Tourists can now enjoy the Algarve’s exceptional spring climate and picturesque natural settings on two newly inaugurated walking and cycling routes.
The Herdade da Parra National Forest trail in Silves opened earlier this year, while a new section of the Ecovia de Silves is scheduled to be officially inaugurated today.
The 6.5-kilometre, circular Herdade da Parra walking route extends through a forest area that covers 806 hectares in the middle of the Serra de Silves. It is considered to be of a medium to difficult level, with a maximum elevation of 211 metres and minimum, 42 metres. It takes around two and a half hours to complete.
At several observation points, hikers can view many species of native trees, such as willows, strawberry trees and cork oaks, and the forest is also home to a rich diversity of animals and birds, including deer, wild boar, the Bonelli’s eagle, red partridges, wild pigeons and wood pigeons.
In addition to a stunning landscape, the itinerary provides several strategically located rest areas, highlighted by a picnic park where visitors can relax and connect with nature.
The newly constructed section of the Ecovia de Silves extends for 3.4 kilometres from Armação de Pêra, running parallel to the Praia Grande (Pêra) dunes and connecting with an existing walkway at Lagoa dos Salgados.
The Algarve’s “Ecovias” are infrastructures geared mostly towards bicycle use. They are part of a master plan devised for the Algarve that comprises four main axes: Ecovia do Litoral, Ecovia do Guadiana, Ecovia da Costa Vicentina and Ecovia do Interior.
The Ecovia do Litoral Algarvio is a continuous infrastructure consisting of 12 segments and running along the entire Algarve coastline for around 214 kilometres, from Vila Real de Santo António-Cais do Ferry (kilometre zero) to Cabo de S. Vicente-Sagres, in Vila do Bispo. The paths run close to the sea and criss-cross the Algarve coast’s 12 municipalities.
