Authentic Algarve: exploring Portugal beyond the beach

‘I never mind doing the same walk over and over again,” said our guide, Joana Almeida, crouching beside a cluster of flowers. “Each time, there are new things – these weren’t here yesterday.” Standing on stems at least two centimetres tall and starring the dirt with white petals, the fact these star of Bethlehem flowers sprung up overnight was a beautiful testament to how quickly things can grow and regenerate in this hilly, inland section of the Algarve, the national forest of Barão de São João. It was also reassuring to learn that in an area swept by forest fires in September, species such as strawberry trees (which are fire-resistant thanks to their low resin content) were beginning to bounce back – alongside highly flammable eucalyptus, which hinders other fire-retardant trees such as oak. Volunteers were being recruited to help with rewilding. Visitor numbers to the Algarve are growing, with 2024 showing an increase of 2.6% on the previous year – but most arrivals head straight for the beach, despite there being so much more to explore. The shoreline is certainly wild and dramatic but the region is also keen to highlight the appeal of its inland areas. With the development of year-round hiking and cycling trails, plus the introduction of nature festivals, attention is being drawn to these equally compelling landscapes, featuring mountains and dense woodlands. The Algarve Walking Season (AWS) runs a series of five walking festivals with loose themes such as “water” and “archaeology” between November and April. It’s hoped they will inspire visitors year round, boosting the local economy and helping stem the tide of younger generations leaving in search of work. Our visit to the national forest coincided with a weekend festival with the theme of “art”, focused on the white-washed village north-west of Barão de São João. As well as guided hikes, departing from the cultural centre, free events ranged from learning how to make natural coloured inks, to theatre workshops, tai chi and sketching. There were two photography exhibitions running plus several other child-friendly activities, such as leaf safaris and making bird-feeders. Even before our drop-in afternoon screen-printing session at the cultural centre our walk into the forest with Joana had the feeling of an art trail. Marked at the start by standing stones painted with images of traditional agricultural folk, it was studded en route with smaller, permanently placed stones depicting examples of wildlife, including hedgehogs and lynxes – the latter’s population reviving, thanks to a rehabilitation centre based in the castle town of Silves. As the trail wound up to its highest point, the menhir (standing stone) on the Pedra do Galo trail, it became more densely vegetated with the resinous scent of pine. There was a ripeness to the air and solid, amber-hued bubbles bulged from bark. Limestone glistened underfoot and tiny frogs sat by pond edges, throats pulsing. In the distance, wind turbines cartwheeled against the sky. Francisco Simões, our guide the following day, was again keen to point out these inland areas can be explored year-round. Waymarked hikes, established in recent years, are offshoots of the Via Algarviana, a route that stretches from the border with Spain for 186 miles, all the way to the Atlantic, and many are now linked to an app that makes navigation even easier. Francisco established ecotourism outfit Algarvian Roots in 2020 and offers experiences from birdwatching to full-day guided hikes, all with the same aims as the AWS: to promote the region by way of immersion, education and cultural awareness. The art connection is here, too – his mother, ceramicist Margarida Palma Gomes, had taught us to paint azulejos, the distinctive blue and white glazed tiles seen throughout the country, two days earlier on a festival workshop. Visits to her studio, as well as to a local potter, can also be arranged through Algarvian Roots. Francisco urged us to do our bit for the industry by drinking generous quantities of good wine sealed with cork After an excellent lunch of pork cheek and cabbage in A Charrette in Monchique, a pretty mountain town flanked by the Algarve’s two highest peaks, the 902-metre Fóia and 774-metre Picota, Francisco led us down steeply cobbled streets and into a side lane, where an older couple sunned themselves at the front of their home. A steep path took us into the woods, the ground strewn with acorns. Here, Francisco was eager to show us cork trees, Portugal’s national tree and legally protected since the 13th century. Not only are they naturally fire-resistant, but their pliable bark is a source of income for locals, who harvest it to sell to other industries, particularly wine making and construction. Each tree is marked with a number, denoting when it was last stripped, ensuring that the tree’s nine-year regenerative cycle is observed. Francisco has fears for the future of the cork trees – not only are screw-tops now commonly used on wine bottles, but harvesting skills are dying out, as the next generation choose different career paths. Smiling, he urged us to do our bit for the industry by drinking generous quantities of good wine sealed with cork. We agreed, not very grudgingly, to do our best. Earlier in the day, Francisco had shown us a wall covered in meticulously detailed azulejos depicting elements of traditional local life. One of these showed magusto, the annual festival where chestnuts are roasted on fires and shared by the community each November. This was perfect timing as, walking back into Monchique, strains of tinny, discordant music reached our ears, and a smell of smoke hung in the air. On arrival we were swept up by a multi-generational crowd, armed with cups of wine and thimblefuls of chestnut liqueur, as the nuts were roasted on glowing coals. Everyone swarmed around the firepits, brown paper bags in hand, and scooped their fill. Faces were wreathed with smiles and children shrieked excitedly; the music we’d winced at a few minutes earlier now had us dancing. It was a joyful, authentic celebration of local life and culture. A reminder of the rewards awaiting those who leave the coast behind and head inland – regardless of the season. The trip was provided by Visit Algarve. For more information about the Algarve Walking Season festivals and schedule of free festival events visit algarvewalkingseason.com