From the wild granite mountains of Peneda-Gerês in the north to the sun-baked cliffs of the Algarve in the south, Portugal offers an extraordinary variety of walking landscapes across its national and nature parks, ancient schist villages, glacial valleys, and dramatic Atlantic coastline. Thanks to its mild climate, it is one of the few European destinations where you can find pleasant walking conditions at almost any time of year, making it ideal for walkers of every ability and ambition.
This trusted Cicerone guidebook by Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh covers 40 walks across Portugal, from north to south, with routes ranging from 5 to 46km (3 to 29 miles) and taking between 2 and 11 hours. It pairs clear, walk-by-walk route descriptions with practical planning information to help you make the most of every corner of this wonderfully varied country.
The 40 walks are graded from easy to challenging and organised by region, from Peneda-Gerês National Park and Montesinho Nature Park in the north, through Serra da Estrela and the schist villages near Coimbra, to Monsaraz, Évora, and the Algarve, so you can plan a tour of Portugal's walking highlights or focus on a single region Clear, step-by-step route descriptions are illustrated with 1:50,000 maps for every walk, with information on refreshments, access, and parking to help you arrive prepared and navigate with confidence Downloadable GPX files enable easy digital navigation on GPS devices or smartphone apps, so you can savour the solitude of Peneda-Gerês or the dramatic glacial scenery of the Zêzere Valley without worrying about the route Detailed background notes cover Portugal's geology, history, wildlife, plants, and agriculture alongside practical advice on getting there, travelling around, where to stay, and what to eat, giving you rich context for everything you encounter on the trail The two longest routes include options for overnight stops, making them ideal for walkers who want to extend their adventure into a short multi-day trek through Portugal's most spectacular landscapes
Together, the graded route descriptions, 1:50,000 maps, GPX downloads, and country-wide coverage make this the definitive Cicerone guide to day walking in Portugal. Explore the best of this sun-drenched, trail-rich country with confidence.
Overview map
Map key
Preface
Introduction
About Portugal
Geology
History
Wildlife
Plants and flowers
Agriculture
Weather
When to go
Getting there
Traveling around
Where to stay
Food and drink
Equipment
Waymarking
Maps
Water
Emergencies and safety
Using this guide
Northern Portugal
Peneda-Ger&##xea;s National Park
Walk 1 Caminho dos Mortos, Real
Walk 2 Trilho Castrejo, Castro Laboreiro
Walk 3 Peneda circuit
Walk 4 Pertinho do Ceu, Gavieira
Walk 5 Bicos and Pedrada
Walk 6 Pitões das Júnias and Capela de São João da Fraga
Walk 7 Minas dos Carris, Portela de Homem
Walk 8 Ger&##xea;s circuit
Walk 9 Águia do Sarilhão and Via Nova, Campo do Ger&##xea;s
Walk 10 Trilho dos Currais, Vila do Ger&##xea;s
Montesinho Nature Park
Walk 11 Trilho da Calçada, Moimenta
Walk 12 Montesinho summits
Around Alvão Nature Park
Walk 13 Senhora da Graça, Mondim de Basto
Walk 14 Marão summit
Douro International Nature Park
Walk 15 Azeite, Bruçó
Walk 16 Ribeira do Mosteiro
Central Portugal and Lisbon
Schist villages
Walk 17 Schist villages of Lousã
Walk 18 Caminho do Xisto das Aldeias de Góis and Lousã summit
Walk 19 Trilho do Vale do Ceira, Cabreira
Serra da Estrela Nature Park
Walk 20 Sol and Rota das Faias, Manteigas
Walk 21 Rota do Carvão, Manteigas
Walk 22 Javali and Poço do Inferno, Manteigas
Walk 23 Rota do Glaciar, Torre-Manteigas
Walk 24 Poios Brancos, Manteigas
Around Lisbon
Walk 25 Castelejo, Alvados
Walk 26 Chãos
Walk 27 Peninha
Walk 28 Cabo Espichel, Arr&##xe1;bida
Tejo and São Mamede Nature Parks
Walk 29 Rota dos Abutres, Salvaterra do Extremo
Walk 30 GR29 Rota dos Veados
Walk 31 Marvão
Monsaraz and Évora
Walk 32 Évora aqueduct and Ecopista
Walk 33 Monsaraz
Southern Portugal
The Algarve, Costa Vicentina and Guadiana
Walk 34 Odeceixe beach circuit
Walk 35 Cabo de São Vicente
Walk 36 Rota das Cascatas, Monchique
Walk 37 Trilho da Fóia, Monchique
Walk 38 Pulo do Lobo, Guadiana
Walk 39 GR23
Walk 40 Serra do Caldeirão, Parizes
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Contacts
Appendix C Language
Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh are both keen walkers, covering over 2000km a year. They have walked extensively in Britain, doing (at least part) of all the major trails, have hiked across England twice, and have walked in most countries in Europe. More recently their addiction to mountains has increased, with treks in the US (including many parts of the Appalachian trail), Australia, New Zealand, Andrew's native Hong Kong, and Nepal (Everest Base Camp). They are both doctors, a General Practitioner and a Consultant Paediatrician, who decided to write this book after being delighted and astounded by the walking opportunities of Portugal.
Lisainfo e-raamatute kohta