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“I never dislike taking the identical hike repeatedly,” remarked our guide, kneeling next to a patch of blossoms. “Every visit, you’ll find new things – these flowers weren’t here yesterday.”

Rising on shoots a minimum of 2cm in height and starring the ground with white petals, the reality that these delicate blooms sprung up suddenly was a remarkable testament of how rapidly life can regenerate in this rolling, central area of the Algarve, the protected woodland of Barão de São João.

It was also comforting to find out that in an region affected by wildfires in the autumn, species such as strawberry trees – which are fire-resistant because of their reduced sap – were commencing to bounce back, alongside highly combustible eucalyptus, which obstructs other slow-burning trees such as oak. Volunteers were being enlisted to participate with reforestation.

Tourist Figures and Upland Interest

Travel figures to the Algarve are increasing, with this year recording an rise of 2.6 percent on the last year – but the majority visitors make a beeline for the seaside, although there being far more to experience.

The shoreline is undoubtedly rugged and breathtaking, but the area is also eager to showcase the attraction of its inland areas. With the creation of throughout the year trekking and mountain biking paths, along with the addition of outdoor events, focus is being shifted to these equally captivating sceneries, showcasing peaks and dense woodlands.

The Algarve Walking Season organizes a program of multiple walking festivals with loose subjects such as “aquatic elements” and “archaeology” between late autumn and April. It’s anticipated they will inspire explorers in every season, supporting the local economy and aiding slow the exodus of the youth departing in search of opportunities.

Art and The Outdoors Blend

The trip to the protected parkland overlapped with a cultural gathering with the theme of “creativity”, centered on the traditional village to the northwest of Barão de São João.

In addition to led walks, starting at the local hub, free events included learning how to make plant-based dyes, to drama classes, tai chi and artistic rendering. There were two image galleries running as well as a number of other child-friendly pastimes, such as leaf safaris and making wildlife feeders.

Even before our informal midday screen-printing session at the cultural centre, our walk into the woodland with Joana had the vibe of an art trail. Indicated at the start by standing stones adorned with images of local farmers, it was decorated en route with more modest, permanently placed stones showing types of fauna, such as spiny creatures and wild cats – the latter’s numbers recovering, thanks to a conservation center based in the historic town of Silves.

Scenic Trails and Outdoor Charm

As the route wound up to its peak, the menhir (ancient rock) on the Pedra do Galo path, it became more densely vegetated with the aromatic fragrance of evergreen. There was a ripeness to the breeze and solid, honey-toned bubbles bulged from tree trunks. Calcareous stone glistened beneath our feet and tiny frogs perched by pool margins, vocal sacs vibrating. In the far away, energy generators spun against the horizon.

Francisco Simões, the tour leader the following day, was similarly keen to highlight that these interior zones can be experienced year-round. Designated walks, created in the last decade, are extensions of the Via Algarviana, a path that runs from the border with Spain for a significant distance, continuously to the coast, and many are now connected to an app that makes navigation even easier.

Sustainable Travel and Local Experiences

Francisco set up sustainable travel company Algarvian Roots in the recent past and offers experiences from birdwatching to all-day led walks, all with the same aims as the AWS: to highlight the area by way of involvement, education and traditional knowledge.

The artistic element is here, as well – his parent, ceramicist Margarida Palma Gomes, had guided us to paint azulejos, the iconic traditional colored ceramic tiles found across the nation, two days earlier on a event class. Excursions to her atelier, in addition to to a local potter, can further be arranged through Algarvian Roots.

Francisco encouraged us to contribute for the industry by drinking plenty of quality vintage stoppered by cork

After an excellent dining experience of local specialty and cabbage in A Charrette in Monchique, a charming mountain town flanked by the Algarve’s most elevated summits, the 902-meter Fóia and high Picota, Francisco took us down steeply cobbled streets and into a side lane, where an elderly pair relaxed in the sun at the doorstep of their house.

A inclined track led us into the woodland, the ground strewn with tree seeds. At this spot, Francisco was eager to point out oak trees, Portugal’s symbolic plant and safeguarded by law since the 1200s. Besides are they inherently slow-burning, but their pliable bark is a origin of livelihood for locals, who harvest it to market to other {industries|sectors