the Algarve. On a couple of days there are transfers to and from
the days walking.
Information Pack: Detailed route notes,
maps and emergency phone support.
BEST OF THE ALGARVE
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF THE HOLIDAY COAST
DAY 2
ITINERARY
Our standard itinerary includes 6 days walking
and seven nights accommodation in the Algarve.
Code: WPSBOA
Days: 8 (6 Days Walking)
Nights: 7
Overnights: Silves, Monchique, Lagos, Salema,
Sagres.
Day
Route
1
Arrive Algarve and
transferred to Silves.
Walk in the countryside north
of Silves.
Transfer to Mountains, walk
Picota, overnight Monchique
Monchique to Bensafrim
(overnight Lagos)
Coastal walk to Salema
Salema to Sagres
Sagres to Cabo sao
Vincente
Onward Travel
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Km
Countryside North of Silves—15 km
The trail today sees you leaving Silves and
walking out along the levadas, paths that run
beside irrigation channels. The levadas lead you
through tiny hamlets into the rural splendour of
the Algarve.
Your sense of smell will be working as hard as
your legs today as you walk through citrus
groves, past bushels of rosemary, thyme and
lavender, before walking back through
eucalyptus plantations to Silves.
0
Overnight: Silves
15
DAY 3
17
18
14
16
14
DETAILED ITINERARY
DAY 1
Arrive in Algarve
Monchique via Picota—17 km
A transfer after breakfast takes you up into the
mountains surrounding Monchique. Here you
will take the gentle climb up Picota, the second
highest peak in the area. The views from the top
are spectacular and it displays the multifaceted
beauty of the Algarve before you.
You then descend into the thermal spa town of
Monchique, a shimmering vision of white painted
buildings in a sea of green. Here you can treat
yourself to a little Medronho (strawberry liqueur)
but be warned, it packs a punch.
Faro is the closest airport to Slives and is
serviced by dozens of carriers from all over
Europe. You will be collected at Faro Airport and
transferred to Silves.
Overnight: Monchique
Silves is a history laden town, filled with
crumbling walls of ancient beauty. The Castle
and Cathedral are next to each other and both
are worth visiting while you wander round the
streets of this charming town, acclimatising
yourself to the relaxed Portuguese way of life.
In contrast to yesterday, today is all downhill
walking, so an easier day as you head down
through the foothills of the Serra de Monchique,
towards the Algarve coast. The views are
amazing as you walk down through the
eucalyptus, cork oak and pine plantations.
The arcades of the market hall, by the river are
the best place to sample the famous Portuguese
Churrasqueria and Pastelerias.
Overnight: Silves
DAY 4
Monchique to Bensafrim—18km
You will eventually come to the manmade Lake
Bravura, a little wildlife haven where you can still
see some traditional agricultural practices. After
arriving in Bensafrim you will be collected and
transferred to the cosmopolitan town of Lagos for
your overnight stay.
Overnight: Lagos
DAY 5
The Budens Wetlands—14 km
You will be collected after breakfast and
transferred to the start of today’s walk. Crossing
through the Budens Wetlands is a real highlight
of the trip. The variety of birdlife is amazing and
it is a stopping point for many species on route
to/from Africa, so in the Spring and Autumn it can
be mind-blowing.
From here on you will be walking along the
Algarve coastline, with its sun baked cliffs looking
onto the inviting waters of the Atlantic. Passing
medieval forts and Roman ruins, not to mention
sheltered sandy bays and stunning cliff top
vistas, this makes for one of the best days
walking on the whole trip.
Overnight: Salema
DAY 6
Salema to Sagres—16 km
Today you are walking through the Cabo sao
Vincente National Park along ancient tracks
which drop down to sandy bays as you make
your way to Sagres.
The park is an outstanding area of natural beauty
and it is common to see great cormorant and
stork nesting on the rocks by the sea. Again, this
is part of the migration corridor to Africa
particularly for birds of prey and seabirds.
Overnight: Sagres
BEST OF THE ALGARVE
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF THE HOLIDAY COAST
DAY 7
Accommodation
Equipment
Sagres to Cabo Sao Vincente—14
km
The accommodation on this walk is a
combination 3-4 star family run guesthouses and
hotels. All offer a warm welcome to walkers,
traditional hospitality and an authentic
experience.
Your information pack has a detailed equipment
list which includes standard walking gear such as
good walking boots or shoes, warm and
waterproof clothes and a day pack.
Today you will be walking to the ‘End of the
World’ or at least that is what the Romans
thought. This is the most south westerly point in
Europe and is famed for its fortifications as well
as its wild seas and vertical cliffs.
