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WALKING route from Faro to Sagres

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I am considering doing the Portugues for my next Camino - but I want to start from Faro. Does anyone know of a good trail to follow from Faro to Sagres or somewhere else on the Rota Vincentina? Does someone have an itinerary they can share, and did you have difficulty finding albergues between Faro and the Rota Vincentina? For itineraries I am looking for both the path from Faro to the Rota Vincentina, I do see some for the Rota Vincentina.
 
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From Faro to Sagres is not, as far as I know, a camino or marked. I have done several long-ish walks on the coast over the years and there is definitely a path. But I don’t think you will find albergues. There are plenty of hotels, though, since you’ll be walking through the most heavily touristed beaches in Portugal.


There is some information scattered around the forum about the Central route starting in Faro, but this takes you up the east side of Portugal, which isn’t what you asked about. Just in case, though, if you search for posts with “Faro” and you will find some good information on that route, like this one and this one by Nick, jungleboy.

And as you noted, there is a good amount of forum info about the Rota Vicentina. (for search purposes, note that there is no N before the C in Vicentina).

I personally think the western Alentejo coast is much prettier than the Algarve coast, but there are some very nice spots near Lagos and I think it would be a nice walk, lots of it on headlands.

And just posting in a link to a map that includes Faro and some options.


I am by no means fully educated on these routes, and it is confusing.
 
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Well, the RV extends to Lagos, so it’s just the Faro-Lagos part that you’d have to figure out. Or you could walk the Caminho Central from Faro and I’m sure there is a link trail at some point connecting it to the RV, but I can’t remember where it joins the RV and am not having any luck just now trying to look it up. Alternatively, you could forget the RV and walk the Central to Santarém, where it joins the CP.

Do you have a particular reason for wanting to start in Faro? Why not start in Lagos/Sagres instead?
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Well, the RV extends to Lagos, so it’s just the Faro-Lagos part that you’d have to figure out. Or you could walk the Caminho Central from Faro and I’m sure there is a link trail at some point connecting it to the RV, but I can’t remember where it joins the RV and am not having any luck just now trying to look it up. Alternatively, you could forget the RV and walk the Central to Santarém, where it joins the CP.

Do you have a particular reason for wanting to start in Faro? Why not start in Lagos/Sagres instead?
The reason I am looking at heading to the RV is because 1) I do like the idea of a more coastal route in that area and 2) it appears to be better for going through Lisbon. Correct me if I am wrong, but if I stay Central, I would bypass Lisbon, correct? If I am going to walk Portugal - I think I want to go through Lisbon. Of course - maybe I shouldn't - I don't love walking THROUGH large cities - but at the same time, I try to do all of the major cities in Europe for my tourism.

As for Faro vs Lagos/Sagres - I am definitely considering those options too as a starting point - but I kind of like the idea of getting to Faro, getting a good night sleep, then start walking.

@peregrina2000 Thanks for all the links. I will definitely check them out. By the way, what is AFAIK? Not sure what it stands for! But no albergues could be a deal breaker depending on hotel cost. And thanks for the spelling correction - I keep wanting to call it "Vincent"(ina) like the name - thus the "N" I keep adding!

Anyhow - I have never been to Portugal so doing the Portuguese is important - eventually. Also considering starting in France on the Le Puy or Arles and seeing how far I could get towards Santiago in the time I have (7 weeks give or take). For fitness purposes I kind of like the idea of walking a bit faster than I did my other caminos (well - mileage per day, not speed - I am at my comfort speed already). Would be cool if I could make it all the way to Santiago in that time, but I have two Compostela's - so I don't HAVE to end there if I go the normal pace. But looks like if I go 30-35km/day most days (usually easy for me) - then I might be able get all the way to SdC.
 
2) it appears to be better for going through Lisbon.
I don’t think that it’s easy to go through Lisbon from the Rota Vicentina, whose northernmost point is Santiago do Cacém. But that map that I posted above shows that the Caminho Central, which starts in Faro, does go through Santiago do Cacém, so you could hop over there. Jungleboy and Friend from Barquinha may have more updated information, but I haven’t heard of anyone who had an easy time getting to Lisbon on foot from Santiago do Cacém. But if you can get to Almada as that map shows, there’s public transportation across the river. It’d be great if there were a ferry, but I don’t know if there is.

By the way, what is AFAIK?
:p :p :p . Years ago another old forum member used that string of letters and when I asked what it meant, he acted like I was the last person on the planet to find out. So sorry, I should know better. It’s “as far as I know,” and I will not use it again!! I even edited it out of my first post.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
:p :p :p . Years ago another old forum member used that string of letters and when I asked what it meant, he acted like I was the last person on the planet to find out. So sorry, I should know better. It’s “as far as I know,” and I will not use it again!! I even edited it out of my first post.
How funny - I was thinking you were referring to a trail system!
 
You could fly into Lisbon and see it first? Then go to your starting point?
I could - but my potential airfare and flight paths to Lisbon aren't in my favor - either cost a lot more or too many connections! Believe it or not - it looks like it would be better to fly to Faro of all places! But then again - routes and prices don't seem to be stable right now.
 
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Correct me if I am wrong, but if I stay Central, I would bypass Lisbon, correct?
That is correct but as P2K points out, the RV doesn’t connect with Lisbon either.

And thanks for the spelling correction - I keep wanting to call it "Vincent"(ina) like the name - thus the "N" I keep adding!
It is like the name, but in Portuguese the name is Vicente ;). São Vicente is the patron saint of Lisbon and his body washed ashore near Sagres after his posthumous journey following his martyrdom in Spain, which is why that cape is the Cabo de São Vicente, why the coast north of it is the Costa Vicentina, and why the walking trail is the Rota Vicentina.

