Walking vacations in Portugal
Our Portugal Vacations
Madeira walking vacation
Small group walking tour of madeira
Alentejo & Algarve self guided hiking vacation, Portugal
Independent coastal walking vacations in the Alentejo Coast
Azores walking vacation, Portugal
Walk to Cete Cidades and the Fire Lakes
Sintra Natural Park retreats & walks in Portugal
Walking, yoga, R&R near beaches, forests, historic sites
Walking vacation in Madeira
Walk through the wild and varied scenery of Madeira
Portugal walking tour
Self guided walking tour in Portuguese Schist Villages
Sintra Natural Park accommodation in Portugal
Eco-friendly B&B, in Sintra Natural Park near lovely beaches
Coastal hiking vacation in Portugal
The very best walks from the 125km selection of coastal trails
Northern Portugal walking vacation
Walking in the Serra da Peneda
Sintra and Arrabida walking vacation in Portugal
Sintra and the rugged coastline of Arrabida Natural Park
Douro Valley self guided walking vacation in Portugal
Walking in Douro Valley through astonishingly landscape
Portugese Way walk, Tui to Santiago de Compostella
8 days pilgrimage through Northern Portugal and Spain
Portugal walking vacation, Eastern Algarve
Scenic coastal and inland walking in Portugal
Highlights of Northern Portugal
Enjoy Douro Valley, Peneda-Gerês N. Park and coastal Minho
Alentejo self guided hiking vacation, Portugal
Walk the Fishermen's Trails along Rota Vicentina's landscape
Rota Vicentina walking vacation in Portugal
Self guided walking tour in Rota Vicentina
Walking and wine tasting vacation in Spain and Portugal
Journey from Madrid to Porto through the Ribera del Duero
Portuguese Camino de Santiago walking vacation
Magical walking through the Portuguese Camino to Santiago
Self guided walking vacation Portugal, Sintra region
Car free vacations in Sintra Portugal
Peneda-Gerês National Park walking vacation in Portugal
1-week Self-guided Walking in Peneda-Gerês National Park
Portugal palaces and coast walks vacation
An exceptional Self Guided walk in the Serra de Sintra
Alentejo walking vacation in Portugal
Self-guided walk from the Spanish border to the rugged coast
Madeira walking tour, private departure
Explore this volcanic island in the Atlantic
Alentejo walking vacations in Portugal
Coastal and hill walking in the S. W. Alentejo, Portugal.
Portugal guided hiking vacation
Explore unspoilt Portugal on these coastal walking trails
Self-guided walking vacation in Alentejo, Portugal
Self-guided walking in the South West Alentejo, Portugal
Northern Portugal self-guided hiking vacation
Minho Mountains, Valleys & Coast, Northern Portugal Trek
Portuguese Coastal Way walking vacation
The scenic alternative to the classic Portuguese Way
Sagres walking vacation in the Algarve, Portugal
Walk the unspoilt Sagres Peninsula
Algarve walking vacations in Sagres, Portugal
Discover the Algarve's unspoilt Sagres Peninsula
What does a Portugal walking vacation entail?
You’ll typically be based in one place, making day treks instead of walking point-to-point, but in some regions, certainly Madeira and the Azores, you will change locations every couple of nights allowing for diverse scenery. Accommodation tends to be rural hotels and guesthouses, and if you are moving around then there will be the option to have your luggage transferred between them.
Most of these walking vacations run all year round, especially those in northern Portugal and Sintra, which are usually several degrees cooler than Lisbon and the south. But in the Algarve and neighbouring Alentejo you’ll probably want to avoid July and August, which can be swelteringly hot and full of tourists. Spring and autumn are far more satisfying seasons for walking. The Azores and Madeira of course are a totally different story, with generally mild climates but unpredictable weather.
Where to walk in Portugal
Sintra
The wooded hills and rugged coastline of Sintra National Park, just outside Lisbon, are crisscrossed with magnificent walking trails, and accommodation providers in the park can supply you with excellent recommendations and directions. The historic town itself is a hugely popular daytrip, but stay in the wider park and you’ve got the perfect position from which to explore the palaces and also get out and about in the fresh Atlantic breeze.The Azores
This isolated, volcanic archipelago is justly famed for its incredible marine life, especially the whales and dolphins that gather in the deep waters for the plankton blooms each spring. On Pico Island you can walk trails around the coast where you might see a Blue whale breach the waves, climb Mount Pico, the highest peak in the Azores, or admire the unique, UNESCO-protected vineyards. Faial is known as ‘the blue island’ for the hydrangeas that carpet it in summer, and has a stunning walk around its volcanic crater. These are generally small group tours, during which you’ll walk around 10km a day over moderate terrain with a guide.Madeira
The Portugal Way
One of the most popular Camino de Santiago routes, the Portugal Way can depart from Lisbon or Porto to Santiago de Compostela. Hike inland across beautiful Portuguese and Spanish countryside, or take the Atlantic/Galician coastal route, with both options meeting in the Spanish town of Redondela. If you can manage around 24km a day over generally quite easygoing terrain (at least in comparison to other Camino routes) then you can walk comfortably from Porto in a two-week vacation.Douro Valley
The Douro Valley is among Portugal’s premier wine regions, with gentle trails twisting through pretty valleys, over medieval bridges, by vast waterfalls and terraced vineyards. Walking between a succession of luxurious hotels you can meet top winemakers, taste the wonderfully refreshing local speciality Vinho Verde, and of course spend some time in Porto, home of port wine, perhaps taking a boat trip on the river and touring some cellars.Geres-Peneda National Park
The Algarve
Escape the well worn tourist traps by heading into the eastern Algarve, one of Europe’s most renowned bird watching destinations, where rural Portuguese life goes on much as it has for centuries and where you’re never far from a gorgeous sea view. Expect average daily walks of around 16km and generally flat terrain around lakes, nature reserves, salt pans and fragrant pine forests.Alentejo
The big draw of the Alentejo region is the Rota Vicentina, a 400km network of trails of which the Fisherman’s Way is the best known. The idyllic rural landscapes here, practically unchanged in centuries, are simply made for self guided walks but you can also take a more coastal direction, remembering that the sand can make it a little harder going in places. Walk in Alentejo to sample some of Portugal’s most distinctive traditional culture and food.Our top Portugal Vacation
Madeira walking vacation
Small group walking tour of madeira
2021: 22 May, 19 Jun, 7 Aug, 4 Sep, 18 Sep, 2 Oct, 16 Oct, 30 Oct, 20 Dec, 27 Dec
2022: 12 Feb, 5 Mar, 19 Mar, 2 Apr, 16 Apr, 14 May, 28 May, 18 Jun, 6 Aug, 3 Sep, 17 Sep, 1 Oct, 15 Oct, 29 Oct, 20 Dec, 27 Dec
“We went in February and did not pack over-trousers and regretted it. It is cold in the mountains and any cloud coming over the Island has to climb 1800m, so will deposit a full load of rain on you. We walked on one day in heavy rain from start to finish and were soaked through. Our assumption that we would be warm as we were on a subtropical island was wrong. Come prepared for bad weather and then you will be able to enjoy it more if the weather is good! Our tour leader did very well to choose walks that we could do in inclement weather conditions, he was attentive and ensured the experience was fun and memorable.” – Gabrielle Lorenz in a review of her Madeira walking vacation

