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Advice on Accommodation and Dining Options on the Fisherman's Trail

Mettchen

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CF (sep 2017), Primitivo (aug 2018)
Dear all,

I am contemplating whether to walk another Camino (from Porto) in March or The Fisherman's Trail - and I think it'll be the latter - and starting from Lagos and walking north.

I know I won't be able to find albergues here as when I've walked my caminos and I am ok with that. But what I did when I walked my caminos - was that I would often chose my distance for the day on where there was somewhere interesting to sleep and/or eat :)

I will gladly walk 35km + (not everyday ;-) ) or take a short day for the right accommodation or dinner option.

So if you have any favourite hotels/hostels/airBNBs (or restaurants) on the route, please share.
Thank you!

Best,
Mette
 
Holoholo automatically captures your footpaths, places, photos, and journals.
Pura Vida Divehouse in Sagres would be a good place to start.
They have a 4-bed bunk beds room for about 23 euros.
They drove us to the start of the trail after breakfast for no extra charge.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Pura Vida Divehouse in Sagres would be a good place to start.
They have a 4-bed bunk beds room for about 23 euros.
They drove us to the start of the trail after breakfast for no extra charge.
Great - looks like a lovely place for my 2nd night :) - as soon as I decide when to go I'll see if they have space.

Thanks a lot.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I walked the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail from north to south in April 2019. It has outstanding beauty..
I booked all hostels, guest houses and small hotels before leaving home as I'd read that the surfer community can fill up less expensive lodging choices quickly. It worked out very well for me with much less stress involved.
Unfortunately I am not back home until March 1st, so do not have my itinerary and notes at hand. If you send me a PM, I can get back to you later if you still need some suggestions.
Screenshot_20220125-100954~2.webp
 
I walked the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail from north to south in April 2019. It has outstanding beauty..
I booked all hostels, guest houses and small hotels before leaving home as I'd read that the surfer community can fill up less expensive lodging choices quickly. It worked out very well for me with much less stress involved.
Unfortunately I am not back home until March 1st, so do not have my itinerary and notes at hand. If you send me a PM, I can get back to you later if you still need some suggestions.
View attachment 117228
Awesome - and it looks stunning... I am slightly concerned if the sand will kill me 🤣 - but everything else I can't wait to experience.

I also plan on booking as much as possible in advance - I know people are different but I am a slow walker "stop to smell the flowers" - and I like to know where I am going :)

If I think of something or need something - I'll reach out after March 1 :)
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Awesome - and it looks stunning... I am slightly concerned if the sand will kill me 🤣 - but everything else I can't wait to experience.

I also plan on booking as much as possible in advance - I know people are different but I am a slow walker "stop to smell the flowers" - and I like to know where I am going :)

If I think of something or need something - I'll reach out after March 1 :)
Please do reach out! I will add that this trail had absolutely NO Camino feel or vibe, but a bit of a backpacking/hiking feel, although we rarely saw anyone during the day. I knew that ahead of time and did not have any expectations as I walked it with my son.
EDIT, it is very well marked so no issue of getting lost if you are alone.
 
Last edited:
Please do reach out! I will add that this trail had absolutely NO Camino feel or vibe, but a bit of a backpacking/hiking feel, although we rarely saw anyone during the day. I knew that ahead of time and did not have any expectations as I walked it with my son.
Tbh - not that I don't love the camino - I do and I am sure I will walk more of those in the future as well - but what you are saying just makes me wanna go even more. My favourite part of the camino was when I felt alone in the world. No one if front or behind, just beauty. I'm still considering if I should ask a friend to join me - if nothing else then for the company for dinner - because the walking I prefer to do alone :)

I am not sure how frequently it'll be possible to get a coffee and a (real ;-) ) toilet hehe - and I will miss my daily tortilla - but I'm sure all the fish I'll be eating will make up for it.

So far me and https://rotavicentina.com/en/walking/fishermens-trail/ haven't become best friends, especially not from ipad and phone - so it does seem to require a bit of extra work / research to decide where to stop or when to take an alternative route. Less handholding than with all the camino apps and websites available.
 
I'm still considering if I should ask a friend to join me - if nothing else then for the company for dinner
I also prefer to walk alone, but I did the Rota Vicentina out of season (Feb 2016), and so I decided to ask a friend to join me for the company.

I asked a friend that I had walked with before (we met on the CF), so I knew in advance that we were compatible. So glad I did.

First of all for the company. We saw very few hikers, and it was fun going out in the evening finding places to eat – I would have found that quite difficult on my own on a non-pilgrim trail.

