Fisherman’s Trail is praised for its dramatic coastal scenery, with paths that provide access to secret beaches and fishing spots. Some sections may be challenging because of the dunes and sandy beaches or the detours around cliffs; however, this is a trail that anyone might want to see at least once in their lifetime.

The Fishermen’s Trail, with a total of 226,5 km, is actually part of a larger hiking system, Rota Vicentina. This single-track trail can be done exclusively on foot. It is rated as moderate, but can become quite difficult in some sections due to the varied coastal landscape, strong winds and scorching sun, and, in a way, the lack of signage or rather intuitive in places. It can be done in 13 one-day stages, you can find more information here.  Each section of the trail is representative for this spectacular area as a whole. From fossilized dunes, to hidden coves and fine sandy beaches, all the colourful rocks and cliffs and biodiversity are a blast for the eyes and soul.

The extensive Rota Vicentina hiking trail network combines the Fishermen’s Trail, the Historical Way and 24 Circular Routes, totaling 750 km of hiking paths. Although most of the trail runs along the coast, there are additional trails that run through some corners of the countryside and the nearby mountains, but without losing sight of the coast and the sea. If you plan on taking your bike, you can also go biking, but you should consider the sections created specifically for mountain biking (and not only) of the Rota Vincentina.

As much as we would have loved to hike the entire trail, we only managed to walk small sections of the Fisherman’s Trail, so we were able to see the wide variety of scenery this coast has to offer. Each corner offered a new perspective, one view after the other, and I could not decide which one was my favourite. The more rugged the cliffs were, the more interesting views we found. Here are my favourite sections of our walks:

Almograve Hike

We had a bit of a hiccup once we arrived in Almograve. All the instructions we found online and on the main local signboard directed us to start the trail at the roundabout (the beginning of Avenida da Praia). After walking back and forth for about an hour, we decided that the end of Avenida da Praia is actually the correct parking lot and where our trailhead was located.

The plan to walk to Zambujeira do Mar was ruined, as it was already late, and we wasted some extra time figuring out which direction to take. But the blue sky gave us some hope, and letting our worries go with the wind, we vigorously began our walk south.

Read more: Cabo da Roca, the westernmost hiking trail in Portugal

As soon as we started seeing the various rock formations we got immersed in the nature. After no more than a kilometer, we started seeing more and more interesting rocks, faults and a lot of flysches, a type of sedimentary rock formation consisting of mixed, soft and hard layered deposits. Walking along the coast south of Almograve is a continuous series of breathtaking views and various rock formations. A natural geology textbook for nerds, I would say, where history left its mark over the past 300 million years.

The small sandy beaches are not always accessible, as they are well hidden by protective coves, but they provide nice refuges for scattered rocks, where birds occasionally rest. The calm breeze blowing in my face and the sound of the soothing waves made the day perfect for hiking and for daydreaming too. While the seagulls were resting safely on large rocks in the distance, and the bees were buzzing around a few Rosemary bushes enjoying their fulfilling lunch, I could not believe how beautiful this rugged shore was, with all the refreshing shades of blue in the background.

Read more: A hike to remember: Pico to Pico

I realized how much I missed the reassuring presence of the breeze and it was so good to hear the relaxing lullaby of the dancing waves once again.

We really enjoyed being the only people on the trail, until we passed some huts and intersected with some long-distance hikers coming from the opposite direction. After a little while we decided to return, as the scenery was getting less and less picturesque.

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Ponta da Piedade

Ponta da Piedade is part of the last section of the Fishermen’s Trail, from Luz to Lagos, where bizarre cliffs of various colours catch the hiker’s gaze with disbelief. You won’t forget soon, or perhaps never, the various shades of orange, red, white, ocher and black, contrasting with the variety of blues of the ocean and the sky.

The cliffs of the Ponta da Piedade (Piety Point) are located 3 km south of Lagos and are some of the most remarkable cliffs along Fishermen’s Trail. More than twenty million years of erosion created them and we came here to walk among them.

Read more: Discovering Laurissilva forest: Levada do Caldeirao Verde

From Ponta da Piedade lighthouse we followed the boardwalk west until we reached the Miradouro da Praia do Canavial. Here the boardwalk is pretty much ending, so we returned, taking in more views. The interesting network of fractures and cavities, the arches, caves and sea stacks, as well as the entire karst relief offer a splendid view, always similar, but never the same. The constant coastal erosion created a high instability of the adjacent cliffs, reason a cliff-top boardwalk has been built. Several viewing platforms offer amazing views along the coast and we realized shortly why this place is so popular.

There is no feeling like standing so close to the edge of Ponda da Piedade cliffs, renowned for their splendour and beauty. We were fascinated by how the badlands found place and began to grow, but it is no wonder, as it seems that this entire area meets the perfect conditions, such as strong winds, sparse vegetation, heavy rainfall and/or waves.

Read more: Hiking the Dragon’s tail: Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço

On the way back we headed towards the cliffs where the boardwalk descends to the base, and I felt adventurous enough to descend all 180 steps down to the bottom of the Ponta da Piedade. A few boats were cruising around the scattered sea stacks, and one of them even had the nerve to pass under the sea arches as well. We continued our walk, following the changing golden hues while the sun was setting over the horizon.

It was hard to say goodbye, but we soon headed to Lagos, ready for dinner, where we ended another memorable day!

Tip(s) of the day:

*The easiest way to visit the region is by car, but if you walk one-way each day, you may need to make arrangements for the return trip. Ponta da Piedade is close to Lagos and easier to access, but much more crowded;

* Avoid hiking near the cliffs, sinkholes or when wet and wear good footwear;

*The weather can be unpredictable, dress appropriately, especially wear a hat and sunscreen, as the scorching sun can be merciless if you hike all day long.

*If you like Algarve and want to further explore more walking routes, the Via Algarviana is a great option.  There are many complementary short distance walking paths in addition to the long-distance routes; here is a lovely one from Jo, you can check it out for yourself: Passadicos do Barranco do Demo.

~ visited in February 2025