to be fresh, as they adore the dried, salted version, cooked in myriad ways. Every area has its own pão (bread), all hand-baked and wholesome, of which a particular recommendation is pão Alentejano (a rustic sourdough). In rural villages people get bread delivered to their front door, hung on the doorknob every morning.
Pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tart) is a must, and if you have a sweet tooth the doces conventuais (convent sweets) will be irresistible. These delights stem from the time when the nuns used egg whites to starch their wimples; their solution for the surplus yolks was to combine them with sugar, various secret ingredients and a huge amount of ingenuity, enticing the congregation by appealing to their taste buds. Most towns and regions have their own special convent sweet.
The wines encompass a tremendous range of varieties, often using grapes not encountered elsewhere. You will find good table wine everywhere, with superb examples from all regions. The rich, powerful wines of the Tejo valley are particularly impressive. Port is only produced in the UNESCO-listed Douro valley, and vinho verde (literally meaning ‘green wine’, not referring to its colour but to its age: a young, refreshing, slightly sparkling wine) is only produced in the north. Setúbal is thought to be the oldest Iberian wine-producing region; its dessert wines are famed and were Richard II’s favourite tipple.
Equipment
Good comfortable boots that you’ve worn before are essential. Sun protection is necessary at all times: consider using factor 50 plus a hat. While a single layer of summer clothing may be sufficient at lower altitudes for most of the year, it pays to carry waterproofs and extra layers of warm clothing in case of unexpected conditions and at higher altitudes. Proper walking socks of the appropriate grade are worth every penny. Wear long trousers for all walks as so many are overgrown or involve pushing through spiky bushes. Walking poles are advised: for protecting knees on descents, as a balancing aid when fording rivers, to lean on to help with ascents, to probe the terrain ahead, and to scare off the occasional dog.
A typical emergency kit would contain spare bootlaces, first aid kit (see ‘Emergencies and safety’, below), space-blanket/survival bag, snack bars, clean dry socks, insect repellent, tissues, Vaseline, battery bank, Swiss Army knife, emergency whistle, and torch.
Waymarking
Many of the walks in this guide follow established local and national trails.
PR (pequeno rota) literally means ‘small route’, waymarked red/yellow.
Correct way/wrong way
Turn left/turn right
GR (grande rota) is a long-distance route, waymarked red/white. The Rota Vicentina (Walks 35 and 36) is waymarked blue/green.
Be aware that the waymarking in Portugal is not always up to date; the marks may falter or disappear, or they may have been updated while the maps have not. It’s best to follow the maps and route descriptions given in this guide, preferably in conjunction with GPS guidance.
Maps
For Serra da Estrela, Sintra-Cascais, Arrábida and Peneda-Gerês, use Adventure Maps (www.adventuremaps.pt). They are also available from Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk).
For other areas the best map is the Carta Militar de Portugal, published by Instituto Geográphico do Exército (www.igeoe.pt), but footpaths and rights of way are not included. The 1:25,000 version is only available online or direct from IGeoE. The 1:50,000 versions are available from retailers such as Stanfords.
There is reasonable coverage using m@pas online (mapas.dgterritorio.pt) at ‘zoom level 8’, but it is significantly more dated than the Carta Militar. Opencycle (www.opencyclemap.org) is useful and has some but not all footpaths, however some footpaths on the map do not exist.
Water
Tap water is drinkable in Portugal. Carry plenty of water when walking (at least 200ml per person per hour when the weather is hot). There are public taps in many towns and the water from these is reportedly drinkable unless there’s a sign that says água não controlada.
The footpath winds through the tranquil beech forest from São Lourenço (Walk 20)
Emergencies and safety
Although the solitude is one of the major draws of walking in Portugal, patchy mobile phone reception means you may struggle to make contact in an emergency if you walk alone. Needless to say, if you do choose to walk unaccompanied it’s good practice to inform someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back. There is no mountain rescue service: if you have a signal, call 112 for all emergencies (police, ambulance, fire service) and 117 for forest fire.
The most likely injuries are blisters, sunburn and bee sting, so in addition to the usual dressings, be sure to have antihistamines, painkillers and blister treatment in your first aid kit. Prevent blisters by choosing and maintaining your footwear carefully, and by responding to any discomfort as soon as you feel it. Clean and dry is the key to treatment if prevention has failed; apply some sort of blister dressing, and puncture with a sterile needle only if huge, leaving the skin as intact as possible.
Snake bite is incredibly rare as snakes avoid people, but they may bite if disturbed. Clean the site and avoid unnecessary movements, for example by using a sling if bitten on an upper limb. Contact the Poisons Information Centre (+351) 808 250 143 and go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. However, there is no record of any fatalities as a result of snake bite. (See ‘Wildlife’ for information about the types of snake that might be encountered.)
Dogs
Dogs are everywhere in Portugal; many are quiet but some will mark their territory by barking. If they appear threatening, pretending to throw a stone at them is a useful deterrent. If bitten, rabies is endemic, so seek medical advice. (On the other hand, you may find yourself accompanied on walks by overfriendly dogs.)
River crossings
Many of the walks in the guide involve stream or river crossings. While in normal conditions these should pose no difficulties whatsoever (for the most part they are either shallow streams or crossed via purpose-built stepping-stones or bridges), care should be taken after heavy rain, when crossings – or at least staying dry – may prove more challenging. Any particular risks are included in the information box at the beginning of the walk descriptions.
Health care
The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) has replaced the E111 card, with which EU citizens are given access to temporary necessary state-provided health care for free or at a reduced rate. It does not replace travel insurance, which is highly recommended. This should cover repatriation and is essential for non-EU citizens.
Using this guide
Information to help you choose a route that suits your capabilities is listed in the route summary table in Appendix A and in the information box at the beginning of each walk description. All times are pure walking times, with no allowance for photography, exploration, resting or eating. Throughout the guide, Portuguese words are italicised and there is a glossary in Appendix C. Places and features on the maps are shown in bold in the route descriptions to aid navigation.
Grades
Grading depends on distance, total ascent, ease of navigation and type of terrain, but as always is subjective. The given grades should be treated as a rough guide until you’ve walked a few of these routes, to compare with your own