Walking in Portugal

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.