Walking Portugal's Costa Vicentina

This was a wonderful walk and the views and flowers were outstanding. The food was overall very good, most of the hotels bar one was very welcoming, and the picnics better than some Inntravel holidays we have been on! The walking was not difficult in terms of ascents and descents, but the sand underfoot was quite tiring. We saw that some people were wearing lightweight gaiters that were designed to keep sand out of their boots and these would have been a good tip. 

The Costa Vicentina is a beautiful and interesting coastal route, with lovely wildflowers and birdlife (white storks). The authentic portuguese hotels were comfortable and the food was excellent, with the Herdade do Touril and Tres Marias being the highlights.

After a few niggles with the booking, a great, well organised holiday in a beautiful part of the world. Some of the accomodation and food on route was fantastic which in turn made it clear that some of the others needed to improve to get to a similar standard. Overall though, a great holiday

Costa Vincentina...

The walking was probably easier than we expected (it was our first holiday with Inntravel) - we'd expected it to be something like the South West coast path with plenty of ups & downs.  Most of the path is pretty level on a plateau a couple of hundred of feet above sea lavel with drops to a beach just once or twice a day.  There was a lot of sand but as it was level and never deep so it was not too exhausting although by day 5 we were finding it rather hard work.

Hotel Solar do Costelo, Lisbon...

A fantastic hotel - 100% recommended.

We had lunch at Sao Jorge restaurant just by the Baixa elevator - we'd recommend the cod with eggs & straw potatoes

This was another well thought out trip by Inntravel.  Although it was challenging to walk on sand 80% of the time, the coastal views were stunning and the spring flowers beautiful.  It was a delight to see storks nesting on sea stacks and in flight.  The arrangements for collection of luggage went smoothly and we were welcomed wherever we went.  The food was generally excellent with a special mention for Tres Marias where the accommodation was also superb and spacious.  

Individually the walks were scenic and interesting. Collectively, it became a little boring to see so many cliffs, so many bays with breaking waves and so much sand. Your notes promised much but the reality was different. I think you would do well to give it all a big shake.

Among the highlights of this trip for us (a couple from Canada in our later '60's) were the astounding natural beauty of the dramatic cliffs and high seas, the intrepid storks on their precarious nesting sites, the abundance of colourful wildflowers in the golden dunes and the hospitality of our hosts. Everything about this holiday was just as described in the InnTravel brochure. The weather for the first half of the holiday was cool, extremely wet and windy (repeatedly said to be most unusual weather for the latter part of March) and yet this did not detract from our enjoyment, especially as a warm, dry welcome awaited us at the end of each day. We definitely concur with other reviewers regarding the challenges of walking on soft sand for  prolongued periods. Ankle gaiters to keep sand out of your boots/shoes and at least one hiking pole to help propel you through the sand and navigate some descents are highly recommended by us. As our experience has always been, the "back office" client service team at InnTravel were top-notch. Thank you for a memorable holiday.

A great week of walking on the Rota Vicentina. Stunning coastal scenery, with amazing cliffs, beaches and seascapes. We even saw a few storks, even though we were definitely at the wrong time of year for them. The hotels were generally good, and a couple were stunning. The route was well waymarked and easy to follow - would recommend Mapy.cz as a good app to help with the navigation. Overall, a very enjoyable week!

 We had a great holiday.  The accomodation was excellent and the staff at each location were very friendly and helpful.  I really can't think of anything negative to say.  The walking was through beautiful coastal scenery and about the right distance each day. 

All the walks were very worthwhile with exceptional coastal scenery. A lovely area to explore with good hotels, great food and friendly local people.

All in all an very good trip with good places to stay thatnoffered good breakfasts and dinners

This is a really fantastic walk in a wonderful unspoilt part of Portugal. Excellent variety of freiendly small hotels all with great food - Tres Marias in particular is an amazing place and a suberb place to unwind at the end. Whilst all the walks are reasonably level there is a lot of walking on very deep and in late Summer dry sand. which in the heat can be quiet draining - the final day @20k is very challenging as such a large % is on soft sand - definitely not a moderate day although overall moderate is a fair rating, specially as the way-marking on the route is so good. Added on a few extra days in Faro which would recommend - interesting city with good restaurants and lovely beach accessible via the ferry 

Overall a very enjoyable holiday with a good variety of walks and accommodation.  We had an extra night at Herdade de Touril which we really enjoyed.  It was our favourite hotel with the best food and also the warmest pool.  We also enjoyed feeding the donkey and goats. :)  We extended our stay with a couple of nights in Faro which I would also recommend if you have the time.  

