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I don’t dislike taking the familiar trail repeatedly,” commented the local guide, crouching next to a group of blossoms. “Each time, you can spot different details – these flowers weren’t in this spot the day before.”

Growing on stalks no less than two centimetres in height and adorning the dirt with pale blossoms, the fact that these star of Bethlehem flowers emerged suddenly was a remarkable demonstration of how swiftly nature can grow in this hilly, central section of the Algarve, the national forest of Barão de São João.

It was also comforting to discover that in an zone swept by wildfires in September, species such as fire-resistant trees – which are less flammable thanks to their minimal resin – were commencing to regrow, alongside highly combustible eucalyptus, which impedes other slow-burning trees such as oak. Local helpers were being recruited to help with reforestation.

Tourist Statistics and Interior Appeal

Tourist arrivals to the Algarve are rising, with 2024 recording an growth of 2.6% on the prior year – but most arrivals head straight for the seaside, despite there being far more to experience.

The shoreline is definitely untamed and stunning, but the area is also enthusiastic to showcase the charm of its upland zones. With the creation of all-season trekking and cycling trails, plus the launch of outdoor events, attention is being directed to these similarly captivating vistas, featuring mountains and dense woodlands.

The Algarve Walking Season hosts a program of several hiking events with loose topics such as “aquatic elements” and “archaeology” between the start of winter and the end of winter. It’s hoped they will encourage visitors throughout the year, supporting the regional economy and aiding reduce the outflow of the youth moving away in pursuit of employment.

Art and Nature Merge

The excursion to the national forest coincided with a weekend festival with the focus of “art”, focused on the pale-colored hamlet to the northwest of Barão de São João.

Along with led walks, setting off from the community center, complimentary activities ranged from learning how to make organic pigments, to drama classes, meditative movement and artistic rendering. There were two photography exhibitions available as well as several other family-oriented activities, such as nature hunts and making wildlife feeders.

Even before our drop-in daytime screen-printing workshop at the cultural centre, our hike into the woodland with Joana had the vibe of an creative path. Indicated at the start by upright rocks decorated with images of local farmers, it was studded throughout the path with smaller, permanently placed stones illustrating examples of wildlife, including hedgehogs and lynxes – the wild cat’s population reviving, due to a conservation center located in the fortified settlement of Silves.

Scenic Routes and Natural Charm

As the trail ascended to its highest point, the menhir (standing stone) on the Pedra do Galo path, it became more lushly forested with the piney aroma of pine. There was a ripeness to the atmosphere and firm, golden-colored globules bulged from bark. Limestone sparkled on the ground and tiny toads perched by pool margins, throats throbbing. In the distance, windmills cartwheeled against the blue expanse.

Francisco Simões, our guide the following day, was again keen to highlight that these interior zones can be experienced in every season. Waymarked hikes, developed in the past few years, are extensions of the Via Algarviana, a trail that stretches from the frontier for 300 kilometers, all the way to the ocean, and a lot are now tied to an app that makes wayfinding more straightforward.

Sustainable Travel and Cultural Activities

Francisco set up sustainable travel company Algarvian Roots in 2020 and organizes activities from birdwatching to day-long accompanied treks, all with the similar aims as the AWS: to highlight the area by way of involvement, enlightenment and local understanding.

The artistic element is present, as well – his family member, potter Margarida Palma Gomes, had instructed us to paint azulejos, the distinctive traditional colored ceramic tiles observed across the nation, two days earlier on a cultural activity. Tours to her workshop, along with to a regional artist, can also be arranged through Algarvian Roots.

Francisco encouraged us to contribute for the sector by consuming generous quantities of quality vintage sealed with cork

Following an delicious lunch of meat dish and vegetable in A Charrette in Monchique, a charming upland village nestled between the Algarve’s two highest peaks, the tall Fóia and high Picota, Francisco took us down sharply stone-paved lanes and into a alleyway, where an older couple relaxed in the sun at the entrance of their house.

A sharp track led us into the woodland, the ground covered in tree seeds. Here, Francisco was enthusiastic to point out oak trees, Portugal’s national tree and legally protected since the medieval period. Not only are they inherently slow-burning, but their pliable bark is a means of livelihood for inhabitants, who collect it to trade to other {industries|sectors