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I rarely dislike taking the familiar walk repeatedly,” remarked Joana Almeida, bending next to a patch of blossoms. “Each time, you can spot different details – these blooms weren’t here the day before.”

Growing on stalks no less than 2cm high and starring the soil with snowy flowers, the reality that these overnight wonders sprung up in a single night was a remarkable proof of how swiftly nature can grow in this hilly, central area of the Algarve, the national forest of Barão de São João.

It was also reassuring to learn that in an area ravaged by forest fires in September, varieties such as fire-resistant trees – which are fire-resistant due to their low resin content – were starting to regrow, alongside highly inflammable eucalyptus, which impedes other slow-burning trees such as oak. Volunteers were being enlisted to assist with reforestation.

Tourist Numbers and Inland Attraction

Tourist arrivals to the Algarve are growing, with this year registering an rise of over two percent on the last year – but most guests make a beeline for the seaside, although there being so much more to explore.

The coastline is undoubtedly wild and dramatic, but the area is also eager to highlight the attraction of its upland zones. With the development of throughout the year hiking and mountain biking trails, plus the addition of outdoor events, attention is being shifted to these equally captivating landscapes, featuring peaks and dense forests.

The Algarve Walking Season hosts a program of multiple hiking events with general themes such as “water” and “ancient ruins” between November and April. It’s expected they will encourage visitors throughout the year, supporting the regional economy and contributing to stem the tide of younger generations moving away in pursuit of work.

Art and The Outdoors Combine

The excursion to the wooded reserve overlapped with a two-day event with the focus of “expression”, focused on the white-washed village to the northwest of Barão de São João.

In addition to led walks, setting off from the community center, free events included mastering how to make organic pigments, to drama classes, tai chi and artistic rendering. There were a couple of photo displays on show together with a number of other kid-focused activities, such as botanical explorations and creating wildlife feeders.

Prior to our casual midday printmaking class at the community space, our hike into the woods with Joana had the feeling of an creative path. Signposted at the start by upright rocks decorated with depictions of local farmers, it was dotted along the way with more modest, installed stones depicting instances of animals, including spiny creatures and lynxes – the latter’s population recovering, thanks to a rescue facility situated in the historic town of Silves.

Breathtaking Trails and Natural Charm

As the path wound up to its peak, the menhir (monolith) on the Pedra do Galo path, it became more lushly forested with the aromatic fragrance of evergreen. There was a richness to the air and firm, honey-toned droplets bulged from wood. Chalky rock shone underfoot and tiny toads perched by pool margins, vocal sacs pulsing. In the background, windmills rotated against the blue expanse.

Francisco Simões, the local expert the subsequent day, was similarly enthusiastic to emphasize that these upland regions can be explored throughout the year. Waymarked hikes, developed in the last decade, are branches of the Via Algarviana, a path that stretches from the border with Spain for 186 miles, continuously to the Atlantic, and many are now connected to an application that makes wayfinding even easier.

Nature Tourism and Artistic Experiences

Francisco established ecotourism outfit Algarvian Roots in the recent past and provides tours from birdwatching to all-day accompanied treks, all with the identical objectives as the AWS: to highlight the locale by way of engagement, learning and local understanding.

The creative link is here, also – his parent, potter Margarida Palma Gomes, had taught us to decorate azulejos, the characteristic traditional colored glazed tiles found all over the country, previously on a festival workshop. Visits to her atelier, along with to a regional artist, can additionally be arranged through Algarvian Roots.

Francisco advised us to play our part for the sector by drinking plenty of quality vintage stoppered by cork

Following an delicious midday meal of local specialty and vegetable in A Charrette in Monchique, a quaint upland village flanked by the Algarve’s most elevated summits, the 902-metre Fóia and high Picota, Francisco guided us down precipitously cobbled streets and into a alleyway, where an older couple basked outdoors at the doorstep of their residence.

A inclined trail took us into the forest, the earth scattered with acorns. Here, Francisco was eager to introduce us to cork trees, Portugal’s national tree and conserved under regulation since the medieval period. Not only are they inherently slow-burning, but their flexible bark is a origin of income for locals, who collect it to sell to other {industries|sectors