Rota Vicentina Historical Way

Ready to start your first day of adventure?

Santiago do Cacém holds a strong connection with the pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, so it will be the starting point for our trip to the Rota Vicentina. Choose between a shorter or longer hike. If you pick the shorter way, our guide will transfer you a few kilometers ahead. The path is mainly rural with beautiful trails that take you through cork and oak forests. Enjoy the golden path, the infinite landscape, and play with the horizons' perspectives. At the end of the day, enjoy a delicious meal while recharging your batteries for tomorrow.

Today, you will continue the delightful countryside route that will take you through some small agricultural properties.

Soon, the dam of Campilhas will be visible as you make way. The dam has supported a diverse ecosystem of fish, mammals, birds, and insects since 1954. You will also find a great contrast between the green fields and the blue water. The guesthouse of Matinha is a unique and charming place. Enjoy this little retreat and take some time to look at the dark night sky dotted with stars.

Make sure to take a powerful breakfast today because you will be hiking on one of the more hilly sections of the program, with long ascent segments and harsh irregular terrain.

Halfway through the route, you will find Rocha de Água d'Alte. A beautiful and unexpected waterfall that is located at the highest point of Alentejo. You will also have some breath-taking views over the infinite plains. Listen to the silence and let your imagination flow as a celebration of this beautiful landscape.

Today, get ready to immerse yourself in a different and vibrant Alentejo that will reveal itself before your eyes.

Start by choosing whether you’d like a shorter or longer hike. If taking the shorter option, refreshing water streams and ponds along the way will make for an interesting hike, and if you'd like to actually take a dip then Pego das Pias will be the perfect place! An interesting factor is that Ribeira do Torgal is one of the main protagonists in Portugal in terms of valuable species. Later, when you arrive at Odemira, which is one of the most coveted towns in Portuguese history, you might admire examples and features of architecture and gastronomy that will make you surrender to the simples pleasures of life.

The adventure will be starting close to the riverside where, if you're lucky, you might see an otter!

Similar to yesterday, today you have two options for your hike: a short or a long one. Choose which one you’d like to take, and our guide will transfer you to the hike starting point accordingly. If you’re feeling extra energetic, skip the transfers and hike for 27km. Odemira is located in the hydrographical basin of the Mira River that follows the valley until the Atlantic. While in the forest area, find strawberries and typical trees, such as the Medronheiro (Arbutus Urnedo), famous for the strong spirit that is made from it, known as água ardente (firewater). You must try it! You will find some in the next village right before your resting place for today at São Teotónio.

Today, you will have a memorable hike along the inhospitable trails that are covered with well-preserved native vegetation and the sound of the crashing waves.

If you’re still resting from yesterday, take the short route and go straight to Odeceixe. If not, take the long route and pass by Odeceixe beach to enjoy an astonishing view over the ocean while you let your senses be swept away by the scents of the aromatic herbs. You will cross the Seixe River which is a significant moment considering the fact that the Alentejo and Algarve regions are separated by it. Your accommodation for the night will be in the wonderful village of Odeceixe. Walk around the village center and meet the local people!

Start your walk side by side with the Seixe River and its wetlands until you get to Odeceixe beach.

The trail over the ocean will let you wander and offer some superb views of the beach. Close to the end, you will cross inland towards João Roupeiro Hamlet. All adventures need good food, and the most famous sweet potato in the world comes from here! There is also a great choice of tasty main dishes and regional pastry.

Today, you will cross several agricultural fields, some of them with the famous sweet potato!

After, you will follow a dirt road that will take you closer to the ocean. Awaiting you will be a beautiful beach and the valley of Amoreira. Nevertheless, there is still another surprise in store for you today, and that is Aljezur and its amazing Moorish castle. This city was founded by the Arabs in the 10th century and has an impressive archeological site. Explore like a conqueror and go all the way to the castle - the view is mesmerizing!

This day will take you to one of the most beautiful beaches in the south.

Follow the coastline that will pass by the mythical Ponta da Atalaia, a fantastic promontory where we can see many ruins of an ancient Moorish fortress. The trail after this point carries on along the top of the cliffs, where you will be surrounded by Mediterranean shrubs, aromatic plants, and coastal dunes. Touch nature step by step and then have a great rest at the beautiful village of Arrifana.

Feel the power of the sea breaking over the ancient cliffs and the quiet sandy beaches.

Choose between a long or short adventure. Be sure to take your camera today because you will need it when witnessing the beauty of Pedra da Agulha in Canal Beach. A gorgeous boulder, sitting in the ocean. After, as you hike through a succession of hills and valleys, you will pass over the most aggressive and inaccessible side of this coastal area. End up at the whitewashed village of Carrapateira, where history speaks through the fortress that was built for defensive purposes back in the era of the discoveries.

On this day, as you hike between land and ocean, the rural atmosphere will conquer your heart.

On the steepest slopes, you can admire the natural vegetation that is virtually untouched by man with dense undergrowth arbutus and dozens of local plants and herbs. Soon, you will arrive at one of the most interesting places and accommodations. Pedralva is a little village that was nearly deserted a few years ago. However, it has been recently revived as a charming guest house hamlet, which kept the original design together and brought back life to the village of Pedralva.

After a great breakfast, the day starts smooth, crossing a forest and open land areas.

Later, by the beaches of Barriga, Cordoama, and Castelejo, you will notice the biodiversity all around, with reptiles, birds, mammals, and amphibious filling the areas. At the end of the day, you will arrive at Vila do Bispo, a town with traditional architecture and religious structures. The local products, fruits, and fresh fish are daily for sale on the municipal market, so take a look and get some goodies for the next trip.

The landscape is flat and the vegetation low. Today you will be walking towards the southwesternmost point of Continental Europe.

When you arrive, you will see the small yet excellent Museum of Faróis, showcasing the role of Sagres in Portugal's maritime history! This is a historical place where one can almost hear the echoes of the voices of sailors and pilgrims. Beyond here, only the immense Atlantic Ocean remains; a point of passage, arrival, and encounters.