The Vicentina hike offers a great view of the Portuguese southern coast - away from the touristy places and crowds. The views along the coast are spectacular; at times breadth taking. September is ideal - the weather was very nice, warm, and dry. We still saw lots of flowers and flowering bushes. While the hiking was a little challenging a couple of times (sand, descent, low bushes were at times very difficult for the tall person in group (193 cm /6'4"). Overall, hiking was very pleasant, well maintained trails, and comfortable distance and terrain. Our group ages were 57, 62, 70, and 77. We completed hikes #1 - 4. The 20 km #5 hike we ended at a very nice cafe around 15 km of the 20 km total, and decided to end our day there - this is the only day with hiking in deep sand. Note - the cafe by the fort is closed on Wednesdays. Recommend hiking sticks and gaiters/sand proof hiking boots. Between the extensive notes and the GPX files we used via AllTrails, we never had any concerns on where to go.

All of the arrangements were excellent, and the accommodations while quite different in styles, were all wonderful. We lucked out at Case do Adro; the main guest house was full and they put us up at an apartment 5 minuntes walk away. The rooms were nice, there was a large kitchen and a very expansive veranda. All of the hosts were wonderfully friendly and helpful. The food was just delicious.

Luckily, one person in our party suggested staying at each accommodation for two nights. We were able to do this except at Casa da Seiceira. That worked out perfectly. The second day was a 'day off'. We spent the day going to whatever town was closest, wandering for hours and eating lunch at local restaurants. We all felt this gave us an even better idea of the area, the people, customs, industry, and way of life.

Based on reading other reviews, we did kick off our tour with a 3-night stay in Faro. The local tourist office told us about a free city tour which was very informative and fun way to get to know Faro. We also signed up for an evening of food, wine and history - definitely worthwhile. Lastly, we did a tour of NF Cork - well worth the entrance fee - informative, excellent descriptions and information on the cork industry in Portugal. Highly recommend eating at The Old Tavern in old town Faro - food and service extremely good. At another restaurant we had the local specialty - Cataplana.

Lots of very fresh seafood for all our meals! Two of our group had special food needs (gluten free and pescatarian). All of the guest houses had gluten free bread and food options. They had non-meat and fish options for dinners. Highly recommended this hike and InnTravel who did a great job of making our arrangements.

Enjoyed all of it,a fabulous walking experience along a stunning coast line....if I had to pick a favourite accommodation I would say Herdade do Touril, beautiful oasis on a cloudy day,friendly staff, best mojito I've had in a long time and a great evening meal! Casa do Adro was also amazing ...the breakfasts are outstanding....and then there's the chocolate cake!!!

For us a typical Inntravel holiday. Lovely scenery, lovely beaches, lots of wild flowers and nesting storks with their young. Good and varied places to stay. A relaxing holiday.

We had a wonderful time walking the Rota Vicentina; to see so many nesting storks was amazing. The variety of colours of wild flowers and other plants growing on the cliffs and sand dunes were beautiful. The only downside was walking for long stretches of time on soft sand through the dunes but we'd do it all again.

Beautiful coastal scenery in this lovely underdeveloped part of Portugal. Carpets of spring flowers everywhere and storks sitting on their nests perched on rocks, many with chicks. The path, which always follows the sea, is busy with walkers but most are walking north to south, the opposite way to Inntravel's walk. However, even though the temperature was hovering around 20c, the full sun all day was more comfortable on our backs than walking into it. The first and last days' walks covered more of the hinterland which was also interesting. 