Secondly, because there are not many hostels, we had to find cheap hotels – and it was cheaper to share a room than get a single room. One place only had a small double bed, so we slept top-to-tail – one inside the sheets, the other in her sleeping bag the other way round.

There were very few cafes during the day, so we carried snacks in case there was nothing at all.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Near Carrapateira we really liked Surf n Sand Eco House, which is so laid back it’s horizontal. However, we didn’t stay in the dormitory, as when we got there it was already full, and they let us stay in one of the cottages for no extra charge, which is probably why we liked it so much!
 
Near Carrapateira we really liked Surf n Sand Eco House, which is so laid back it’s horizontal. However, we didn’t stay in the dormitory, as when we got there it was already full, and they let us stay in one of the cottages for no extra charge, which is probably why we liked it so much!
I love places like that. It looks sooo lovely. Thanks for this tip.
 
I also prefer to walk alone, but I did the Rota Vicentina out of season (Feb 2016), and so I decided to ask a friend to join me for the company.

I asked a friend that I had walked with before (we met on the CF), so I knew in advance that we were compatible. So glad I did.

First of all for the company. We saw very few hikers, and it was fun going out in the evening finding places to eat – I would have found that quite difficult on my own on a non-pilgrim trail.

Secondly, because there are not many hostels, we had to find cheap hotels – and it was cheaper to share a room than get a single room. One place only had a small double bed, so we slept top-to-tail – one inside the sheets, the other in her sleeping bag the other way round.

There were very few cafes during the day, so we carried snacks in case there was nothing at all.
I understand what you're staying, but I am a little concerned if I actually know anyone I would enjoy 10-14 days with 😄. I am not sure if this is the type of challenge I would be up for and enjoy.

On my caminos I only walked with other ppl for a few days. I did consider the financial part of having someone to share the cost with, but haven't travelled so much in the past couple of years, so think I can find the money.

Might change my mind when I see what is available 😉. But thanks for your input.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Tbh - not that I don't love the camino - I do and I am sure I will walk more of those in the future as well - but what you are saying just makes me wanna go even more. My favourite part of the camino was when I felt alone in the world. No one if front or behind, just beauty. I'm still considering if I should ask a friend to join me - if nothing else then for the company for dinner - because the walking I prefer to do alone :)

I am not sure how frequently it'll be possible to get a coffee and a (real ;-) ) toilet hehe - and I will miss my daily tortilla - but I'm sure all the fish I'll be eating will make up for it.

So far me and https://rotavicentina.com/en/walking/fishermens-trail/ haven't become best friends, especially not from ipad and phone - so it does seem to require a bit of extra work / research to decide where to stop or when to take an alternative route. Less handholding than with all the camino apps and websites available.
I see the Rotavicentina website has the newest edition of their Field Guide for sale at €15. I used the last edition for planning purposes of daily stages and places to stay along the way. Should you decide to order one it will be very beneficial to you and helpful in answering questions that you will have, giving you additional confidence that you can do it!
 
Hi @Mettchen Lucky you!

We loved the Rota Vicentina. We walked north from the southern most tip at Cabo de S. Vicente weaving between the Historical Way (at the southern end) and then sticking to the Fisherman's Trail. I did a bit of research beforehand to try to include 'the best of both' so we got to enjoy both rural and coastal.

We used this site for planning - but made our bookings directly. Send me a PM if you're interested in our stages.


We then travelled to Lisbon, then train to Porto and walked to Santiago.

Enjoy!

PS Just saw that you have visited the RV site that I linked to above, but not finding it to be your friend.
 
I see the Rotavicentina website has the newest edition of their Field Guide for sale at €15. I used the last edition for planning purposes of daily stages and places to stay along the way. Should you decide to order one it will be very beneficial to you and helpful in answering questions that you will have, giving you additional confidence that you can do it!
Great - thanks for pointing me in that direction. Just ordered it 👍
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Hi @Mettchen Lucky you!

We loved the Rota Vicentina. We walked north from the southern most tip at Cabo de S. Vicente weaving between the Historical Way (at the southern end) and then sticking to the Fisherman's Trail. I did a bit of research beforehand to try to include 'the best of both' so we got to enjoy both rural and coastal.

We used this site for planning - but made our bookings directly. Send me a PM if you're interested in our stages.


We then travelled to Lisbon, then train to Porto and walked to Santiago.

Enjoy!

PS Just saw that you have visited the RV site that I linked to above, but not finding it to be your friend.
Thank you so much for the offer.

