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The Algarve from West to East

0044 1606 720199

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  • Holiday code
    W07AV
  • Holiday type
    Self-guided walking
  • Duration
    7 nights
  • Accommodation
    twin-centre
  • Activity level
  • From $1790per person, tour only
  • Departure months
    JFMAMJJASOND
  • What your holiday price includes
  • 7 nights twin-centre accommodation in hotels
  • All breakfasts and 1 evening meal
  • Briefing at the start of your holiday
  • Comprehensive route directions
  • Europcar Group B air-conditioned hire car included when booking a flight inclusive package
  • Optional Upgrades
  • Room upgrades and extra nights at selected hotels
  • City break add-ons in Lisbon
  • Suitable for
  • Couples
  • Excellent choice for
  • Wine lovers, flora & fauna, bird spotting opportunities, art & history, swimming opportunities, coastal routes, lake & river routes
      from 7 reviews

Mr Slater says...
We had a lovely autumn break in the Algarve with excellent walks. Our accommodation was excellent in both locations. Our car supplied by Europcar was ...
Read reviews »

Portugal: The Algarve

The Algarve from West to East

  • Explore the cliff-strewn western coastline and its eastern border with Spain
  • Follow coastal paths, Alpine-esque mountains and the Guadiana River
  • Many stunning unspoilt beaches to visit
  • Lagos and Sagres' rich maritime history

On this 7-night twin-centre walking trip you'll discover the entirety of Portugal's Algarve, from the rugged cliff-strewn western Atlantic coastline to its eastern border with Spain. Driving to each day's different walks you'll embark on a journey through the undiscovered parts of the region where pretty whitewashed villages and lively towns intermingle with a mix of stunning scenery.

Starting the first half of your week in the coastal town of Sagres and finishing in the city of churches, Tavira, highlights include visits to some of the Algarve's most varied and interesting beaches (including Odeceixe, which is the one of the most photographed and most popular beaches in the Algarve), exploring the maritime history of Portugal and Europe in Lagos and Sagres, and walking along the banks of the Guadiana River.

You'll meander along diverse landscapes, from river paths and untouched coastlines to the Monchique mountain range. Admire the colours and scents of the Spanish and green lavender that grows in abundance, along with more than 25 types of orchids, mystic thyme and flowering yellow broom. Overhead you can see Bonelli's eagles, sparrow hawks, black kites, azure magpies and golden orioles whilst flamingos make their home in the salt marshes. As autumn arrives, the Algarve is one of the best places in Europe to see the annual migration, and with the region's autumn and winter being similar to the UK's springtime, you can expect year-round warm temperatures.

You'll stay in two hotels of contrasting styles: in Sagres, sitting on the cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean, is the modern boutique 4 star Memmo Baleeria, and heading east in Tavira is the 4 star Pousada de Tavira, a former 16th century convent, which has now been tastefully converted into a lovely hotel. The local cuisine is delicious - expect fresh fish, cured hams, tasty cheese and chourico (which are as good as those from Spain or Italy!).



We're here to help

If you have any questions about this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com

Walking information

Walks are on well marked paths, terrain is mostly in good condition and consists of hard packed earth, stoney tracks and small sections of tarmac. Walking boots are essential and walking poles are recommended for some days.




We're here to help

If you've any questions about this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 , or email sales@headwater.com

Day 1: Arrive in Sagres

Drive to Sagres, the beautiful coastal town where you will spend the first four nights.
You stay at the Memmo Baleeira (breakfast and evening meal)

Day 2: Bordeira and the Beach (13km/8.1mi or 16km/9.9mi)

From picturesque Bordeira, a valley trail takes you through eucalyptus and giant reeds to the cliff tops above the vast expanse of Bordeira Beach with its impressive sand dunes. The views are breathtaking! Descend to the beach, where you'll walk along the crashing surf to explore the dunes and meandering river estuary. Your return is along a sandy trail through the scented pine forest of Bordalete and the floodplain of the Bordeira River where bell-toting cattle graze lazily.
You stay at the Memmo Baleeira (breakfast included)

Day 3: Aljezur and the Amoreira Cliff-top Loop (7km/4.3mi)

A short but spectacular walk to two of the Algarve's most varied beaches and their unique rock formations sculpted by the Atlantic. Stroll through peaceful valleys and pine forest to reach the flower-strewn coast. Descend to Carruagem Beach with its swirling rock ridges and rock pools. Then take the sandy cliff trail to Amoreira Beach, one of the finest sweeps of shoreline in the region. After your walk, head to Aljezur to wander the cobbled streets and visit the ruins of the Moorish hilltop castle for superb views.
You stay at the Memmo Baleeira (breakfast included)

