Rota Vicentina

Shortening the cold, dark north European winter is becoming an ever more important objective for me and despite a January trip to Burma, I was getting desperate for some sustained good weather by the end of February.  I couldn't afford another long haul trip and after looking at its excellent website, the Rota Vicentina in SW Portugal seemed like the ideal alternative.



The total network - which includes the Historical Way and the Fishermen's Trail - includes some 350km of walking and if you don't have the time to do the whole thing, a variety of different itineraries can be put together.  It's a new trail, has only been established for three years, but is already attracting a lot of walkers with several companies, including Inntravel, promoting it.  The website provides detailed trip notes, GPS trails and information on accommodation and using it to put together a trip couldn't be easier.
On the beach just south from Porto Covo

I started my walk on the 11th of March at the northern end of the Fishermen's trail and finished at the Cabo de San Vicente 9 days later.
Constant noise from the sea

Based on my experience the Rota Vicentina is a really good easy season walking destination and I enjoyed great weather, particularly for the first 4 days along the Fishermen's trail.  SW Portugal has mild winters and in February, March and April the sun shines on average nearly 8 hours a day.  It does rain, but not that much and the wettest months are November and December. It can be warm, almost typical English summer weather and indeed sea temperatures off the coast are similar to those found in the North Sea in June/July.
A Fisherman on the Fishermen's Trail

The best walking was the Fishermen's Trail, which run's along the coast for four days from Porto Covo to Odeceixe and then as a series of add-ons to the Historical Way as it heads south to Cabo de San Vicente.  This is an excellent stretch of coastal walking and compares well, for example, with the Pembrokeshore Coastal Path.  Much of the walk is along cliff tops, made up of stunning multi-coloured rocks, and the views up and down the coast are spectacular.  Occasionally the route drops down to the beach and if you're used to swimming off the UK coast you might even be tempted into the water.
Swimming in March
Away from the coast the scenery is not as impressive.  Fairly flat it mixes sandy heath land with pine, evergreen oak (including cork oak) and even eucalyptus forest and can be just a little dull.  It is a good trail, however, involves very little road walking and passing through the SW Alentejo and Vicentina Natural Park is very quiet.
Endless Eucalyptus
The flowers were particularly impressive all along the route and even in March created a spectacular multi-coloured display.  Apparently they get even better and the perfect time to experience them is towards the end of April, beginning of May.
Hottentot Fig

Bud Orchid (?) 
Also impressive, particularly along the cliff tops was the bird life.  I've seen lots of storks nesting on chimneys and churches in Spain, but here the sites are more natural, typically on rock stacks located defensively away from the main cliff face and from where the huge birds launched themselves into graceful, wind assisted flying displays.
Stork

The Rota Vicentina is very easy and accessible walk, well defined and marked and with few significant ascents.  In places, however, it is sandy and although generally speaking, it's easy to beat the times suggested on the website, the sand will slow you down.

Accommodation is plentiful, comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and is as good value as it is in Spain.  Food and wine are also very good, although beware portions can be enormous in Portugal and sometimes it makes sense to share a plate.  If you like good seafood, then you will enjoy the food on the Rota Vicentina.

One thing that did surprise me was how popular the walk was.  It's a nice walk, but part of its attraction must be the fact that it's accessible so early in the year.  If you want to walk in the sun, out of the snow, in February or March, and you like good food and wine, then SW Portugal is one of the few places to go in Europe.

For daily trip diaries follow the links below:

Day 1 - to  Vila Nova de Milfontes on Rota Vicentina
Day 2 - Rota Vicentina to Almograve
Day 3 - Rota Vicentina to Zambujeira do Mar
Day 4 - Rota Vicentina to Odeceixe
Day 5 - Rota Vicentina to Aljezur
Day 6 - Rota Vicentina to Arrifana
Day 7 - Rota Vicentina to Carrapateira
Day 8 - Rota Vicentina to Vila do Bispo
Day 9 - Rota Vicentina to Cabo do San Vicente

77 comments:

  1. Hi John,

    The trip looks great. Just out of curiousity, how crowded was the lodging? I was thinking about making the trip but might want to do two stages some days. So I'm reluctant to make reseravations ahead of time.

    Any thoughts? I also thought about bringing an ultralight tarp for a bivouac, but everything I've read says that is not allowed.

    Thanks!
    Tyler

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    1. When I went March it wasn't crowded and there was quite a lot of it. On camping if its the same as Spain camping near the beach is frowned upon but a blind eye is turned to it elsewhere. Usual rules of thumb I guess, away from houses and camp late and leave early.

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  2. Good to know about lodging and that's about what I expected in terms of camping. Thanks!