The history of this rugged tip of Portugal
stretches back to Neolithic times, with standing
stones in the area to confirm this fact. A
dramatic place to end the trip.
If you require single rooms within your party we
would be happy to accommodate you although
there is a single room supplement payable.
Solo Walkers
Depart Sagres
This holiday is available for solo walkers but we
would recommend that you are more
experienced in walking and navigating alone. If
you are travelling solo the holiday is more
expensive as some costs are not shared.
After breakfast you will be transferred back to the
airport for your departure from the Algarve.
Meals
Overnight: Sagres.
DAY 8
HOLIDAY INFORMATION
Additional Nights and Extensions
You can add additional nights at any point along
the walk.
Tailor Made Holidays
We are always more than happy to tailor our
standard itineraries to suit. Just let us know what
you would like and we will be happy to arrange
your tailor made holiday.
Grade & Fitness
This walking tour is graded Easy to Moderate.
The walks are over cliff tops, through orchards
and along uneven footpaths, levadas and small
gravel roads.
Navigation
Some of the walks on this trip are way marked
but many are not and you will need to follow the
route notes and maps supplied.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Single Rooms
A delicious breakfast is included each morning.
Lunch and dinner are not included. Most
accommodations are happy to provide a packed
lunch - this should be requested on arrival. Or
you can pick up lunch in the village or stop along
the trail. Your route notes have details for each
day. Dinner is available either at your
accommodation or nearby bars, cafes and
restaurants.
Baggage Transfer
Your bags will be transferred between your
accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask
you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to
20kg per person.
Transfers
You will be collected and dropped off at Faro
airport and the start/end of the trip. Many of the
days involve a transfer to the start of the days
walking. The details of these will be included in
your route notes.
Getting to Silves
By Air—Faro is the closest airport and is
serviced by at least one carrier from almost every
regional airport in the UK. Direct flights from
outside of London tend to be with the low cost
carriers or charter flights. Flight time from
London is approximately 2hrs 45 mins.
From Faro Airport to Silves—At each end of
your trip you will be collected and dropped off at
the airport. The transfer time is approximately 1
hour.
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of booking with us that you have
suitable travel insurance that covers you for
cancellation, curtailment, illness or injury.
M.A.C.S. Responsible Travel Policy
We operate holidays in some of the most
beautiful areas of the world and try to operate in
an environmentally aware and sustainable
manner. We do this by following our M.A.C.S.
Responsible travel policy. The full policy is
available online and the cornerstones of this
policy are:
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Minimise Impact & Maximise Benefit
Action & Advocacy
Carbon & Communities
Sensitive & Sustainable
BEST OF THE ALGARVE
THE HIDDEN SIDE OF THE HOLIDAY COAST
PRICE & AVAILABILITY
Price & Availability
Please refer to our website for up to date prices.
This trip is available from September through to
June. The summer months are unbearably hot in
the Algarve so walking is not recommended.
The best time of year to walk in the Algarve is in
the spring or from late September to December
as the weather is a little cooler and you will stand
to see the bird migrations.
Included
 Accommodation for 7 nights in 3-4 star family
run hotels and guesthouses.
 7 breakfasts
 Daily luggage transport of 1 bag of up to 20kg
per person as required.
 Transfers to and from Faro Airport.
 Other Transfers as noted in the information
pack.
 Detailed route descriptions and pre departure
information pack
 Maps of the walks
 24-hour assistance by phone
Excluded
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Travel to and from the Algarve
Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
Travel insurance
Personal expenses such as drinks, phone calls,
extra transfers, tips, etc.
 Any items not specifically mentioned in the
program
Optional Extras
 Single room supplement(s) if applicable
 Solo walker supplement if applicable
 Additional nights during the holiday.
HOW TO BOOK
Once you have read all the information in this
factsheet or our website and would like to go
ahead with your booking you can book securely
online at www.macsadventure.com or by
telephone on +44 (0) 141 530 8886
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
Financial Security
In accordance with "The Package Travel,
Package Holidays and Package Tours
Regulations1992" all passengers booking with
Macs Adventure Ltd are fully protected for the
initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all
monies paid to us, including repatriation if
required (this insurance will not cover repatriation
to the country of origin for the passengers
outside of the EU), arising from cancellation or
curtailment of your travel arrangements due to
the insolvency of Macs Adventure Ltd
ABTA Member Statement
As a Member of ABTA we
are obliged to maintain a
high standard of service to
you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. If you have a
complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street,
London.