Carefree self-guided walking and geocaching holidays with a personal touch.
Self-guided walking, trail running or geocaching tours with luggage transfers.
Centre based, self-drive self- guided walking holidays.
Tailor-made walking holidays to meet your individual needs.
A guided group walking holiday based at two locations for 7 nights. NEW 2021!
Itinerary.
Day one: Meet your guide and driver after arrival at Faro (airport or train station), for a two and an half hour transfer (with rest break for additional pick-up at Almodôvar express coach stop for connection from Lisbon) to the Alentejo Star Hotel at Mina de São Domingos, near Mértola in the eastern Alentejo. Where after settling into your room, dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.
At night, you can watch the night skies, the hotel has an observatory featuring a GPS and computer-controlled 14”MEADE LX200 telescope for guests to use, (subject to availability and weather conditons - charges apply). Next to the observatory, there is an area for amateur astronomers and astrology lovers to set up their own equipment.
Day two: After a relaxed breakfast we will start out on the first walk of the holiday direct from the hotel gates. No need to drive anywhere. The "Miners' Route (Circular)" (14km, 4 hours, easy) takes in the industrial history of the village as well as a rural section with views across the River Chança to Spain, after a visit to the hamlet of Montes Altos. On returning to the hotel you can relax around the pool or explore the village with its miner's house, English Cemetery and the lakeside beach. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.
Day three: After breakfast we will take a one hour drive to the village of Quintos to walk along the "Watermills and Fortresses of the Guadiana" trail (15km, 4-5 hours, moderate). Before returning to the hotel we will make a brief stop in Serpa, where you can visit the medieval castle or just enjoy a drink in one of the pavement cafés. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.
Day four: After a relaxed breakfast we will start the third walk of the holiday direct from the hotel gates. Again, no need to drive anywhere today. The "Around the Cork Plantation (Montado)" trail (14.5km 4-5 hours easy) circumnavigates the Tapada Grande lake. If on returning to the hotel anyone fancies another short walk, subject to numbers we can take a short drive to see the Senhora do Amparo Chapel with its commanding views from one of the highest points in the Guadiana Natural Park. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.
Day five: After breakfast we transfer to the second hotel, Alandroal Guesthouse - Hotel de Charme. During the two and and half hour journey we will stop off at the town of Mourão, where we will walk the "Across the Living Heritage of Mourão" trail (8.3km, 2.5 hours, easy), enjoying our picnic lunch on the banks of the Alqueva lake. Before continuing to Alandroal, there will be time to enjoy a drink in a local café or explore the castle. After settling in, you will have time to explore the town of Alandroal or visit the castle before going for dinner in a local restaurant close to the hotel.
Day six: After breakfast we take a 50 minute drive to the hilltop town of Monsaraz where we will walk the "Writings in Stone and Lime" trail (13km, 3-4 hours, moderate) at Monsaraz. You will have free time to explore the walled town with its artesanal craft shops. From here, before returning to Alandroal, we will drive to the village of Sao Pedro do Corval where we will visit at least one of the more than 20 pottery workshops.
Dinner tonight will be in another local restaurant where, subject to their schedule we will be entertained with some traditional Fado music.
Day seven: After breakfast we will take a short drive to the nearby town of Terena where we will walk the "Conquest of Terena" trail (15.2km, 4 hours, moderate), before spending the late afternoon in the town of Vila Viçosa with it's royal Ducal Palace. On our return to Alandroal we will enjoy a final dinner in a local restaurant.
Day eight: After breakfast there will be a four hour transfer (with rest break) back to Faro. (Drop off at Evora or Beja express coach stations also possible for connection to Lisbon).
CANCELLED due to continuing restrictions on numbers of passengers in our partner's vehicles.
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