And I know the website has a ton of info, but for some reason it seems as if it does not want to share easily haha. It re-loads pages frequently and spontanously and then opens new windows and then even though you pick English, then some of it is still in portuguese… which I guess is totally fair, it is in Portugal after all. But as I said before as well, it seem to behaving a bit better when accessing through a computer :)

It’s bedtime for me now - but will PM you this week. I would love (good) ideas of stages and how to get the best of both trails as I have some extra days available. I have been suffering a bit from FOMO already when trying to decide on going left or right at any given cross road 😉😄
 
I walked north to south from Santiago do Cacem (Historical Trail) on to Porto Covo (Fisherman's Trail) down to the Cabo March 2016. I never found it a problem finding a bed in a surfer's hostel. Back then they were about €15 in a dorm with sheets and towels included. I started out alone but I met an Italian in Porto Covo who asked if he could join me. We ended up walking together the whole way which came in handy as he helped me in a couple of spots down a few steep cliffs.

Two or three days out of Porto Covo were quite sandy. I didn't find it too bad but then again I walk frequently on the beach.

It's stunning, in fact IMHO even more beautiful than the Norte. But...forget culture. Do it for the scenery as there is little else.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I walked north to south from Santiago do Cacem (Historical Trail) on to Porto Covo (Fisherman's Trail) down to the Cabo March 2016. I never found it a problem finding a bed in a surfer's hostel. Back then they were about €15 in a dorm with sheets and towels included. I started out alone but I met an Italian in Porto Covo who asked if he could join me. We ended up walking together the whole way which came in handy as he helped me in a couple of spots down a few steep cliffs.

Two or three days out of Porto Covo were quite sandy. I didn't find it too bad but then again I walk frequently on the beach.

It's stunning, in fact IMHO even more beautiful than the Norte. But...forget culture. Do it for the scenery as there is little else.

Thank you for the info :)

I can live with scenery only - I am supposed to go to Lisbon in June (postponed from 2020, then 2021... now it better happen!!!) - so I'll get the culture then ;-)

I hope my hiking poles can help me up/down steep cliffs if I don't come across a friend Italian (fingers crossed). And good to know about the sand - I did experience that for about 8-10 km (only) a few years ago and I felt I got NO WHERE. Luckily it was pretty, so it was ok ;-)
 
Two or three days out of Porto Covo were quite sandy. I didn't find it too bad but then again I walk frequently on the beach.
We started in Porto Covo, too, going north to south. Yes, those first two or three days gave my legs a good workout in 4" sand! Thankfully the trail "mellowed out" considersbly the rest of the way.🙂
I agree, it has more consistently stunning cliff views than the Norte has, but loved them each in a different way. We then took a very comfortable long bus ride up to Porto to begin the Poruguese Camino. After walking to Matosinhos, we turned inland to the Central route as I wanted to get a more "Frances feel" with more villages as I'd experienced the best ocean views already on the Fisherman's Trail and Algarve coast.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Dear all,

I am contemplating whether to walk another Camino (from Porto) in March or The Fisherman's Trail - and I think it'll be the latter - and starting from Lagos and walking north.

I know I won't be able to find albergues here as when I've walked my caminos and I am ok with that. But what I did when I walked my caminos - was that I would often chose my distance for the day on where there was somewhere interesting to sleep and/or eat :)

I will gladly walk 35km + (not everyday ;-) ) or take a short day for the right accommodation or dinner option.

So if you have any favourite hotels/hostels/airBNBs (or restaurants) on the route, please share.
Thank you!

Best,
Mette
I stayed with my dog in Sagres near beach in Jan 2020 at Tonel Apartments. Had a private room with sheets, blankets and towels, shared 2 new bathrooms/showers (male and female separate) with 3 other rooms mostly surfers and a well equipped kitchen. Price for 1 with dog was €25

 
My wife and I walked the Rota Vicentina in 2014, the Alentejo part on the coast and the inland section as well. It is not a Camino but a long distance hiking trail, comparable with trails like Coast to Coast in England or the GR trails in France. It is very beautiful with spectacular stages on the coast and a very rural Portuguese countryside. We had a booked vacation with luggage transport, but I am sure you can find yourself hostals and B&B's by checking on the Rota Vincentina accommodation page, or searching at Booking.com or sites of local tourist offices in Algarve and Alentejo. Have a nice walk.

There are a few climbs up and down the cliffs but they are not too high. Some stages have sandy parts but it was not so difficult as some people warned us for.

One of the unforgettable things on the coastal section of this hiking trip was every evening seeing the sun go down in the Atlantic Ocean.
 
