MTSZ
MTSZ térképportál
Turista Magazin
TuristaShop
Kéktúra
Gerecse50
A kéktúrázás napja
Premium content
Hiking Trail
· Algarve
Guadiana Long-Distance Hiking Trail from Alcoutim to Vila Real de Santo António
-
View of the village of Laranjeiras © Franz Halbartschlager, Gerhard RußPhoto: Franz Halbartschlager, Gerhard Ruß, Rother Bergverlag
For about 50 km, the Guadiana River forms the border between the Algarve and Andalusia. The vast river valley lends the southeastern part of the country the unusual atmosphere of a remote border region. Somehow, time seems to have stood still here. Only a few villages lie along the riverbank, and the landscape conveys a sense of peace and seclusion. However, the landscape of the Baixo Guadiana (Lower Guadiana Valley) does change noticeably along the course of the long-distance hiking trail. In the north, the riverbanks are steep, and viewing platforms repeatedly offer vistas of the gently flowing river and the nearly deserted countryside. The closer you get to the mouth of the river, the flatter the riverbanks become and the denser the development. Thus, the hike along the “Grande Rota do Guadiana” is, in a way, also a journey through time: Alcoutim in the north, with its ancient castle ruins, epitomizes medieval defensive architecture along the river, while the Baroque planned city of Vila Real de Santo António near the Guadiana estuary has a sophisticated character, and the nearby beaches of Monte Gordo convey a very contemporary image of the Algarve.
Day 1: Alcoutim–Álamo; 6.15 hours/21.7 km; 540 m ascent and 510 m descentWe begin the hike at the small river port of Alc outim near the Estátua do Contrabandista (“Statue of the Smuggler”), where ferry rides to the other side of the river to Sanlúcar de Guadiana (Spain) are also available. The smuggler statue commemorates the illegal trade between Portugal and Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). On Rua de Município—between the tourist information office (on the left) and the Câmara Municipal (city hall, on the right)—we reach Praça da República, the main square of this charming little town. We cross it slightly to the right and then follow Rua de D. Fernando. Before the bridge over the Ribeira de Cadavais, a tributary of the Guadiana, we turn left onto Rua de D. Fernando, thus staying on the left side of the river valley. Of particular note is a series of large tile murals on the left, depicting traditional crafts of the region. About 150 m past the intersection before the
Localization
Already unlocked? Log in
Premium content Premium routes are provided by professional authors or publishers.
Rother is now a partner of Outdooractive for premium routes!
With Outdooractive Pro+ you now have full access to thousands of carefully researched and professionally described routes from the Rother hiking guides.
Rother Bergverlag is one of the most renowned specialist publishers of hiking literature in the German-speaking world. For over a hundred years, the publisher has been offering a large selection of hiking, trekking and ski tour guides that are renowned for their reliability and detailed information. The range includes classic Rother hiking guides with carefully researched route descriptions, altitude profiles, maps, GPS tracks and numerous tips on nature, culture and places to stop for refreshments. A wide variety of regions in Europe and the world are covered - from simple family outings to challenging high-altitude routes.
User Questions