Day 4: Odeceixe and the Fishermen's Coastal Trail (13km/8.1mi)

Just over the border in the Alentejo is the attractive village of Odeceixe. You set off on the Rota Vicentina Pilgrims' Trail alongside the irrigation canal. Reaching the Atlantic, head along the wild and rugged coastline on the stunning Fishermen's Trail to the beautiful beach of Odeceixe - one of the most photographed in Portugal. Head back to Odeceixe alongside the river and through meadows to explore its narrow cobbled streets and tempting cafes.
You stay at the Memmo Baleeira (breakfast included)

Day 5: Heading East

Today you make your way to Tavira, your base for the next three nights. Choose to do a walk en route or visit one of the interesting villages or towns. Monchique or Lagos are both worth a visit, the small village of Saint Luzia near Tavira is famous for octopus restaurants or head to Tavira for lunch and explore the town in the afternoon.
You stay at the Pousada de Tavira (breakfast included)

Day 6: A Walk along the Guadiana (9km/5.6mi)

You head east, maybe stopping at the town of Alcoutim with its 14th century castle and small international ferry! Then to Laranjeiras, where the walk begins along the banks of the Guadiana River, passing pretty white villages and almond and olive groves. You'll climb between holm oaks and stone pines to a wonderful picnic spot. It's then on through the Laranjeiras ravine full of tamarisks, lavender and carob trees, spotting golden orioles as we go.
You stay at the Pousada de Tavira (breakfast included)

Day 7: Don Quixote Trail (17km/10.6mi)

A longer walk today, which is packed with interest and contrasting scenery and sights - first following the river through orchards and vineyards, then passing through cork oaks, cistus and pine plantations, to reach a wonderful view point over the Odeleite River. Heading down to the river there is a lovely picnic site to enjoy a break. Following on passing holm oaks and two windmills is evidence to the life in the area known as the Serra.
You stay at the Pousada de Tavira (breakfast included)

Day 8: Leave Tavira

It is a 35-minute drive back to Faro airport. Note: This is an idea of your itinerary; we have more walks for you to follow in our notes. Our Algarve representatives will explain everything at your welcome briefing. You can easily add extra nights in either hotel or shorten the holiday if you like.

Where you stay

During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.

To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Hotel Memmo Baleeira, Sagres

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This designer hotel is perfectly situated overlooking the stunning bay on the edge of Sagres. The rooms are minimalistic in design and feature all amenities. The restaurant here prides itself on serving the best of the local seafood, whilst the hotel offers free use of the Turkish bath, sauna and indoor pool, the perfect tonic after a day exploring this stunning area.


Room upgrades: Double Frontal Sea View, 1 Bed Suite Land View, 1 Bed Suite Garden View or 1 Bed Suite Frontal Sea View.
The Superior room is a larger room. All suites have separate living areas and come with dvd players and bathrobes.

Extra nights: Please contact us for details.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Pousada de Tavira, Convento da Graca, Tavira

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The Pousada de Tavira, Convento da Graca, is located in the Santo Agostinho Convent, founded by Dom Sebastiao in the 16th century. The hotel is centrally located in Tavira, and perfectly combines its historic past with modern touches.

The guests at the Pousada de Tavira can enjoy the outdoor pool on the sun loungers under the parasols or read a book in the drawing room. It has a lovely restaurant and pleasant bar, whilst the inner courtyard is a lovely place to sit and relax.

All rooms have a mini-bar, satellite TV and balconies or terraces. WiFi is available in public spaces and some rooms.


Room upgrades: Superior Room or Suite.


Extra nights: Please contact us for details.

Extending your stay

If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Hotel Lisboa Plaza, Lisbon

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Owned by the same family since 1953, the 4 star Hotel Lisboa Plaza is an imaginatively designed hotel, just off the famous Avenida da Liberdade. All rooms have en-suite marble floored bathrooms, air conditioning, satellite television, direct dial telephones, hairdryers and mini-bar. The public rooms are elegantly furnished and there is a pleasant bar and dining room.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Aldeia da Pedralva , Pedralva

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This is a magical place, a real find. In 2006 the village of Pedralva was a ruin with houses just left to rot by owners who no longer wanted to live in the countryside. However, Antonio Ferreira, after initially deciding to buy a couple of houses, eventually renovated 24 which have been beautifully restored to create 24 rooms. The village itself is surrounded by verdant nature parks and offers great walking and cycling possibilities. Food here is rustic Portuguese, simple in terms of ingredients but mouth watering in terms of quality, flavour and freshness.


Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.

