writing and hiking in the sun
Portugal is a great place for walkers, particularly during the winter when it is generally mild and sunny. Spring and autumn are also good for hiking.
There are plenty of way-marked walks, ranging from long-distance trails like the Via Algarviana and the Rota Vicentina in the Algarve and the Portuguese Way from Lisbon or Porto.
Northern Portugal is more mountainous and is home to the Peneda-Gerês National Park, while the Silver Coast and Algarve provide hikers with some spectacular coastal scenery.
Inland, there are cork forests, eucalyptus groves, white-washed villages, lakes and rivers.
Many of the large Algarve hotels are practically empty in December (before the Christmas rush), which means we’ve grown used to sharing vast breakfast rooms with very few others. At Hotel São Sebastião De Boliqueime, we had the entire breakfast … Continued
This weekend’s hiking took us to Boliqueime, a small town about four miles inland which happens to have a railway station. Not that we planned to catch the train there. Harri had devised a scenic (and rather convoluted) hiking route … Continued
One of the nicest things about our hiking weekends is being able to feast like a king without feeling the slightest tinge of guilt. We might have enjoyed a fabulous meal (chicken in mango sauce) at Vimar Restaurante last night, but … Continued
To say we were a little bit excited about our first weekend away this winter would be an understatement. And while we enjoy exploring new places, we were delighted to be returning to two of our favourite Algarve resorts – Ferragudo … Continued
