Section 4 begins in Portimão, a city located at the Arade River’s mouth. Portimão is famous for its beautiful sandy beaches with peaceful and inviting waters.
Don’t forget to check out the Chapel of São José and the impressive Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição.
If you want a relaxing break, you can sit under the trees in Visconde Bivar Garden or enjoy a leisurely walk along the waterfront promenade by the Marina, which is lively both during the day and at night.
Rocha Beach is about three kilometers from the city center and is one of the most famous beaches in the Algarve. If you go to the high spots at either end of the beach, like Três Castelos in the west or the Fortress of St Catherine of Ribamar near the Arade River, you can see a beautiful view of the coastline from Ponta João d’Arens to Ponta do Altar. It’s especially lovely during the late afternoon when the sun sets.
The beaches, surrounded by rough rocks, make the landscape look even more beautiful. This sequence finishes at Alvor Beach and its estuary, which is a significant area for watching water birds. You can also explore a path in Quinta da Rocha.
After traveling 25 kilometers, you’ll reach the final destinations, Lagos, which has beautiful sculptures created by the waves, sparkling caves, many beaches next to orange cliffs like Camilo Beach, and long sandy shores like Meia Praia Beach. The white houses scattered in the green countryside make Lagos a very charming place in the Algarve region.
This section is part of the Algarve Ecovia, a 214-kilometer-long cycle path that links Vila Real de Santo António (Section 1) to Sagres (Section 5), passing through 12 municipalities along the southern coastal strip of the Algarve.
Comments: Section 4