The section starts in the city of Portimão. Located on the Arade River, Portimão is known for its excellent sandy beaches with warm and calm waters.
You shouldn’t miss the simply styled São José Alcalar Chapel and the imposing Nossa Senhora da Conceição Church built on top of a hill, and standing out in the city’s skyline.
For a break in your meanderings, it’s best to rest in the shade of the trees of the Manuel Bivar Garden to see the fishing boats and pleasure craft sail past. Or on the promenade beside the Marina, one of the liveliest parts of the city both by day and by night.
About 3 kilometers from the center, Praia da Rocha is perhaps the best known of the Algarve beaches. In this beach was built the Santa Catarina de Ribamar Fortress. Praia da Rocha Fortress provides today an excellent view over the city, the river and the sea, which accquires a special charm in the evening, in the light of the setting sun.
The beaches, some smaller, some bigger, but always framed by jagged cliffs that adorn the landscape. This sequence ends in the long sandy beach of Alvor and its estuary, important lagoon area for bird watching.
Following journey arrives to the city of Lagos, which is more than worth visit its churches, museums, the castle and the walls where one can witness beautiful sights over the town, the bay and mountain range of Monchique. The Ponta da Piedade is one of the magical spots in the country and also the beaches of this region are considered to be some of the most beautiful in this side of Algarve. You can also stroll through the beautiful Lagos Marina, where you can visit the “Caravela da Boa Esperança”, an approximate replica of the caravel of the Portuguese Discoveries.
It is in this section, specifically in Burgau, begins the area of the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, which extends to the Section 6 in São Torpes (Sines).
On arrival at Sagres, where ends the section, heritage and places to visit highlight the various megalithic monuments, the tip and the Sagres Fortress and the Biodiversity Station on the Boca do Rio beach.
This section is part of the Ecovia do Algarve, a 214 kilometers cycling route that connects Vila Real de Santo António (Section 1) to Cabo de São Vicente (Section 3), crossing 12 counties along the southern coastline of the Algarve.
Comments: Section 3