is an increased risk of forest fire, which is a major problem in Portugal. Also grown extensively are chestnuts (Castanea), mainly for animal feed, and stone pine (Pinus pinea) as an anti-erosion measure funded by the EU.
Smallholdings are common in rural areas, nowadays tended by aging populations. Unusual crops are grown, such as blue and yellow lupins for their edible seeds known as tremoços. A wide variety of grapes are grown throughout Portugal as delicious fruits or for wine. Douro, with its neat terraced vineyards along the river, is UNESCO-listed as the world’s oldest denominated wine area. A distinctive Iberian, predominantly Portuguese structure is an espigueiro or canastro (granary), often still in use for the storing of maize, specially built to protect the contents from rodents.
Much land is used as pasture, with skinny sheep and goats widely seen across the country (the sheep cheeses are delicious), and some areas have their own breeds of cow (Peneda and Alvão). In Alentejo the pastures are dotted with holm oak, providing firewood for people and shade for livestock. Far fewer chemicals are used here, as evidenced by the prodigious amounts of wildflowers, resulting in excellent honey.
Weather
Portugal is a small country with a large range of weather conditions. The mainland can be climatically split into north and south. The mountains of the north create a barrier to Atlantic winds, trapping cool air and rain, the high rainfall encouraging greenery in abundance. Heading east and inland, summers become hotter and winters longer.
Inland and at altitude, snow is a regular occurrence, often settling for days. January sees highs of 6ºC and lows down to -15ºC while the peak of summer sees temperatures of around 28ºC, although they can reach 40°C. The area has on average 123 rainy days per year and 20 days of snow. Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in Portugal, has a ski resort; snow is frequent and heavy here throughout winter.
Portugal’s climate heats up and dries out heading south. Past Lisbon there is a typical Mediterranean climate consisting of mild winters, sunny warm springs, and scorching summers with temperatures frequently over 30°C. Further south it gets hotter and drier, with 300 days of sunshine in the Algarve.
Along the coastline the climate is predominantly influenced by the currents and winds of the Atlantic Ocean: summer highs are counteracted with a cooling sea breeze, while the ocean waters temper the winters.
For weather predictions, visit the Portuguese meteorological website (www.ipma.pt) or the independent www.meteoblue.com.
Part of the disused Fort of São Domingos da Baralha, built on the Chã dos Navagantes (Walk 28)
When to go
There is always somewhere in Portugal to enjoy hiking at any time of the year. The temperature is most comfortable for walking in spring (March to May) and autumn (September and October). In general, the intense heat of the summer (July and August) could be a challenge. This is lessened by going along the coastline with the sea breeze, or up the cooler mountains in the north; the mountains in Estrela could be covered with snow from October until May. However, these are popular summer destinations with the Portuguese and could be crowded. May to August is the period with less rainfall, and in general the south is much drier with Algarve claiming 300 days of sunshine per year on average (see ‘Weather’, above).
In order to admire the almond blossoms, January and February would be the best time to visit. Wildflowers in spring are truly a delight, and the autumnal colours are equally splendid; the timing varies across the different regions (see ‘Plants and flowers’, above). Migratory birds provide an extra reason to visit from March to October.
Every village and region has its own festival and pilgrimage that can provide unique experiences – but they can also cause significant traffic problems. The national celebrations like Fátima or Carnation Day are on a grand scale and are eye-openers.
Getting there
By air
There are directs flights from all main UK airports to Faro, Lisbon or Porto, with major and budget airlines (see Appendix B for contact details); prices start from under £100 return. Porto is the most convenient airport for the northern region (Montesinho, Peneda-Gerês National Park, Alvão and Estrela). Lisbon is convenient for the central region (Sintra, Arrábida, and Aire e Candeeiros are within an hour’s drive from the city, while Tejo and Marvão are about two hours away). Faro is ideal for visiting the southern region and the Algarve.
By car
It takes about 15 hours to drive through France and Spain from Calais (via the Eurotunnel or by ferry across the English Channel) to northern Portugal. It’s a slightly shorter drive of about 12 hours if you sail to Brittany. Alternatively there are car ferries from either Plymouth or Portsmouth to Bilbao or Santander in Spain; it is then a 5-hour drive to northern Portugal. Another option would be to fly to Portugal or Spain and hire a car; they are easily available at airports (see above).
By train
It’s possible to travel from London to Lisbon via Eurostar, TGV and Sud Express, taking about 24 hours – plus another connecting train to Porto or Faro. (See Appendix B for rail operator contact details.) However, this is quite a tortuous and time-consuming way to travel and not necessarily cheaper than flying. With the emergence of budget airfares this has become the least favourable option.
Visas
EU citizens need an identity card only. Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and US citizens do not need a visa but must have a passport that is valid until at least three months after the end of their planned stay. Visitors from other countries should see the official Portugal tourism website for information (www.visitportugal.com; search ‘visa’). For a visa application they should go to the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website: www.secomunidades.pt/vistos
Travelling around
Without a doubt a car is the most convenient way of getting around for the purposes of this guide, and access details are given for drivers in the information box at the start of each walk. The traffic is not busy except in major cities; however, Portugal continues to have the highest death rate from road traffic accidents in Western Europe, so drive carefully. There are different sorts of tolls: check with your car hire company or at www.estradas.pt
The Portuguese road nomenclature is varied. A national road on signs and in text is denoted by the letter ‘N’, but on some maps may be ‘En’ or just the number. Likewise, the smaller municipal roads may be denoted by ‘M’, ‘Em’ or just the number.
Trains run between major cities (Comboios de Portugal, www.cp.pt). Long-distance buses link most cities, large towns and many small towns (Rede Expressos – a national consortium of companies – www.rede-expressos.pt). There are bus services to locations near some of the walks in this book but they are infrequent with