My wife and I walked the Rota Vicentina in 2014, the Alentejo part on the coast and the inland section as well. It is not a Camino but a long distance hiking trail, comparable with trails like Coast to Coast in England or the GR trails in France. It is very beautiful with spectacular stages on the coast and a very rural Portuguese countryside. We had a booked vacation with luggage transport, but I am sure you can find yourself hostals and B&B's by checking on the Rota Vincentina accommodation page, or searching at Booking.com or sites of local tourist offices in Algarve and Alentejo. Have a nice walk.

I actually looked into the Coast to Coast route in England just before Corona.. and I think it's still on my bucket list, though I got sort of scared of the info I found saying it would be recommended to know how to use a compass and read a map haha.... I prefer places where I don't worry about getting lost ;-)

GR? Is that the red and white marked trails around Europe?
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
They booked us in small hotels and Bed and Breakfast. I don't remember exactly where but most of it was very nice.
 
GR? Is that the red and white marked trails around Europe?
Yes, Rota Vicentina is red and white marked as well, as are most trails in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Spain. No yellow arrows there.

By the way, the navigation skills needed on the Coast to Coast are not so difficult, as it is well marked and trodden. But surely at some places you must not go in winter or with heavy fog.
 
We started in Porto Covo, too, going north to south. Yes, those first two or three days gave my legs a good workout in 4" sand! Thankfully the trail "mellowed out" considersbly the rest of the way.🙂
I agree, it has more consistently stunning cliff views than the Norte has, but loved them each in a different way. We then took a very comfortable long bus ride up to Porto to begin the Poruguese Camino. After walking to Matosinhos, we turned inland to the Central route as I wanted to get a more "Frances feel" with more villages as I'd experienced the best ocean views already on the Fisherman's Trail and Algarve coast.
I too took a long bus ride from Lagos to Porto to walk part of the Portuguese (only had time to walk to Tui). My original ticket was to Lisbon but when we arrived it was hailing so I hopped back on the bus and headed north. The sun was shining when we arrived 🙂
 
Holoholo automatically captures your footpaths, places, photos, and journals.
The Rota V also has official pretty blue&green markers.🙂
Screenshot_20220126-215042_Samsung Internet.webp
Yup - it's one of the many things that have bugged me about the RV website (maybe I have too high expectations) - but when you offer the website in 4 languages - why don't you translate this too 🤦‍♀️

Fair enough - they are pretty self-explanatory, but still!!! 😄. I have wondered though, why there is no green line with the arrows
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
We walked from Porto last October on the Litoral along the coast and also the Varient. Most albergues are set in stone by the guide books. We chose not walk more than about 22 kilometers per day and sometimes there were no albergues. We stayed in hotels for about $30-$40 for a nice room and breakfast. Not many pilgrims on this route.
 
@Mettchen By PM, I've sent you a link to my blog so you can see the stages we walked, the distances, the accommodation and also the scenery on both the Historical Way and Fisherman's Trail. Very enjoyable looking back on all of that. So, thank you.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I walked the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail from north to south in April 2019. It has outstanding beauty..
I booked all hostels, guest houses and small hotels before leaving home as I'd read that the surfer community can fill up less expensive lodging choices quickly. It worked out very well for me with much less stress involved.
Unfortunately I am not back home until March 1st, so do not have my itinerary and notes at hand. If you send me a PM, I can get back to you later if you still need some suggestions.
Hi, I would star the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's trails in september 2022. About the path I heard that there is a lot of sand and this is very difficult for walking. It's so?
Many thanks
 
Hi, I would star the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's trails in september 2022. About the path I heard that there is a lot of sand and this is very difficult for walking. It's so?
Many thanks
There is quite a bit of sand the first 2-3 days up on the cliffs, but don't let that put you off as the views, and the flowers and succulents are outstanding. The rest of the days are not as difficult.
Screenshot_20220127-063327~2.webp
 
Hello all,
I hope it's OK to jump in here rather than start a new chain :)
We are planning the Fisherman's Trail, walking south from Porto Covo, in early November. I would be thankful for links to anyone's blog or itinerary who is willing to share! There are three or possibly four of us. I don't think we will manage the whole route, perhaps 7 or 8 days. In that case, would there be a better town to stop in to catch a bus back to Lisbon?
Best,
Lori
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
You can do it all the way to Sagres in 8 days. This is what we did, two less days than the official stages due to cutting out the mini Sines-Porto Covo stage and the loop to Arrifana.

