Rota Vicentina - Santiago do Cacem to Lagos - Request for Restaurant and Cafe Recommendations

[MountainWalker]

Hi fellow walkers!

We're so excited to be planning our first walk in Portugal!

My partner and I are visiting in February and March 2022, and after checking out Braga, Porto, and Coimbra, we'll be starting our walk in Santiago do Cacem.

We'd love to hear from anyone who's walked this route recently about their favorite restaurants and cafes along the way. If you have any recommendations for places to avoid, we'd love to hear those too.

We're all about the authentic and humble over the flashy and comfortable, so if you know of any great spots that fit that description, we'd love to hear about them.

If you have a minute to share why your recommendations are especially noteworthy, we'd love to hear more!

Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

 

[jungleboy]

Pisco in Vila do Bispo was my favourite restaurant on the RV. It’s very popular, so reserving ahead is recommended.

Another restaurant I liked was Alecrim in Carrapateira. For pizza, Arte Bianca is good, and is in Aljezur, Sagres and Arrifana.

 

[ricrog]

Hi fellow walkers!

We're so excited to be planning our first walk in Portugal!

My partner and I are visiting in February and March 2022, and after checking out Braga, Porto, and Coimbra, we'll be starting our walk in Santiago do Cacem.

We'd love to hear from anyone who's walked this route recently about their favorite restaurants and cafes along the way. If you have any recommendations for places to avoid, we'd love to hear those too.

We're all about the authentic and humble over the flashy and comfortable, so if you know of any great spots that fit that description, we'd love to hear about them.

If you have a minute to share why your recommendations are especially noteworthy, we'd love to hear more!

Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

Hello there,
On 29th March I'm planning on walking down from Lisbon to Aljezur but can't decide whether to go via Santiago do Cacem and the inland route or to go via Sines and down the coastal route, which way are you guys going?

 

[LTfit]

Walked the Rota Vicentina March 2016 from Santiago do Cacém to Cabo San Vicente. Can't help you with any restaurants but it's a lovely walk.

I'm in Aljezur right now with 20c and sun and have walked a bit of the route again. It is definitely a route to repeat again!

 

[mspath]

Lagos is on the Trilho dos Pescadores/Fishermenn's Trail which leads west to Sagres on the Rota Vicentina.



Perched on the seaside is this VERY good simple fish restaurant, O Camilo
Don't miss it.

 

[jungleboy]

Hello there,
On 29th March I'm planning on walking down from Lisbon to Aljezur but can't decide whether to go via Santiago do Cacem and the inland route or to go via Sines and down the coastal route, which way are you guys going?

I haven’t walked the inland route but I highly recommend the coastal route between Porto Covo and Odeceixe. After that you can really mix and match as you like (it’s not two completely separate trails the way it’s officially presented) but I wouldn’t miss those first coastal stages.

 

[LTfit]

From Santiago do Cacém I walked to Cercal do Alentejo (actually 2 stages but did it in one) along the Historical Trail then crossed over to Porto Covo and followed the Fisherman's Trail to Odeceixe where the two routes meet.

When I walked it the trail stopped at the Lighthouse but now extends to Lagos I heard.

 

[MountainWalker]

@jungleboy and @mspath : thank you for the recommendations! We read positive reports about the breakfast at Pensao das Dunas in Carrapateira and are looking forward to that.

@ricrog : We want to begin in SDC to capture as much topographical and cultural diversity as possible on this walk. As did @LTfit , once we arrive in Cercal, we will head northwest to Porto Covo and then walk the coastal route and continue on that iteration all the way to Lagos.

I've read the inland route is spectacular for different reasons, so depending on what you'd like to experience during the walk, I suppose either route will afford wonderful moments.

We'd love for more restaurant/food recommendations if other posters stumble on this thread!