We thoroughly enjoyed the Rota Vicentina. The highlights included the variety and abundance of wildflowers, the nesting storks, sweeping coastal views, sand dunes, and pristine and empty beaches!. The temperature was in the mid-20Cs which we found comfortable for walking. We would recommend the restaurant Tasco do Celso in Milfontes. The hosts at Casa do Adro kindly booked a table for us. We also enjoyed the restaurants that the host at Casa da Seiceira took us to, in place of a meal cooked at the accommodation. Overall, we had excellent food throughout the holiday and especially fresh fish. We enjoyed the inland walk on Day 6. It was a change from the coastal walks and we saw cork oaks, heard cuckoos, and enjoyed the wildflower meadows. Tres Marias is a delightful rural hotel for the final nights of the holiday.           

This is a very popular walking route and you meet walkers from many different countries.

HIGHLIGHTS: Coastal scenery outstanding, ferry trip memorable.

Of the many Inntravel holidays we have been on this was one of our favourites. The coastal scenery is spectacular, especially at this time of year with the spring flowers being so exuberant. We also enjoyed walking along the river valleys and the quiet lanes. We found that we had plenty of time to enjoy the scenery and photograph the many birds and butterflies. We identified over 60 species of birds, incuding colourful Bee-eaters, Cetti's and Sardinian Warblers, and Hoopoes. It was amazing to see Storks nesting on rock pinnacles out to sea and on telegraph poles inland. There are beautiful beaches; we enjoyed a paddle at Praia de Odeceixe on the first day. Most days there was an opportunity for a coffee stop on the way. Our favourite type of coffee was a 'galau'. Also memorable was the afternoon tea at Ao Largo in Odeceixe, where the home-made peach crumble and ice cream was delicious.

All of the accommodation was excellent, each different in its own way. We always received a friendly welcome and excellent food. We built in an extra day at both Herdade do Touril & Casa do Adro, which allowed for local exploration and relaxation. The taxi transfers all worked smoothly. We were pleased that the little ferry was running in mid-April, giving us more time to explore Vila Nova de Milfontes. Having breakfast delivered in a wicker basket to our terrace at Casa da Seiceira was delightful. Although this hotel is simpler, it has a rustic charm, with beautifully maintained grounds and friendly staff. 

Highlights included some wonderful service at Casa de Seiceira, Herdade do Touril, Casa do Adro and Tres Marias. Each accommodation was very different to each other and exceeded our expectations, especially after a poor start. The scenery was incredibly beautiful, though very busy going from North to South (we were heading the other way). It was good to see fellow walkers, but it became overcrowded at times.  

Beautiful area, coastal walking, excellent hotels, great food and wine and fautless Inntravel organisation. 

This was our first experience of Portugal and of a walking holiday of this kind and we are so very pleased that we chose Inntravel to organise our trip. The Costa Vicentina is a wonderful walking area, spectacular coastal scenery and very interesting and different types of accommodation providing delicious food and friendly service. There is a lot of sand walking, which could sound daunting, but the scenery more than makes up for the extra effort and the route is straightforward to follow. We were both delighted and surprised to see some nesting storks on the coastal strip near to Odeceixe in early September - a definite highlight of our trip. Would recommend spending a couple of days in Faro. The Old Town is lovely and there are lots of nice restaurants serving great seafood. Would highly recommend this walking holiday to anyone.

We very much enjoyed all the walking and the wonderful clean beaches. The disappointing accommodation for last couple of days and the terrible journey back rather spoiled this holiday.

Another amazing Inntravel holiday, so thoughtfully put together and well organised. Highlights - walking barefoot through the waves along Malhao beach between Vila Nova de Milfontes towards Porto Covo; the coastal scenery, varied vegetation and nesting storks; the walking routes and high quality accommodation; the end of the walk via the bridge - we opted for the bridge route instead of the ferry and enjoyed the view and cool breeze of the bridge crossing; the meals, particularly at Casa Da Seiceira, Herdade do Touril and Tres Marias; the confidence of knowing that Inntravel had everything taken care of. Note that the sections of walking on soft sand are interspersed with paths that are firmer underfoot - and the views always compensated for the effort.

