A 450 km network of walking and cycling trails has opened to give greater access to the best-preserved coastline of the Algarve.
The new routes will bring the Rota Vicentina's pedestrian trails to 740km in total, including the Fisherman's trail, the Historical Way, and 24 additional circular routes.
As part of the expansion the new sections of the routes are currently being traced and fully marked in both directions.
New updated maps, leaflets, itineraries and brochures on the new routes are also being prepared and will be ready to be handed over to visitors at launch.
The Fisherman's Trail
The Fisherman's trail, a coastal hiking trail, will be extended from its current ending point at Cabo St Vicente to the town of Lagos, allowing hikers to discover more of the southern coast of the Algarve and to explore towns such as Sagres and Luz on their way.
The path is only accessible to hikers due to its rugged terrain and runs on top of stunning rugged cliffs along the ancestral path's locals took when going fishing.
It is divided into several sections and complimentary circuits, allowing visitors to vary the length and difficulty of their journey as they wish.
The Historical Way
The Historical Way is a 230 km path accessible to both cyclists and hikers, which takes visitors through the main towns and villages of the Algarvian countryside away from the coast.
Its 12 sections offer a wide variety of landscapes, such as stretches of cork tree forests, mountain ranges, valleys, rivers and creeks.
Along the way visitors can explore towns such as Aljezur and Bordeira before ending their course in Cabo St Vicente, the southernmost point in Europe.
Circular Routes
Sixteen circular routes will also be added to Rota Vicentina, bringing their total number to 24.
These routes are located in various part of the Algarve and are much shorter that the Fisherman's Trail and Historical Way, making them ideal for visitors looking to complete them in less than a day.
These new routes include a path to explore the area around Vila do Bispo alongside existing routes such as Bordeira to the Sea, which takes visitors from the historical village of Bordeira to the coastline through the pine forest of Bordalete.
The Algarve Tourism Bureau hasintroduced a dedicated website to walking and cycling in the Algarve.