Hotel Faro, Faro

Swimming Pool Icon NEARBY:

A modern 4 star hotel which boasts a superb location overlooking the fishing harbour and marina, just a short stroll from Faro's historic centre encircled by it's ancient Moorish city walls. There are fantastic views of the Ria Formosa National Park from the hotel's panoramic rooftop restaurant and bar. Other facilities include a small rooftop swimming pool and a fitness centre with sauna.

Travel

Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.

Reviews

Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.

Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.


Mr Slater, 06/11/2021

We had a lovely autumn break in the Algarve with excellent walks. Our accommodation was excellent in both locations. Our car supplied by Europcar was excellent too, although we did have to queue for an hour at Faro airport to collect it. As others have commented, most of the walks required a significant drive to reach the start, but we felt it was well worth it with the roads fairly empty on the whole. Overall an excellent trip.


Mrs Owen-Jones, 07/03/2020

Enjoyable as a walking and sightseeing holiday. The car gave us greater freedom to see the country. The walks were well way marked and the route notes were very accurate giving us some lovely days in beautiful scenery.


Mrs Mcculloch, 23/12/2019

The administration of our booking was poor and we were disappointed that we had to drive a fair distance to the start of each walk.

Headwater response:
Dear Mrs McCullough
Thank you for your review. I’m sorry to hear you had a poor booking experience, Our team take pride in delivering a great service from the booking process to the actual holiday. I'm sorry and regret that you feel that we missed the mark on this occasion. With any feedback we receive both positive and negative we will endeavor to make the necessary improvements.

Yours sincerely
Customer Services


Mr Evans, 09/11/2019

The holiday was easy to book and exactly as described in the brochure. The hotels were outstanding especially Hotel Memmo in Sagres which was faultless. There were lots of lovely walks although we found the distance we had to drive to some walks was excessive and therefore chose more local walks instead.


Mr Christy, 14/04/2018

Well-designed and highly enjoyable introduction to the delights of an Algarve Spring, with plenty of opportunities to sample the excellent food of the region


Mrs Smith, 17/03/2018

We really enjoyed our holiday, contrasting hotels and walks in the 2 centres made it feel like longer than a week. It was a shame that the swimming pool and spa weren't open at the first hotel as we were looking forward to using those facilities.


Mr Devey, 11/11/2017

A very enjoyable holiday



Dates and prices

You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.

This 7 night self-guided walking holiday includes:

Twin-centre accommodation in hotels

All breakfasts and 1 evening meal

Briefing at the start of your holiday

Comprehensive route directions provided prior to departure

Europcar Group B air-conditioned hire car included when booking a flight inclusive package


How to book:

To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.

To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.

  • Mar 2024
  • Apr 2024
  • May 2024
  • Jun 2024
  • Sep 2024
  • Oct 2024
  • Nov 2024
  • Dec 2024
DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
30th Mar 2024 US$1790 US$749 Tour only: US$1790
Single supp: US$749
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
6th Apr 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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13th Apr 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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20th Apr 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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27th Apr 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
4th May 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
Single supp: US$749
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11th May 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
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18th May 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
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25th May 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
Single supp: US$749
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
1st Jun 2024 US$2000 US$749 Tour only: US$2000
Single supp: US$749
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8th Jun 2024 US$2000 US$749 Tour only: US$2000
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15th Jun 2024 US$2000 US$749 Tour only: US$2000
Single supp: US$749
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
21st Sep 2024 US$2000 US$749 Tour only: US$2000
Single supp: US$749
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28th Sep 2024 US$2000 US$749 Tour only: US$2000
Single supp: US$749
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
5th Oct 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
Single supp: US$749
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12th Oct 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
Single supp: US$749
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19th Oct 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
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26th Oct 2024 US$1985 US$749 Tour only: US$1985
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
2nd Nov 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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9th Nov 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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16th Nov 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
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23rd Nov 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
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30th Nov 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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DepartingTour only Prices   Single supplement
7th Dec 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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14th Dec 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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21st Dec 2024 US$1970 US$749 Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: US$749
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28th Dec 2024 US$1970 Call us Tour only: US$1970
Single supp: Call us
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The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices and car hire are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.

Holiday details

Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices

Children
Please contact us for child prices.

Holiday type
Self-guided walking Managed by Headwater rep.

Departures
Every Saturday from 30th Mar 2024 to 28th Dec 2024, for 7 nights. All dates are subject to availability, please contact us to check.

Meals
All breakfasts and 1 evening meal

Other details
Car hire is included within the Flight inclusive prices and can be booked at a supplement for customers arranging their own flights.
No rep briefing or support is included on June or September departures.

Tailor-made travel

This holiday does not include any flights or rail.

How to book

To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.

If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.

To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'Check availability' button below.

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