Fishermen's Trail from Aljezur to Arrifana
5 h 30 · 16.9 kmFit hikers; not for small childrenSeptember – June; in summer, only by starting early
Route · 5–6 hrs · 17 km · Sand and cliff
Stay3–5 nights
AccessCar from Faro or Huelva
Getting aroundCar; few buses
Best timeApr – Jun · Sep – Oct
What to do
What to do in Costa Vicentina
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Surf lesson at Arrifana beach
2 hBeginners who can swimMay – October on the beach
Surf · 2–3 hrs · Beginners · From €45
From €45
See the activity
Praia de Odeceixe, between the River Seixe and the sea
4 hFamilies with small childrenJune – September for swimming
The northernmost beach of the Algarve, at the mouth of the Seixe: a calm river for children and open sea, which changes shape with the tide.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from Huelva · 2 h 30
Plan the trip
Costa Vicentina, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Costa Vicentina
April, May, June, September and October: good light for walking, flowers on the cliffs in spring and slightly less cold water in autumn. In summer the beaches are still wide, but the trail has no shade. In winter the storms arrive, with the best waves for experienced surfers.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Costa Vicentina your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
The Costa Vicentina by car, beach to beach
The coast is long and the beaches lie at the end of minor roads: a car lets you link Odeceixe, Arrifana, Amado and Sagres in a weekend. From Huelva it is two and a half hours to Sagres by the A22, which has had no toll since 1 January 2025.
80–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayPousada Sagres, facing the fortress…
- Getting aroundA22 to Lagos and N125…
- Where to eatThe restaurants of the two…
- ServicesThe A22 has been free…
Where to stay
- Pousada Sagres, facing the fortress, with free parking
- Memmo Baleeira, above Sagres harbour
Getting around
- A22 to Lagos and N125 to Sagres; N268 north to Carrapateira and Aljezur
- Car parks beside the beaches: in summer they fill before 11:00
Where to eat
- The restaurants of the two hotels, with sea views
Services
- The A22 has been free since 2025; other Portuguese motorways still have electronic tolls, so check how to pay if you carry on to Lisbon on the A2
Sagres with views, spa and sunset
The south-western tip of Portugal has two well-kept places looking out to sea. Sleeping in Sagres lets you watch the sunset at the cape without a road home.
From €180per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayMemmo Baleeira, with sea-facing suites…
- Getting aroundTen minutes by car to…
- Where to eatThe Fornaria at Memmo Baleeira…
- ServicesSea and cycling experiences at…
Where to stay
- Memmo Baleeira, with sea-facing suites and spa
- Pousada Sagres, facing the fortress, with a pool
Getting around
- Ten minutes by car to Cape St Vincent
Where to eat
- The Fornaria at Memmo Baleeira, with a wood-fired oven
- Viagem aos Sabores, at the pousada
Services
- Sea and cycling experiences at Memmo Baleeira
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Costa Vicentina for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
The Costa Vicentina with children, beach by beach
It is a wild coast, so with children everything depends on choosing the beach of the day. Those with a river or a sheltered bay work; open ones with a big sea do not. The lighthouses and cliffs do the rest.
- What works bestOdeceixe, with calm fresh river…
- Where to sleepOdeceixe or Aljezur, near the…
- Where to eatFish and goose barnacles at…
- Keep in mindSwim only at lifeguarded beaches…
What works best
- Odeceixe, with calm fresh river water beside the sea
- A surf lesson at Arrifana for children who already swim well
- Sagres Fortress and Cape St Vincent, with the lighthouse and the wind
Where to sleep
- Odeceixe or Aljezur, near the northern beaches
- Sagres, for the cape and the southern beaches
Where to eat
- Fish and goose barnacles at the restaurants in Sagres and Carrapateira
- A picnic: many beaches have no bar
Keep in mind
- Swim only at lifeguarded beaches: there are strong currents
- On the cliffs, hold hands: there are no fences
- The Fishermen's Trail is best in short stretches with children
What to do as a family
The Costa Vicentina for teenagers, waves and trail
Here the plan is active: learning to surf for a few days and walking a stage of the Fishermen's Trail. It gives them a physical challenge and that end-of-the-world landscape you remember.
