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“I never mind taking the same walk again and again,” remarked Joana Almeida, bending beside a patch of flowers. “Every visit, you’ll find different details – these flowers weren’t in this spot the day before.”

Standing on shoots a minimum of 2cm tall and dotting the soil with white petals, the observation that these star of Bethlehem flowers sprung up overnight was a beautiful proof of how swiftly life can regenerate in this hilly, interior part of the Algarve, the public forest of Barão de São João.

It was also comforting to find out that in an area affected by wildfires in last fall, types such as strawberry trees – which are fire-resistant because of their low resin content – were starting to recover, together with highly inflammable eucalyptus, which hinders other fire-resistant trees such as oak. Volunteers were being recruited to help with ecological restoration.

Traveler Statistics and Interior Appeal

Visitor numbers to the Algarve are growing, with the current year showing an increase of 2.6% on the previous year – but most visitors make a beeline for the beach, despite there being so much more to explore.

The coastline is undoubtedly wild and stunning, but the region is also keen to highlight the charm of its upland zones. With the development of throughout the year trekking and cycling routes, plus the introduction of outdoor events, interest is being drawn to these similarly compelling vistas, including peaks and thick wooded areas.

The Algarve Walking Season hosts a series of multiple hiking events with broad topics such as “aquatic elements” and “historical sites” between late autumn and the end of winter. It’s anticipated they will encourage explorers year round, supporting the area’s finances and contributing to slow the exodus of young people departing in pursuit of employment.

Creativity and The Outdoors Merge

Our visit to the national forest fell during a cultural gathering with the theme of “art”, based around the traditional community north-west of Barão de São João.

In addition to led walks, starting at the local hub, complimentary activities included discovering how to make plant-based dyes, to performance sessions, mindful exercise and artistic rendering. There were several photo displays on show plus a number of other family-oriented pursuits, such as nature hunts and creating seed dispensers.

Even before our drop-in midday art printing session at the cultural centre, our stroll into the woodland with Joana had the vibe of an art trail. Indicated at the outset by monoliths adorned with depictions of traditional agricultural folk, it was decorated en route with more modest, permanently placed stones showing instances of animals, such as spiny creatures and feline predators – the latter’s numbers reviving, thanks to a rescue facility based in the fortified settlement of Silves.

Scenic Paths and Wild Splendor

As the trail ascended to its highest point, the menhir (monolith) on the Pedra do Galo path, it became more thickly wooded with the piney aroma of evergreen. There was a fullness to the air and firm, golden-colored bubbles protruded from wood. Calcareous stone glistened underfoot and tiny toads rested by pool margins, necks pulsing. In the far away, windmills rotated against the sky.

Francisco Simões, our guide the next day, was again eager to highlight that these inland areas can be explored in every season. Designated walks, developed in recent years, are offshoots of the Via Algarviana, a trail that runs from the border with Spain for 300 kilometers, the entire route to the coast, and a lot are now connected to an digital tool that makes wayfinding simpler.

Ecotourism and Cultural Experiences

Francisco founded nature tour operator Algarvian Roots in 2020 and offers experiences from wildlife spotting to day-long led walks, all with the similar aims as the AWS: to showcase the area by way of immersion, enlightenment and cultural awareness.

The creative link is present, too – his mother, potter Margarida Palma Gomes, had taught us to decorate azulejos, the iconic cerulean and ivory ceramic tiles found across the land, previously on a festival workshop. Excursions to her workshop, along with to a local potter, can also be organized through Algarvian Roots.

Francisco encouraged us to play our part for the industry by enjoying ample amounts of quality vintage capped with cork

After an delicious dining experience of local specialty and cabbage in A Charrette in Monchique, a charming upland village nestled between the Algarve’s two highest peaks, the 902-metre Fóia and 774-meter Picota, Francisco led us down sharply cobbled streets and into a side lane, where an older couple relaxed in the sun at the entrance of their home.

A steep track guided us into the woodland, the ground covered in acorns. Here, Francisco was eager to introduce us to oak trees, Portugal’s emblematic species and conserved under regulation since the medieval period. Not just are they inherently flame-retardant, but their malleable covering is a origin of income for inhabitants, who harvest it to market to other {industries|sectors