Fishermen's Trail hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Fishermen's Trail (Trilho dos Pescadores) is the coastal walking route of the Rota Vicentina, a network of trails in south-west Portugal. It follows the paths that local people use to reach the beaches and their fishing spots, mostly along the top of the cliffs, and almost all of it lies in the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park. The official trail is 226.5 km long in 13 one-day stages, from Praia de São Torpes near Sines to Lagos in the Algarve. It is a single, narrow footpath, open to walkers only, and it is waymarked in both directions.

The route

The first five stages follow the Alentejo coast. From the beach at São Torpes the trail goes by road and beach to the white village of Porto Covo, then along a long sandy day past Ilha do Pessegueiro and the dune beaches of Aivados and Malhão to Vila Nova de Milfontes at the mouth of the Mira river. After crossing the Mira by the road bridge it continues to Almograve, then over the dark cliffs of Cabo Sardão, with its lighthouse and nesting storks, to Zambujeira do Mar. The next day passes small coves and the fishing harbour of Azenha do Mar and ends in Odeceixe, on the Seixe stream, which is the border between the Alentejo and the Algarve.

In the Algarve the trail goes inland through fields to Aljezur, back to the sea at Arrifana, and then over the highest cliffs of the route (about 160 m) to Carrapateira. From there it crosses the beaches of Amado and Murração to Vila do Bispo, follows the cliff tops to the lighthouse on Cabo de São Vicente and reaches Sagres. The last three stages turn east along the south coast, past coves and old forts, to Salema, Luz and finally the train station in Lagos. Some sections share the path with the inland Historical Way, which is marked in red and white.

This guide follows the official route as mapped on OpenStreetMap and splits it into 13 stages, about 17.1 km each. The total climb is only about 2,700 m, but the trail goes up and down into many small valleys, and the deep sand makes it slower than the numbers suggest.

Highlights

• Ilha do Pessegueiro and the dunes of Malhão: a small island just off the beach, then kilometres of empty dune beaches
• Cabo Sardão: a lighthouse on high cliffs, where white storks nest on rock stacks above the sea, which is very unusual for storks
• Odeceixe: the view from Ponta em Branco over the beach and the mouth of the Seixe stream
• The Ribat of Arrifana: the remains of a 12th-century Islamic fortress-convent, the only known ribat in Portugal
• Cabo de São Vicente: the south-west corner of Europe, which ancient sailors called the end of the known world (Finis Terrae)
• Ponta da Piedade: golden limestone cliffs, arches and a lighthouse finished in 1913, just before Lagos

When to walk the Fishermen's Trail

Rota Vicentina recommends walking from September to June. July and August are very hot, often over 30 °C, there is almost no shade, the beaches are full and many places ask for a minimum stay of several nights. Autumn is mild, the sea is still warm and the wind is lighter. Winter is the wettest season, but daytime temperatures rarely fall below 11 °C. In spring the coastal plants flower, with the peak from March to June. Wind and sea swell can be strong in any season, so check the forecast before beach crossings. Ticks are common from spring to late autumn.

How many days do you need?

The official plan has 13 one-day stages of about 10 to 23 km, so most people need 13 days for the whole trail, or more with rest days. Because of the sand, plan on about 4 km an hour or less. Fit walkers sometimes join the two short first and last stages to the next stage (for example São Torpes to Vila Nova de Milfontes, or Salema to Lagos). Many people walk only one part, such as Porto Covo to Odeceixe in the Alentejo, or Odeceixe to Sagres on the wild west coast of the Algarve. The trail is waymarked both ways, but walking north to south keeps the usual north-west wind at your back.

Getting there and logistics

Lisbon and Faro are the nearest airports. There are no passenger trains on the coast. Rede Expressos buses (and some FlixBus services) run from Lisbon, mainly from Sete Rios, to Porto Covo in about 2 hours 40 minutes. Rede Expressos also links Porto Covo with Aljezur and Lagos along the coast, so you can get back to your start; check rede-expressos.pt for the stops and times on your dates. Buy tickets in advance, because they are not always sold on the bus. Lagos, at the end, has a train station on the Algarve line. Local buses are rare, so Rota Vicentina partners offer taxis (from about 1 € per km) and luggage transfers between stages.

You sleep in guesthouses, hostels, small hotels and campsites in the villages. Wild camping, sleeping outside and fires are forbidden in the Natural Park. There are ATMs in most stage towns, but some stages have no shop or café at all, so carry at least 1.5 litres of water and food for the day. Since September 2025 the Zambujeira do Mar – Odeceixe stage follows a new, permanent route over a wooden bridge at the Ribeira das Cobras, because the old path was at risk of landslides.

Difficulty

Rota Vicentina rates the trail as somewhat difficult. About 60 to 70% of it is sand, often deep and soft, which is tiring, especially between Porto Covo and Almograve. The path is narrow and often runs close to the edge of eroding cliffs, so it is not recommended for people with vertigo, and children need close watching. There is little shade or water, and the wind can be strong. On some beach crossings (Bordeira, Amado, Murração and Boca do Rio) you must take a signed inland alternative when the sea is rough or the tide is high. A few short sections follow road verges. Bikes are not allowed on the trail, groups are limited to 15 people, and dogs should be kept on a lead. In an emergency call 112.

History

For centuries people on this coast lived from the sea and the land. Fishermen and goose-barnacle (percebes) collectors walked narrow paths along the cliff tops to reach their fishing spots, and these paths are the base of the trail. The Rota Vicentina was launched in May 2012 with two long routes, the Historical Way and the Fishermen's Trail, led by the Casas Brancas Association with the local councils and many partners; the Rota Vicentina Association was created in July 2013 to run it. By 2021 the network had grown to 750 km of trails, with the Fishermen's Trail at 226.5 km in 13 sections. The trail ends in Lagos, the port where Portugal's voyages of discovery began six centuries ago.