1 - Porto Covo - Vila Nova de Milfontes 20km
2 - Vila Nova de Milfontes - Almograve 15.5km
3 - Almograve - Zambujeira do Mar 22km
4 - Zambujeira do Mar - Odeceixe 18.5km
5 - Odeceixe - Aljezur 18.5km
6 - Aljezur - Carrapateira 24km
7 - Carrapateira - Vila do Bispo 16km
8 - Vila do Bispo - Sagres 20.5km
 
Hi @Lori Butler,
I walked the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail in April 2019.
We took a bus from Lisbon to Porto Covo to start, and ended in Sagres. We then took a long bus ride up to Porto to start the Portuguese Camino.
I have taken a screenshot of my basic notes for where we stayed each night. I hope this helps; I am sure others will be more helpful than me. I absolutely loved this route once I got past the first few days of walking in deep sand, although the views were stunning!
IMG_20220903_141343444~2.jpg
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
You can do it all the way to Sagres in 8 days. This is what we did, two less days than the official stages due to cutting out the mini Sines-Porto Covo stage and the loop to Arrifana.

1 - Porto Covo - Vila Nova de Milfontes 20km
2 - Vila Nova de Milfontes - Almograve 15.5km
3 - Almograve - Zambujeira do Mar 22km
4 - Zambujeira do Mar - Odeceixe 18.5km
5 - Odeceixe - Aljezur 18.5km
6 - Aljezur - Carrapateira 24km
7 - Carrapateira - Vila do Bispo 16km
8 - Vila do Bispo - Sagres 20.5km
That looks very doable, thanks so much!!
Lori
 
Hi @Lori Butler,
I walked the Rota Vicentina Fisherman's Trail in April 2019.
We took a bus from Lisbon to Porto Covo to start, and ended in Sagres. We then took a long bus ride up to Porto to start the Portuguese Camino.
I have taken a screenshot of my basic notes for where we stayed each night. I hope this helps; I am sure others will be more helpful than me. I absolutely loved this route once I got past the first few days of walking in deep sand, although the views were stunning!
View attachment 132045
Thanks so much, I will look into these places!
 
Hi,

A cool forum here! I myself am planning a solo hiking trip from Porto Covo to Lagos at the end of March.

My goal is to find the cheapest hostels during my stops. below you can find a selection of what I found interesting. A few I've got answers to but I think most of them won't get an answer with availability and a price until 2023. So for me, it will be a while before confirmation of hostels/hotels. If anyone has any suggestions, don't hesitate to contact me! I am very grateful for any tips :)

24/03 Lisbon to Porto Covo by bus = €20



24/03 Stay Porto Covo= Ahoy Porto Covo Hostel

25/03 stay VILA NOVA DE MILFONTES= Hike & Surf Lodge

26/03 stay ALMOGRAVE= Hi Hostel Almograve

27/03 stay ZAMBUJEIRA DO MAR= Hakuna Matata

28/03 stay ODECEIXE= Odeceixe Hostel

29/03 stay ALJEZUR= Amazigh Hostel

30/03 stay ARRIFANA= Hi Arrifana Destination Hostel

31/03 stay CARRAPATEIRA= Hostel do Mar

01/04 stay Vila Do Bispo= ****

02/04 stay Sagres= Sagres Sun Stay or Sagres - Apartamentos Atalaia or Pura Vida Divehouse

03/04 stay Salema= ****

04/04 stay Lagos= The 17 hostel




05/04 + 06/04 Chilling in Lagos

7/04 + 08/04 chilling in Lisbon

09/04 bus to Lisbon= €20


09/04 back to Belgium
 
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
30/03 stay ARRIFANA= Hi Arrifana Destination Hostel
If shortening your walk has any appeal, you can easily skip the Arrifana loop and walk directly from Aljezur to Carrapateira in one day instead. I was in Arrifana a couple of days ago and it's just a surf town that didn't have any appeal to me.

01/04 stay Vila Do Bispo= ****
We stayed in Casa Dias for €38/double.

03/04 stay Salema= ****
Hard to find a cheap place here. We stayed at Salema Eco Camp for €65/double.
 
Hi,

I am planning on walking the Fisherman's trail in the latter half of March.

I've got around 6-8 days and would love to start from the South, walking up to the North.
Does anyone have tips for the itinerary and what not to miss or underestimate?

Thank you in advance, have a lovely day :)
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi,

I am planning on walking the Fisherman's trail in the latter half of March.

I've got around 6-8 days and would love to start from the South, walking up to the North.
Does anyone have tips for the itinerary and what not to miss or underestimate?

Thank you in advance, have a lovely day :)
annieann,
Here is one place to keep in mind.
and an earlier thread to browse
Happy planning and Bom caminho!
 

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