Real Algarve: Discovering Portugal Away from the Beach

I don’t dislike repeating the same walk again and again,” commented our guide, crouching next to a cluster of blossoms. “Every visit, you can spot different details – these weren’t present yesterday.”

Growing on shoots at least a couple of centimeters in height and adorning the soil with pale blossoms, the fact that these delicate blooms emerged in a single night was a striking proof of how swiftly things can regenerate in this hilly, inland area of the Algarve, the national forest of Barão de São João.

It was also comforting to find out that in an area swept by forest fires in September, varieties such as arbutus trees – which are fire-resistant due to their minimal resin – were commencing to recover, together with highly flammable eucalyptus, which obstructs other fire-retardant trees such as oak. Volunteers were being enlisted to participate with reforestation.

Tourist Figures and Upland Appeal

Visitor numbers to the Algarve are increasing, with this year showing an rise of 2.6% on the prior year – but the majority visitors head straight for the coast, even though there being far more to experience.

The shoreline is definitely untamed and breathtaking, but the locale is also keen to highlight the attraction of its inland areas. With the establishment of year-round walking and cycling trails, plus the launch of nature festivals, interest is being directed to these just as captivating vistas, featuring mountains and dense forests.

The Algarve Walking Season runs a set of several guided walk programs with loose themes such as “rivers and streams” and “archaeology” between the start of winter and the end of winter. It’s hoped they will motivate explorers in every season, boosting the local economy and aiding reduce the outflow of younger generations departing in quest of employment.

Culture and The Outdoors Blend

The trip to the protected parkland coincided with a weekend festival with the theme of “expression”, centered on the pale-colored community to the northwest of Barão de São João.

In addition to organized treks, departing from the community center, no-cost workshops included mastering how to make natural coloured inks, to drama classes, meditative movement and sketching. There were a couple of photography exhibitions available plus multiple other child-friendly pursuits, such as botanical explorations and making bird-feeders.

Before our casual daytime printmaking workshop at the community space, our stroll into the forest with Joana had the vibe of an creative path. Signposted at the beginning by standing stones painted with depictions of local farmers, it was dotted along the way with compact, permanently placed stones illustrating instances of fauna, including small mammals and lynxes – the latter’s population recovering, thanks to a conservation center located in the fortified settlement of Silves.

Breathtaking Paths and Wild Beauty

As the trail climbed to its peak, the menhir (standing stone) on the Pedra do Galo path, it became more thickly wooded with the resinous scent of evergreen. There was a ripeness to the breeze and hard, honey-toned bubbles swelled from wood. Calcareous stone shone underfoot and small frogs rested by pond edges, necks vibrating. In the distance, wind turbines cartwheeled against the horizon.

Francisco Simões, the tour leader the next day, was similarly enthusiastic to emphasize that these upland regions can be experienced throughout the year. Designated walks, developed in the last decade, are extensions of the Via Algarviana, a route that stretches from the border with Spain for 300 kilometers, continuously to the ocean, and several are now connected to an app that makes navigation even easier.

Sustainable Travel and Artistic Opportunities

Francisco established ecotourism outfit Algarvian Roots in the recent past and organizes tours from avian observation to day-long guided hikes, all with the same goals as the AWS: to promote the locale by way of engagement, enlightenment and local understanding.

The art connection is present, too – his family member, ceramicist Margarida Palma Gomes, had guided us to paint azulejos, the characteristic traditional colored glazed tiles found all over the nation, two days earlier on a event class. Tours to her atelier, along with to a local potter, can also be scheduled through Algarvian Roots.

Francisco urged us to do our bit for the trade by consuming generous quantities of quality vintage sealed with cork

Following an delicious midday meal of meat dish and vegetable in A Charrette in Monchique, a quaint mountain town flanked by the Algarve’s most elevated summits, the 902-meter Fóia and 774-meter Picota, Francisco led us down steeply cobbled streets and into a alleyway, where an senior duo relaxed in the sun at the doorstep of their home.

A steep track led us into the woods, the earth scattered with acorns. At this spot, Francisco was keen to point out oak trees, Portugal’s national tree and safeguarded by law since the 13th century. Not just are they inherently fire-resistant, but their pliable outer layer is a means of livelihood for inhabitants, who gather it to trade to other {industries|sectors