Armação de Pêra – Porches – Praia do Barranco – Armação de Pêra

This circular walk starts at the western end of Armação de Pêra's promenade before heading inland across countryside tracks and peaceful roads to reach the charming whitewashed village of Porches, visible several kilometres before you reach it.
Approach Porches on a historic tiled road ('Rua da Chaminé'), passing some of the most elaborate Algarvian chimneys for which the village is renowned. The street itself is named after a large and ornate chimney dating from 1793. Keep your eyes peeled for other unusual chimney details, including a crowned lion (atop the restaurant O Leão de Porches) and another with four faces rising through cracks (in Rua Padre Gregório Cabrita). Pass in front of Porches' main church, Igreja Matriz de Porches, rebuilt in the neoclassical style in the late nineteenth century on the site of the original Manueline temple. The route continues past the cemetery; however, it's well worth taking a quick wander around Porches while you are here. As well as its chimneys, the village has been long associated with clay and pottery. Porches Pottery was founded by the late Irish painter Patrick Swift and continues a long Algarve tradition of hand-painting its products. The pottery is located on the outskirts of the village (www.porchespottery.com)

After Porches, the route returns to the countryside, passing vineyards, open grassland and conifers. On clear days, if you turn around you will be rewarded with wonderful views of the Algarve's highest peaks, Foia and Picota. Follow a distinct footpath into a tranquil wooded valley with a dry riverbed where the dry-stone walls and terraces lining the slopes evidence long-abandoned agricultural activity.

A few kilometres on and you will be gazing down on Praia do Barranco, an unusually shaped beach, which is frequently deserted and is a great place to stop for a picnic lunch. A short climb will return you to the main coast path, past the iconic Nossa Senhora da Rocha, a small chapel which survived the 1755 earthquake (though the surrounding fortress was destroyed). Again, it is well worth a short detour to visit the chapel and admire the views.

The final section is mostly on well-defined paths along the clifftops, with a brief section on roads past some of the most beautifully landscaped resort gardens in the area. Leave the coast path at Armação de Pêra to return to your starting point.

Portugal - South Portugal - Central Algarve - Silves

Walk id: 8497

Walk grade

Moderate Walk

Length

8.3 Miles

Height gain

255 Metres

Duration

3 Hours 46 Mins

Average rating

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