The RV is really nice but it’s a bit tricky incorporating it into something longer given the parameters of starting from Faro, trying to incorporate Lisbon and doing a continuous walk. If you want to do a continuous camino from the southern Portuguese coast to Santiago, really the best option is the Nascente/Torres/Geira ‘triple’ that we stumbled into last year. But that doesn’t solve the Lisbon issue, and you’d have to get from Faro to the start of the Nascente in Tavira.

Interesting discussion to have though!
 
That is correct but as P2K points out, the RV doesn’t connect with Lisbon either.


The RV is really nice but it’s a bit tricky incorporating it into something longer given the parameters of starting from Faro, trying to incorporate Lisbon and doing a continuous walk. If you want to do a continuous camino from the southern Portuguese coast to Santiago, really the best option is the Nascente/Torres/Geira ‘triple’ that we stumbled into last year. But that doesn’t solve the Lisbon issue, and you’d have to get from Faro to the start of the Nascente in Tavira.

Interesting discussion to have though!
Yeah - I see it ends quite a ways south of Lisbon - but was just looking at where I could potentially walk to and stop for the night in between - looks like I could do it. But may or may not be the most pleasant walking.

And I will have to look into the other routes you mentioned. I have really just started looking at the Portugues from the southern coast - so I am thinking that perhaps my next Camino might be from France and then the following do the Portuguese - so I have more time to research routes!

If I must cut out Lisbon - I will. Just will seam strange to be so close and skip such a major city.
 
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The RV is really nice but it’s a bit tricky incorporating it into something longer given the parameters of starting from Faro, trying to incorporate Lisbon and doing a continuous walk.
@jungleboy, would you take a look at the map I linked to at the bottom of post number 2? The black line, Caminho Central, goes from Faro to Santiago do Cacém to Almada. Then hop across the river and the black line continues from Lisbon north. Is this a real caminho? Or is it still aspirational?
 
What is your plan for the veering?
I think from Alcacer do Sal I go to Comporta then Palmela to Lisbon. I still have to find appropriate maps for those stages, so right now that is my theoretical route. :D
Rest assured, I have bookmarked just about every post you have made about your Portuguese Camino for information and inspiration, and THANK YOU for posting so much valuable information for the rest of us!
 
And now for some more confusion, look at this map, which shows no caminho connection between Santiago do Cacém and Lisboa.

I know this is not the first time we have had discussion of connecting the Rota Vicentina to the Caminho in Lisbon, and some searching brought up this post, which itself has links to other posts about the topic.

And here is a report of one person who did just what @jeanineonthecamino wants to do! His route is totally different from other options mentioned in other threads, but involves a fair amount of asphalt and of course no albergues.

@jungleboy has referred to the problem of competing regional organizations and different groups claiming to be “in charge.” The group that published the map I linked to above is located in Covilha, and shows that it got EU and Portugal 2020 funding, so I guess it has some claim to some official standing. But I think anyone trying to connect the Rota Vicentina to the Caminho in Lisbon will have challenges.
 
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There is a bike path along the algarve coast, but my understanding is that it is not complete in some spots:

There is an interior waking trail across the algarve too:
 
I am considering doing the Portugues for my next Camino - but I want to start from Faro. Does anyone know of a good trail to follow from Faro to Sagres or somewhere else on the Rota Vincentina? Does someone have an itinerary they can share, and did you have difficulty finding albergues between Faro and the Rota Vincentina? For itineraries I am looking for both the path from Faro to the Rota Vincentina, I do see some for the Rota Vincentina.

I am considering doing the Portugues for my next Camino - but I want to start from Faro. Does anyone know of a good trail to follow from Faro to Sagres or somewhere else on the Rota Vincentina? Does someone have an itinerary they can share, and did you have difficulty finding albergues between Faro and the Rota Vincentina? For itineraries I am looking for both the path from Faro to the Rota Vincentina, I do see some for the Rota Vincentina.
Why don't you walk North on the Camino from Faro to Salir on the Via Algarviana. From there you follow the VA via Alte, Messines, Silves, Monchique and Marmelete to Aljezur and the RV. The VA is a great walk with reasonable accommodation.
 
@jungleboy, would you take a look at the map I linked to at the bottom of post number 2? The black line, Caminho Central, goes from Faro to Santiago do Cacém to Almada. Then hop across the river and the black line continues from Lisbon north. Is this a real caminho? Or is it still aspirational?
I don’t know one way or the other but if there’s anything we learned from the movie Speed (and we didn’t learn much), it’s that even if something is on a map, that doesn’t mean it actually exists.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Why don't you walk North on the Camino from Faro to Salir on the Via Algarviana. From there you follow the VA via Alte, Messines, Silves, Monchique and Marmelete to Aljezur and the RV. The VA is a great walk with reasonable accommodation.
Thanks, I might end up doing that. Was kind of hoping to walk closer to the coast and then through Lisbon - but a more established trail with accommodations is probably what I will ultimately do instead since the RV isn't connected to either Faro or Lisbon.
 
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I am considering doing the Portugues for my next Camino - but I want to start from Faro. Does anyone know of a good trail to follow from Faro to Sagres or somewhere else on the Rota Vincentina? Does someone have an itinerary they can share, and did you have difficulty finding albergues between Faro and the Rota Vincentina? For itineraries I am looking for both the path from Faro to the Rota Vincentina, I do see some for the Rota Vincentina.
I was in Faro, Portugal three weeks ago and walked a few km for the fun of it first along the marshy coast. Download the Mapy.cz APP and input camino. A very clear path is shown within 1 m if that camino leading through Portugal.
 

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