Portugal’s Via Algarviana long-distance trail is trying to make life easier for hikers.
From now on, anyone walking the Via Algarviana in southern Portugal will find all the information they need to easily plan their walking trip in one place, from accommodation to food.
The Via Algarviana Certified Partner Network is now available online in the Booking section of the Via Algarviana website and app, responding to the growing number of walkers and cyclists who visit the Algarve’s interior every year.
In the first phase, the network has brought together 40 local companies and small businesses that provide their services in the Via Algarviana region, in the areas of accommodation, restaurants, transport, tourist entertainment, specialist local shops and travel agencies.
The network is a step towards achieving one of the main objectives of the Via Algarviana: promoting sustainable development in the low-density areas of the Algarve’s interior. The newly-launched network aims to contribute to the development of the local economy, putting companies and their potential customers in direct contact.
With the launch of the network, the Via Algarviana website now has a new section, called Book. Here, users can choose accommodation, transport, local shops, etc., view the available partners and then contact them directly to request more information or book a service. They can also choose to browse an interactive map to find out which partners they will find along the route. The map search is also available in the Via Algarviana app. Participating companies can now identify themselves through a Via Algarviana partnership logo that allows visitors to recognize them.
Over the coming months, several other companies are expected to join the network.
The east to west 300km GR13 – Via Algarviana starts in Alcoutim, on the banks of the Guadiana River, which forms the border between Portugal and Spain. It ends with the Atlantic Ocean in sight, at Cabo de São Vicente.
Along the way, it crosses the inland Algarve, and is divided into 14 sectors. The route crosses the three Algarve mountains (Caldeirão, Monchique and Espinhaço de Cão), the craggy barrocal subregion, the hills and part of the Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina Natural Park.
Alcoutim, the start point, can be reached from Faro airport in about one hour by car, or two to three hours by bus or train. From Lisbon airport, the trip is longer: around 3 hours by car, or seven to eight hours by public transport.
