Country:
City:
Starting point and access: Porto Covo bus stop.
Rede Expressos bus (see timetables in the practical information section). Departure from Lisbon, at the Sete Rios bus station (blue metro line, Jardim Zoológico station) or the Oriente-Aeroporto bus station (red metro line, Oriente station).
No signposts
(S) From the bus stop, immediately join the main road (EM554, at the corner of a bar and public toilets) and follow it to the left (south-west). Pass between two car parks (hiking signs on the left) then between a small church and a fountain. Continue straight on along Rua Vasco da Gama until you reach a viewpoint overlooking the sea.
Blue and green + red and white + yellow markings
(1) Turn left, ignore the steps leading down to Praia dos Buizinhos beach and take a paved path that runs along the sea below on the right. Ignore a path that descends to the right and continue along a small paved lane.
(2) At the crossroads, descend to the right into Rua dos Pescadores. Shortly after a left-hand bend, turn right at the corner of a house and descend to the edge of the inlet. Then turn left and cross a small beach and a stream. Next, climb back up a track.
Blue and green + red and yellow markings
(3) When the track turns slightly to the left, leave it and take a path on the right towards Vila Nova de Milfontes. After about 100 metres, turn left and take a path between two ropes. Pass a cove and continue along the coastal path, which has no ropes and soon becomes very sandy.
(4) At a fork (not shown on the map), descend to the right towards a spit of land. Cross a stream and climb up the other side (using your hand may help). Continue along a sandy path and, at the fork, keep to the right, as close to the sea as possible. At the intersection (signposted "Danger"), continue straight ahead, then ignore the access to Praia do Sissal on the right and continue to the next intersection.
Blue and green markings
(5) Turn right towards Vila Nova de Milfontes and cross a stream via a footbridge. Then turn left and continue along the coastal path. At the fork, turn right, go downhill and cross another strip of sea. Go back up the other side and turn left. You will reach a bilingual sign (Portuguese/English) inviting you to take the beach.
(6) Go down to the right and walk along the beach (note, a short distance away, the island of Pessegueiro, where a fort has been built). Cross a stream, then a kind of coastal sharp limestone pavement and another short stretch of sand. Ignore the first ramp on the left and climb a wooden staircase to reach the foot of an ancient fortress.
(7) Turn right and walk along the fortress on your left. Turn left at the corner of the fortress and ignore a path on the right. You will soon come to a track. Follow it to the right for about 50 metres. Then turn right onto a path that runs parallel to the track. Join the track and follow it to the right for about 30 metres.
(8) Take another path on the right. Pass a bilingual sign inviting you to respect nature and, at the fork that follows (not shown on the map), turn right to stay as close as possible to the sea. You will arrive at the small car park at Praia do Queimado.
(9) Follow a track to the left and pass between two isolated houses. At the T-junction, go down to the right, cross a stream and go back up to quickly reach a triangular crossroads (shaded passage).
(10) Then take a sandy track on the right. At the fork, turn left and at the next forks, keep to the right. Walk along a fence on your right and you will come to a T-junction (bilingual sign announcing the temporary interruption of the markings).
(11) Then take a sandy track on the left. Head south and ignore the paths branching off to the sides. At the triple fork (shown as a double fork on the map), take the middle path, which is less sandy than the other two.
(12) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead, heading south, on a track that is half sandy, half grassy. At the fork, turn right towards some small buildings and go downhill. You will come out onto a wide track. Follow it to the right until you reach a beach.
(13) At the seaside, turn left, cross a stream and climb up a sandy path. Stay parallel to the coastline, ignore the paths branching off to the sides and arrive at a three-way junction.
(14) Turn left and move away from the sea. Immediately afterwards, at the fork (not shown on the map), keep right and take a sort of narrow passage. At the crossroads that appears shortly afterwards, take the second right onto a sandy track and continue to the next crossroads.
(15) Turn right (shaded passage), head south and ignore a few side roads. Head southwest, ignore a road coming from the left and arrive at a car park.
(16) Then turn left (south). Stay on the main track for a long time and ignore the paths on either side. You will reach a large car park. Go around it on the right (dry toilets).
(17) At the corner of the car park, continue straight ahead onto a wooden walkway. Ignore two successive access points to viewpoints on the right. At a T-junction, turn right, still on the wooden walkway. Then turn left, which leads to a track. Follow it to the right and walk alongside a car park on your left. When the track turns left, veer right. Pass a small car park on your right and reach another on your left.
(18) Then turn right onto a sandy path. At the fork that appears immediately, veer left. Walk for a long time along the edge of the cliff (be careful of the sheer drops) and ignore the paths on the left. Alternate between walking on the exposed rock and in the sand.
(19) At the intersection with a track coming from the left, continue straight ahead. Walk southwards along the cliff edge for a long time. Alternate between short ascents and descents.
(20) At the fork, bear right to stay as close to the sea as possible. Continue south and further on, go around a cove.
Blue and green + red and yellow markings
(21) At the intersection, turn right and at the next fork, bear right. Then go around a cove and arrive at a left turn.
(22) Turn left (do not go straight on to a point). Continue south and ignore the paths on the left. The coastal path then heads south-east. Come out onto a small road and follow it to the right. You will soon reach a crossroads (bar-restaurant).
(23) Turn left (due east) and follow the road for about 250 m.
Blue and green markings
(24) Take the first track on the right. At the fork shortly afterwards, keep to the right and ignore a path coming from the left. At two successive crossroads, continue straight ahead between the fields, pass a small group of houses and you will soon reach a fork.
(25) Then turn right, where the track gives way to tarmac (Rua dos Cortos).
(26) Shortly before the end of the street, turn right onto Rua Ruy de Menezes. Ignore a dead end on the left and then one on the right and turn left onto the main street. Then cross Rua da Eira da Pedra and continue straight ahead. At the stop sign, first turn right then left onto Rua do Lavadouro.
(27) You will come out onto Avenida Marginal. Follow it to the left, slightly uphill. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead towards the historic centre. Cross Rua Cabral on the left and pass an old fortress on the right. Continue straight ahead to the church of Vila Nova de Milfontes (E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Easy 
