Be Cool Travel’s certified guides will provide you with all the tools and logistics for this 8-day self-guided walking tour in the spectacular and famous Algarve in Portugal, taking in the truly amazing beaches and coastline, open and idyllic countryside and historical villages and towns such as Tavira.
Private
8 Days
All year
Intermediate
Beginner
Join us on this astonishing and incredible 8-day self-guided walking tour in the Algarve, Portugal, as we base ourselves in the pretty town of Tavira_, “the Venice of the_ Algarve_”,_ and head out each day to a new location to walk around and explore, from the world famous beaches and coastline, quaint and picturesque farmland, countryside and villages, magnificent and peaceful waterfalls and waterways, and Mediterranean islands off the coast.
The town of Tavira is located on the Algarve coast in Portugal, not far from the border with Spain, and has a rich and fascinating history dating back to the Bronze Age.
We meet on the first morning at Faro Airport, and from there we head to the hotel, where information and logistics for the week will be dispensed such as vouchers, emergency contact numbers and walking maps.
From day 2 onwards we then start walking, as we head to the different areas each morning and let you walk the routes at your own pace.
Some of the highlights of the week include Cacela Velha, a gorgeous village along the coast and nearby to epic sandy beaches, Ceramica Walk, a route through a valley entailing visiting family-owned tile factories and marveling at the orange and lemon orchards, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, a town on the banks of the Rio Guadiana (the border with Spain) featuring pine woodlands, and Santa Luzia, featuring one of the finest beaches in the world and an abundance of brilliant cafes and restaurants.
Over the course of the week you will also encounter a wide variety of exotic and local flora and fauna, and take in the under-appreciated countryside, overshadowed as it is by the awesome coastline. The food and drink is a key facet of life here, and there will be ample time to sample both.
We finish after 8 days having explored one of the most phenomenally beautiful areas on earth, and had a whole lot of fun doing it.
Walking around the Algarve is a great pleasure in life – book now to experience!
Individual arrival to Faro Airport or Faro Train station.
An easy walk, close to the coast, starting in the beautiful old village of Cacela Velha, following tracks and quiet lanes to the picturesque old fishing village of Cabanas.
Here fishermen still continue their craft, mixing harmoniously with the visitors crossing to the island and the golden beaches. Here too we can rest, enjoy good food and drink whilst enjoying the sunshine by the colourful waterfront. We continue back to Tavira, through the saltpans where we may see an abundance of wild life along with the traditional craft of salt extraction.
A beautiful walk going down a fertile valley, dotted with the occasional small family operated traditional tile factories. We pass through small holdings where vegetable plots share space with olive, carob, almond and fig trees. This rich valley also has an abundance of orange and lemon orchards whose flowers perfume the air while the profusion of wild flowers delights the eyes. The walk takes us past the local beauty spot of Pêgo do Inferno and then brings us right back into Tavira and the hotel.
Please be aware that you may encounter dogs on the loose, which are used to guard the properties in rural areas.
This is an ideal opportunity to relax and enjoy the attractions of Tavira and surroundings. You can walk/tour independently, or visit local places of interest. From Tavira there is a wide variety of sightseeing available (we can advise and/or recommend options according to your interests). On free time keen bird-watchers may wish to visit Castro Marim in the fens and marshes of the “Reserva Natural do Sapal”, famous for their flamingos, or enjoy other local sightseeing tours.
A very enjoyable walk along the coast to the frontier with Spain. We start in the resort village of Altura and meander along small paths through the pine woodlands and along pristine beaches until we reach the estuary of the Rio Guadiana that separates Portugal from Spain.
The walk finishes in the charming town of Vila Real de Santo António with a fascinating history and architecture.
The adventurous may wish to take the ferry across the river to the town of Ayamonte in Spain to enjoy some tapas in the many cafés of this attractive town.
A fascinating walk to the west of Tavira. We start in Tavira and end in the fishing village of Fuzeta with its bustling waterfront, crossing saltpans full of bird life, small hamlets with colourful houses and gardens, grand villas and tiny small holdings. We can stop en route at little cafés fronting the tranquil waters of the Ria or even lunch on wonderful fish and shell fish fresh in that day.
A real treat as we walk along one of finest beaches in the world and visit the small fishing village of Santa Luzia with its abundance of fishing boats bobbing in the gentle waters of the channel. Not just a day’s walking but a real day’s holiday as well!
The cafés and restaurants here vary from simple to gourmet level and can offer all the local specialities.
This circular walk from and returning to Tavira crosses to Tavira Island via local ferry/water taxi and returns to the mainland on a floating pontoon bridge.
At convenient time transfer to Faro Airport or Faro Train station.
More info
From 26/03/2019 - 25/05/2019 and 01/10/2019 - 31/10/2019 Price per person in a twin/double room: €735. Price per person in a single room: €935. Minimum of 2 people per booking.
From 25/05/2019 - 24/06/2019 and 15/09/2019 - 30/09/2019 Price per person in a twin/double room: €895. Price per person in a single room: €1175. Minimum of 2 people per booking.
PAYMENT POLICY Full payment 30 days before arrival - 100%
Information pack includes: Accommodation, transfer and Taxi vouchers, emergency contact numbers, hotline for any problem during your stay, general information on your holiday, walking maps, foreign office travel advice
Please bring with you: walking boots with ankle support, sunscreen and sunglasses, waterproof clothing, GPS device, water bottle, towel and swimsuit, mosquito repellant
Meeting point
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We are Portugal's most trusted walking and cultural company and have been providing services to clients from all over the world for more than 10 years.
All of our trips are fully customisable. We can always work with you to put together exactly what you had in mind. We will listen to you and take care of all the planning and logistics using our local expertise and contacts.
Based on experience, we know that many groups like to mix their activities with some more leisurely aspects, such as good food and cultural highlights. We are happy to put that together for you as well.
Contact us for a truly memorable experience in Portugal!
Languages
Portuguese | English
Man
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
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