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  3. Hi John,

    What footwear would you recommend for this trail? Walking boots, trainers and/or sandals? I've never hiked on sand before over a long distance and I'm not sure what the best method is. Does the hardest terrain here warrant walking boots?

    Thanks,

    Owen.

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    1. Hi Owen

      I'm not a fan of walking boots I'm afraid but for this route in particular trainers are fine. I'm a fan of Inov8s - fell running trainers which are very comfortable and very light.

      Best wishes John

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  4. hi john- i am interested in doing this walk this july. do you have a sense of how crowded it may be then? i would prefer to not make reservations to sleep and want to figure it out as i go, but don't really want to end up with nowhere to sleep. also, do you know if there are budget options like hostels? thanks! sara

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    1. Hi Sara

      To be honest I don't now how crowded things are in July. Some of the places I stopped at were quite small with limited accommodation so I guess it could be a risk. The official website, mentioned in my blog, does have a list of accommodation, including some budget options, so it might be worth asking them the same question.

      Have a great trip

      John

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  5. Hi John, I was hoping to do the Fisherman route in late June. How easy would it be to walk into the city and find a hostel or budget guesthouse without knowing where one was located beforehand? Thanks!

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    1. Some of the places on the route are a little limited in terms of number of guest houses and could be full as the holiday season approaches. I would at least check out how many options there are before I go. Also I like to know where a place is at the day's end, can be frustrating trying to find a place when you're tired.

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    2. Some of the places on the route are a little limited in terms of number of guest houses and could be full as the holiday season approaches. I would at least check out how many options there are before I go. Also I like to know where a place is at the day's end, can be frustrating trying to find a place when you're tired.

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  6. Hi John I have a few questions for you about this trail:
    -how can you reach the beginning of the trail and at the end how is connected cabo do sao vicente to other cities?
    -do you think this is a safe trip for a lonely woman?
    -how trained have you to be to do it?
    Thank you very much

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    1. Hi there

      We flew into Lisbon and then caught a bus. You should be able to find the bus company on either Google maps or Rome to Rio. On the way back I came back via Faro but it's no so difficult to get back to Lisbon. It's a very safe route, quite popular so you will see other walkers. It's also an easy walk without any significant climb. The only challenge are the sandy stretches, walking on a soft surface can be draining. Hope that helps. Have a great trip

      John

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  7. Hey John, I just found your website. It's excellent. just wondering what gear you brought for rota vicentina trip.i'll be heading off at the start of march.

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    1. Hi Anto

      Thanks for your kind comment. On gear nothing special really. It's not cold in this part of world, waterproofs are good but hopefully it won't be wet, and light weight boots or trainers. I wore trainers and they were fine. Hope that helps.

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    2. Thanks for getting back so promptly. Really looking forward to this short break.

      Will be checking out your 'dream way' guide when i get back.physically i feel i could handle it but just concerned about the cables etc to keep me from falling.Just how dangerous does it get? I'm not a total coward and i could handle the heights of the Atlas mountains but if there was any way of avoiding the hairy bits on the 'dream way' i would probably do that. i know that may be frowned upon and my feelings may change when i got there but it does make me feel anxious.Have told some of my mates about your blog as well,hope it's going well for you.

      Regards,
      Anto

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  8. Hi Anto

    You do need a head for hieghts on the Dreamway. Not good if you suffer from vertigo. The cables actually help! Enjoy Portugal and then head for the Alps.

    John

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  9. John,

    My friend and I will be hiking the 2 trails beginning on April 15th ending on the 26th. We are starting in Santigao Do Cacem, heading west to Porto Covo and then south to Cabo De S Vincente. Looks like there are not any accommodations in Cabo, so we thought we would take a cab (?) to Sagres spend the night and head to Lisbon via bus (?). We would appreciate any thoughts on this approach. Also, we would love suggestions for accommodations in Lisbon...so many options! Weather? We were planning high 50's (F) to low 60's (F).....hiking tights and long sleeves...looks like you are wearing shorts??

    Thanks for your help! Looking forward to a beautiful trip.

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    1. Hi Debbie

      Nice to hear from you.

      I did a circular walk from Vila do Bospo on my last day and then got went to Faro via taxi and train. Lots of flights to the UK from Faro and it's a bit closer to the end of the walk than Lisbon.

      I use a web site called Rome2Rio to help me with my plan my transfers. It's usually right and it says there is a one a day bus to Lisbon from Sagres, takes 5 hours but the buses are usually very comfortable.

      I haven't stayed in Lisbon but a friend, who is also walking the Rota in April and usually does a lot of research on these things, is staying at the Browns Hotel so that might be worth a look.