Enjoyable walk with superb coastal scenery, slightly harder work than you might expect because you're often walking on sand. Lots of flowers in April/May. Would strongly recommend an extra night in Milfontes, the only stop that's on the coast. It's a beautiful setting on a river estuary where you can kayak and take boat trips. Has good restaurants, one on a beach with glorious views of sunset. Also enjoyed extra night at Touril; we did a walk to the lighthouse to the north, but also a lovely place to relax. The accommodation is superb throughout. 

After an excellent start at Casa Vincentina we thought the rest of the week would have a lot to live up to. It didn't fail to do so with all the walks being good and the hotels excellent. We had an extra day at Casa do Adro and were really well looked after and think this makes a good break between two long sandy walks. We recommend walking poles for those two days. We added on two nights in Faro, where we stayed at the excellent Lemon Tree Stay, as Inntravel's normal hotel was fully booked. The extra two days were a contrast with the rest of the week, much busier and very different scenery. We used the ferry to the Isla Deserta which was well worth it.

The flowers were absolutely amazing at this time of year - I must have taken thousands of photos!  Also, we we fascinated by the geology and folding of the cliffs. We loved all the people we met and were well cared for and very comfortable.

A really lovely holiday blessed with beautiful weather, fantastic coastal scenery with lots of storks and wild flowers. The hotels were all very good and we enjoyed our stay at each one.

The coastal sections were amazing. The wild flowers were so beautiful! Be prepared for walking in loose sand. It will slow you down considerably.

This was our 3rd Inntravel holiday and again highly recommended. All arrangements very smooth. Despite it being late October we had 3 days of hot sunshine with 2 days with torrential showers and strong winds. Prevailing winds were south westerly so it was predominately behind us. This made the sea magnification! The other days were overcast and pleasantly warm. Cliff views and rock formations were stunning. For us (living in Scotland- so not used too hot weather!) the last couple of days of the coastal walks could have been challenging in the heat with the sun reflecting off sand. Ask for additional water at hotels as there are limited places to buy en route - this was no problem with all hotels happily providing this for no charge or very reasonable charge. Accommodation was lovely - meals were homely and plentiful. Transfer arrangements with taxis were slick and reliable. Even our taxi driver commented on how well organised Inntravel were and a great company to provide their service. 

We had a fantastic holiday and are already looking at another walking holiday with you

This trip is best for nature walking and bird/flora watching.  The hiking is not generally hard, but much of it is in sand and takes a good deal of effort, and in some spots goes along the edge of sheer cliffs, which may be uncomfortable if one doesn't like heights.  The ocean and beaches are beautiful and the lodgings well chosen.

This is an excellent holiday with beautiful coastal walking and lovely hotels. The organisation by Inntravel was excellent with the transfers and walking routes. It was a good balance between walking with still plenty of time to relax by the hotel pools in the afternoon.

Once again Inntravel made our holiday worry free.  We knew the choice of accommodation and food would be excellent and were not disappointed.  Transfers were reliable.  The walking routes were easy to follow and views were gorgeous.  Another lovely holiday.

The whole area was quiet which led to a very relaxed holiday, helped by most accomodations being 'out of town'. The service levels and friendliness of all hosts was excellent. We appreciated and made good use of the swimming pools at all but Casa do Adro but we found the breakfast on the terrace there to be a real highlight, particularly the spectacular arrangement of fruit. We enjoyed listening to the frogs in the evenings at Casa Vicentina and Casa da Seiceira and the mixed flora and scents along the coast path which were strongest along the first few sections.

The holiday was super and the instructions very clear. Although given it was a coastal walk we always knew which side the coast should be on as a reference point! The amount of walking per day was just about right and achievable with breaks along the way. The addition of Faro and Lisbon at either end was good.

One of our favourite holidays, great walking, plenty of flora and fauna interest, fantastic coastal views, superb food and accommodation. We would highly recommend this trip.

This was my first walking holiday since retiring and to be honest my first ever walking holiday so I was slightly nervous.

While I found some of the walks quite challenging I absolutely loved the clifftop flora, views and waves from the path. The entire walk was peaceful, stunning and full of wildlife. We even heard nightingales!

I also found the variation between hotels, food and walks were an interesting insight to Portuguese life too.

Looking forward to my next in Inntravel holiday!