- What works bestSurf lessons at Arrifana, in…
- Where to sleepAljezur or Arrifana, next to…
- Where to eatSandwiches for the route: between…
- Keep in mindFor surfing you need to…
What works best
- Surf lessons at Arrifana, in a group of 2 or 3 hours
- Watching the good surfers at Amado on a big-sea day
- A stage of the Fishermen's Trail, from Aljezur to Arrifana
Where to sleep
- Aljezur or Arrifana, next to the beach and the trail
Where to eat
- Sandwiches for the route: between villages there is nothing
Keep in mind
- For surfing you need to swim confidently
- The trail is 17 km of sand: they should wear good shoes and carry water
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingin style
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Memmo Baleeira
Why we like it: A hotel above the Baleeira harbour in Sagres, with sea-facing rooms and suites, a spa with an indoor pool and a wood-oven restaurant.
Pousada Sagres
Why we like it: A hotel on Ponta da Atalaia, opposite the Sagres fortress, with sea-view rooms, an outdoor pool and free parking. Small dogs allowed.
From €84
View details
Barranco da Fonte
Why we like it: Family rural guesthouse in Alfambras, inside the natural park, with six houses with kitchens, four suites, a pool, a hot tub, padel and a restaurant. The Rota Vicentina passes in front.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Costa Vicentina
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Quarenta & Quatro Restaurant
What to order: if you are walking, an orange juice and a slice of almond tart; for a proper meal, order the cataplana or the monkfish rice in advance.
Várzea Horta & Bistrot
What to order: the pork cheeks or the prawns à Brás, and for dessert the Aljezur sweet potato bonbon.
Roots Aljezur
What to order: the sweet potato waffles and a fresh juice; for lunch, a salad or the soup of the day.
Nearby
Near Costa Vicentina
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the sea before choosing a beach
With a north wind, look for sheltered beaches such as Arrifana. With a big sea, Amado is not for learning.
- 2Walk in the morning
Before midday the wind is lighter and the sun less harsh on the cliff.
- 3Sunset at Cape St Vincent
Arrive early and bring a coat: it fills up and the wind always blows.
Swimming outside the lifeguarded beaches
The Atlantic currents here are strong. At Odeceixe, watch out too for the river current when the tide goes out.
How do you get there from Spain?
By car. From Seville, via Huelva and the Algarve motorway as far as Lagos, and from there north on the coast road towards Aljezur: about three and a half hours. If you fly, the nearest airport is Faro, a little over an hour from Aljezur. From Lisbon it is about three hours south.
How do you get around the coast?
With your own car. The villages (Odeceixe, Aljezur, Carrapateira, Vila do Bispo, Sagres) are linked by an inland road and you reach each beach by a turn-off. Buses exist but are few, so for the Fishermen's Trail the practical thing is to leave a car at each end or come back by taxi. Motorhomes face strict rules inside the natural park: stay overnight only in authorised areas.
What should you book in advance?
Surf lessons in summer, and accommodation in July and August, which is scarce because there is hardly any building. The trail does not need booking, but in spring many walkers do it in stages and the end-of-stage accommodation fills up.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you do the Fishermen's Trail in individual stages?
Yes. Aljezur – Arrifana, of about 17 km, is a good one-day stage. If you want something short, do Aljezur – Monte Clérigo and swim there.
Where can you learn to surf?
At Arrifana, a sheltered bay with a sandy bottom. Arrifana Surf School has a hut on the beach from May to October and group lessons from €45.
Is it a good destination with children?
Yes, if you choose the beaches well: Odeceixe has the river for the little ones, and surfing at Arrifana works with children who swim well.
Is it too cold to swim?
The Atlantic water here is cool even in August. In September and October it is a little warmer.
Where should you sleep?
In Aljezur or Odeceixe for the north and in Sagres or Vila do Bispo for the south. Carrapateira is in the middle, near Amado and Bordeira. In Sagres, the Pousada Sagres and the Memmo Baleeira; in the middle, at Alfambras, the houses with pools at Barranco da Fonte.