      Unless you're very unlucky you will not need hiking tights. I did my trip in March and the weather was lovely. In April it should be perfect with all the flowers out. My wife went swimming!

      By the way if you see a couple of people on bikes it could be us. We're heading south from Lisbon from the 15th and cycling round the coast to Seville.

      Good walking!

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  10. Dear John,

    thank you for sharing your great experience!

    We are a couple with a 2 years young boy and love hiking. We live in the Alps and are used to all kind of mountain-trails :) We are thinking how about if we would walk along the Rota Vicentina next spring or autumn with our boy. We have not yet done long distance walking with our boy (alone yes).

    What are your recommandations for us in general?

    Thank you in advance and best regards from Northern Italy.

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    1. Hi there

      Sounds like you need somewhere with reliable weather early or late in the year which makes the Rota Vicentina a good bet. The best hiking is definitely the first part, the "the Fisherman's Trail" and once you get past that things get a little bit dull.

      The other hike you might want to think about is the GR7 in the Sierra Nevada.
      It's a bit tougher than the Fisherman's Trail but with nice places to stay. There are two routes - one goes to the north and other to the south. The southern variant is nearly always dry with great walking in the spring or autumn.

      Hope that helps

      Best wishes

      John

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  11. Hi John,
    Do you think this trail will be suitable to hike with a dog? It looks like the toughness will be ok, but i'm particularly interested in the presence of stray dogs and/or guardian dogs, which might pose a 'risk' when not socialised.
    Best, Janneke

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    1. Hi Janneke,

      I think it will be fine. I don't recall seeing any guardian dogs although I did see a sheep dog on the last day. Perhaps you could send a note to the official website if you still have concerns.

      Have a great trip

      John

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  12. Hi John, thanks for the blogpost about the Rota Vincentina! I could use the information well for my hike in October/November this year. I have now published a list of budget accomodation on my blog and will follow up with a story (in German though) soon. Maybe it's interesting for you!

    https://dreamtravelstories.com/2017/11/22/budget-accomodation-on-the-rota-vincentina/

    Buon Camino!
    Teresa

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  13. Thanks for the tips John. Thinking of doing your route in the second half of June with my son - will it be too hot do you think?
    Owen

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    1. Hi Owen

      It is starting to warm in June. You can expect daytime temperatures in the mid to late twenties and there is a risk that they might go higher.

      Happy walking

      John

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  14. Hi -- quick question: Did you book all your accommodation in advance?

    thanks
    Tim

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  15. Hi John, thanks for a great article.
    We've just booked for departure on 1 March, but I haven't planned my itinerary yet, so it's a massive help.
    Are there shops for food and water regularly along the route?
    Can you get packed lunches at the accommodation?
    Based on the terrain, what's the max number of miles/KMs you'd recommend per day? We're regular/fit walkers, and want a workout, but also want to enjoy the route, etc.
    Thanks, Neal

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  16. Hi Neal

    It's not hard walking, very little in terms of climbs, so 20km days are OK. Most of the places have bakeries where you can get the stuff for a picnic and on several of the stages you'll places to stop on the way. The first half of the walk is the best so I would spend more time on that than the second half.

    Hope that helps

    Have a great trip.

    John

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  17. Hi John,
    Thank you for being such a great resource. I am going in May. Do you think I will need rain gear?
    Rasa from Hawaii

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  18. Hi John

    I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to heights. Not keen on narrow paths cut into cliff faces for instance. But OK on cliff top paths.

    The official website for the Fisherman's Trail says "NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE WITH VERTIGO OR FEAR OF HEIGHTS". But so far as I can see on Google maps, the cliff top paths look wide and mostly away from the edges. Is this the case or are there some hairy sections I'm missing.

    With thanks

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    1. I can't remember any scary bits, I think you'll be fine

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  19. Thanks John, very helpful.
    We made a post about our experience as well. There are some more photos for everyone to enjoy!

    https://generationwhy.net/2018/05/16/rota-vicentina/

    Cheers!

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  20. John, thanks for your many insights on the Rota Vincentina. I'll be walking the route in May 2019 with some friends. Porto Covo to Odeceixe. We'd like to spend an extra [second] night in one of the towns on the route to relax together. Is there one town between Porto Covo and Odeceixe that you'd especially recommend for its charms and coastal views? Steve

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    1. Hi Steve

      Vila Nova de Milfontes probably has the best combination of nice ambience, places to hang out and things to do on a day's relaxation.

