Alentejo - Portugal's Beautiful Beaches
and the Rota Vincentina hiking trails along the coast and interior
In May, my wife and I celebrated 21 years together, 16 years of marriage, one year of having our Portuguese residency cards, and the successful completion of our A2 Portuguese language exam.
With so many good things to celebrate, we decided to plan a trip to the Alentejo, an area in Portugal known for having the most beautiful beaches in Europe. We chose to stay a few minutes inland so that we could also experience wide open spaces with plenty of cork trees, holm oaks and songbirds.
For this trip, we focused on seeing several beaches along the western coast. First, we visited Zambujeira do Mar, which is a small coastal village on a cliff. At the foot of the cliff is a stunningly beautiful beach. Several flights of wooden steps lead to the beach. Although Zambujeira is one of the more popular beaches in the Alentejo, since we visited in May before the vacation season starts, it was almost empty.
In Zambujeira and other coastal towns, there are plenty of cafes and dining spots to find something for lunch or dinner. We chose a cafe that had a view of the ocean.
At the cafe, we noticed hikers who had their backpacks with them. During our lunch, we watched these hikers walk along the calçada and down the steps towards the ocean. After we left the cafe, we followed this same trail. The trail was part of the Rota Vincentina, a series of hiking trails that cover 750 km in southwest Portugal.
The specific portion of the trail we walked was part of the Fishermen’s Trail, which consists of 226.5 km of trails along the coast. Much of the path is sandy and runs along the cliffs.
During our stay in the Alentejo, most of the hikers we saw were women. Some were hiking solo, others walked in pairs. The hikers appeared to range in age from their 20s through, perhaps, their 60s. We heard multiple languages spoken. Although some hikers were from Portugal, many were not. Each day when we walked through the coastal villages and on a very short segment of the Rota Vincentina, we saw perhaps 20 hikers.
I marvelled at how quickly hikers could scale the sandy paths and how easily they seemed to navigate narrow cobblestone walkways. Is it possible our classes and workouts in the gym back home would prepare us for a walking vacation of up to 20 km a day? Our weekly hiking club usually hikes 9 km trails and that has been plenty for us. What would it take to improve our fitness levels to take on a longer hike?
Do you have a favorite European trail you’ve hiked during a vacation? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. I would particularly appreciate hearing about long trails in beautiful areas, where the trails have an easy to moderate level of difficulty.
We paused our short hiking efforts in order to visit the Chocolates de Beatriz shop in Odemira. Located on a hill overlooking the Mira River, the chocolate shop is an absolutely delightful place to enjoy small batch artisanal chocolates, listen to songbirds, and take in the beauty of the Mira River. While sitting on the terrace, we could also see the red roofs in the small town of Odemira, and appreciate the fruit trees and flowers surrounding the cafe.
For just a few euros, I had a coffee and sampled three dark chocolates. I chose the ginger; sesame seeds; and the piri piri chili. All were superb. I’m sure I would have been equally satisfied with the dark chocolate squares with sea salt, almonds or raspberries. I bought chocolate to take home with us, because I wanted so much to keep this calm place with me.
For our celebratory vacation, we chose to stay at Vale das Estrelas, an off-grid resort which has just opened in the Alentejo. The eco-resort has its own water and its own electricity, which are not connected to the grid. Our casa at the resort was sparkling clean, quiet and light-filled. The back porch where we enjoyed our coffee in the morning was lined with rosemary and lavender plants. Additionally, our little casa had a beautiful view of the valley.
Recommendations
Vale das Estrelas - We 100% recommend Vale das Estrelas for anyone wanting to explore the Alentejo region in the southwest of Portugal. This lovely off-grid resort is just 15-25 minutes from several beautiful beaches. The co-owners are a lovely couple and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them. They know so much about the area and their recommendations helped us make the most of our stay.
Rota Vincentina - The Rota Vincenta includes 750 km of hiking trails in southwest Portugal. These trails include the coastal Fisherman’s Trails; the Historical Trail, which covers inland areas; and Circular Routes, which include areas by the sea as well as interior trails. When planning a hike, keep in mind one’s own tolerance for heat. Even though there is usually a breeze on the coast, the Alentejo gets quite hot in the summer.
Chocolates de Beatriz - If you are close to Odemira, stop by this chocolate shop and try one of its dark chocolate creations!
Vegetarian Recipe Worth Trying
This Roasted Eggplant With Crispy Chickpeas and Cashew Sauce recipe makes an ideal summer lunch. I love the combination of the orange and lemon zest and juice plus the tahini and cashew cream in the sauce. The crispy chickpeas and the fresh eggplant, roasted well, with the flavorful sauce is a light, but satisfying meal. I’ve included a gift link for the recipe. I encourage you to give this a try.
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