      John

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  21. Hi John- Thank you for such helpful descriptions of your trip! I'm planning on hiking Rota Vicentina in September of this year and wondering if you would recommend going north to south -or- south to north? Thanks so much! ~Maren

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    1. Hi Maren

      Most people go from north to south so they can finish at the lighthouse but you can of course go either way. The best walking is at the northern end.

      Have a great time

      John

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  22. As everyone has said, thanks for the helpful description of your journey! I am considering adding this to my trip to Portugal in January of 2019, and seeking any and all suggestions. I'm from the northern part of the United States, so chilly wet weather is not a deterrent to me, but I want to make sure to set myself up for success. I appreciate your detailed reports :)

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  23. John,
    Have you ever done a hike in Norway/Sweden? My girlfriend and I want to do a similar hike to this one in Portugal, hiking all day and staying in local accommodations each night. Carrying our belongings in our packs (no sherpa). Any experiences like this? We would like about 150 miles.

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    1. No I haven't I'm afraid. The walking season is short and to be honest there is so much to see in the Alps where the season is also short. It supposed to be very well organised though. For some ideas have a look at www.traildino.com

      John

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  24. Hi John,

    Thank you for sharing about this trip.
    I actually refer to your site before i start my journey everyday during my RV trip in Nov. It was my first trip and i am not an experienced hiker at all.

    I was wondering if you could recommend me any trail similar like RV in Europe in November?

    Appreciate your suggestion!
    Rach

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    1. Hi Rach

      One of the great things about the RV is that you can do it very late and very early in the year. There are not many places where the weather is at all reliable in November. The Mediterranean area gets wet and the Alps get covered in snow. The best place I think is to the south of the Sierra Nevadas in Spain - along the GR7 southern variant for example. You can find a trip report on this blog

      John

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  25. Hi John! I host the Active Travel Adventures podcast and I have an episode coming out next Thursday on the Rota Vincentina. You have some beautiful photos and I wondered if I might use some of them on the corresponding website with credit to you of course, and a link to this blog post?

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    1. Hi Kit

      That's fine, the credit etc would be appreciated

      John

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  26. Hi John. Just wanted to thank you for this detailed.blog. I'm starting the trip 20th of February, probably going north-south from Porto Covo- am really excited. Thanks again.

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    1. Have a great trip and good luck with the weather

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  27. Hi John! I just released my Active Travel Adventures podcast episode on the Rota Vincentina this morning. Thanks for letting me use your photos on the corresponding web page. Folks can listen from a podcast app or directly from this link when they go to look at your photos: http://activetraveladventures.com/rota-vincentina-portugal-walking-holiday/

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    1. Hi Kit

      No problem. A couple of your links aren't working, you might just want to check them.

      John

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    2. Thanks, John! I'm not sure what 'ate' my links, but I just redid everything and it appears to be working properly now. I'm going to try to get over there to walk the Fisherman's Trail myself in the next couple of months.

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  28. Hi John. I was thinking about skipping Aljezur and going straight to Arrifana from Odeceixe. Do you think this is overly ambitious assuming that conditions are good that day?

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    1. Hi Morten

      Nice to hear from you

      None of the conditions are technically difficult, there are no serious climbs, so the only issue is whether or not you're comfortable with the distance. There are shortcut options as well between Arrifana and Aljezur.

      Good walking

      John

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  29. Hey John:
    Can you say how much meals and accomodation cost on your hike?

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  30. Hi John! Do you think it could be appropriate to do this trip on august? Do you know if there are some organized-group we could join?
    Thank you in advance

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    1. Hi Gabriella - the local advice is not to do the walk in August, it's too hot, 30 degrees. I'm afraid I don't know any organised group for this walk, non of the tour operators seem to do it on a group basis. Sorry to have to give you such negative advice

      John

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  31. Hi John,
    great read! I'm starting the route in about two, on the very same date you did! funny coincidence! Anyhow, I'm a gal walking solo and plan to wildcamp, and though have crossed Europe by bike before, I'm new to walking and wonder if the trail is safe and all that good stuff. Also, hiw easy is it to find grpcery stores along the way? Thx!
    D

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    1. Hi D

      I'm not a wild camper myself but yes there are plenty of places to buy food along the way, the schedule is basically town to town. It's a popular route, you will see other walkers and I think it's safe.

      Have a great trip and let me know how you get on

      John

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  32. Hello John thanks for all the useful information! I ll be leaving shortly for Portugal and would like to follow the Fisherman’s Trail. I was just wondering, since it s low season still, will there be other hikers do you think. I like walking alone but wouldn’t t mind a little company now and then along the way.. thanks for reply! Francesca

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    1. Hi Francesca

      It's low season in terms of holiday makers but bang on the nail in terms of walking, good time to go and you should be seeing both the spring flowers and some walkers. Have a great trip.

      John

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  33. Hi John! Apologies if this has been asked but is it necessary to have a map or can the route be navigated by the signs alone? With back up from phone GPS/ google maps if needed? Thanks! Catherine

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    1. Hi Catherine, the signs are excellent so you won't get lost, keep the sea on the right!

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  34. John - thanks for this site. I plan on going to Portugal this October with 4 hikers. But we only have 4 days to hike. Sounds like the Fisherman's Walk is the easiest with great views. Can you tell me how long the Walk is and/or where to start and end with these limits?

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    1. If you follow my schedule for the first 4 days then you'll finish the main part of the Fisherman's Trail, 4 days for hiking, the perfect amount of time.

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  35. Hi John - my partner and I are active hikers, and we were thinking about doing the Porto Covo - Odeiexce in 3 days. Do you think this is overly ambitious? We'd like to do the full trail but not sure we'll have four days to dedicate just to the hiking as we're starting and ending our 7 day trip in Lisbon and want a couple of days there. Thanks for your great piece! Massively helpful!

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  36. Hi there

    Definitely possible. 3 days makes an average of 25km a day and there are no significant climbs. If you can find accommodation and you're fit before you start then its just a question of starting a little earlier and finishing later. The only challenge I think are the soft surfaces that feature occasionally along the route.

    If you haven't done 25km already why not put a couple of test walks in before you decide and see how you feel.

    John

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  37. Hello, my husband and I are planning on doing this hike in february flying into faro. We have 7 days but I'm worried about bus transport to and from the places such as porto covo for starting and then again getting one back. I know the train goes from faro to lagos and then the bus should be lagos to porto covo....sadly nothing on the bus website but there is on rome to rio?? Would you happen to know if buses run at that time of year? Also will there be plentiful accomodation open at that time of year or should i book ahead?
    many thanks
    sharon

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  38. Hi Sharon

    I think the service coming up on Rome to Rio does operate - my wife caught it to go to Lisbon. The Rede Express web site is showing tickets in November but also says you can't book more than 60 days in advance, that might be why the dates you are asking for are not coming up.

    John

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  39. Thanks for your great coverage. Was wondering if its better to walk this from South to North (especially in winter) instead of all the coverage that seems to suggest the opposite. Correct me if I'm mistaken but by walking from South to North you don't have low sun in you face the entire day. Was this a problem for you?

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    1. Technically you might be right. North to South, however, finishes at the iconic destination - Portugal's "Lands Ends" so I think it's the preferrable direction.

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  40. Hi John,
    We will be hiking the Rota Vicentina in early March. We live in Colorado, USA and use hiking poles for steep climbs and descents and pack them away otherwise. Do you think poles would be helpful walking in the sand, or should we leave the poles at home? Thank you!

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    1. There is nothing steep on the Ruta so you could definitely get away without poles - although personally, if I'm carrying stuff, I like poles even on the flat.

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  41. Hi John. Thanks for keeping this excellent Q+A going. We have a pad on the southern Algarve coast near Portimao and did part of the Rota yesterday Luz to Salema. I would like to do the Fisherman's route on an eMTB over 5 days at about 50 miles per day. Some websites say it's "far too dangerous" on a mountain bike. I regularly do the coastal paths around Benagil with ease and safety. Could you comment on whether you feel that this should be an exclusive walkers path (we are not daredevil downhillers!) or whether you feel, having done the whole route, that a reasonably technically accomplished (fit as a flea) mountain biker could cope. The Historical trail looks a bit too tame for us. Cheers, Ron

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    1. Hi Ron - nice to hear from you.

      I walked the Ruta before I started doing a lot of off-road cycling so was not looking at it from that perspective but with that qualification I don't recall anything that would count as dangerous or even technical. You might occasionally have to get off to navigate a gully but that's always an option - from a walking perspective it's a very easy route. One thing you might want to think about is that the surface is occasionally very fragile with the limited vegetation collapsing and giving way to sand. This may have happened already but at some point these stretches will need to be secured with boards otherwise walkers and cyclists will do a lot of damage.

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  42. Hi John, we are planning to do the northern portion of this walk in mid October this year. Do you happen to know if the weather during October would still be suitable for this walk?

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  43. The Ruta can reasonably be regarded as an all year round route with the weather never that bad to stop a reasonably keen walker. Compared to September there is a significantly higher chance of rain in October and, with shorter days, it shouldn't be as hot. No guarantees but October should be good and the sea will definitely be warm enough for swimming if that's your thing

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