On April 28, an inaugural route will be made on one of the new small routes, the PR15 LLE – Entre o Barrocal e a Serra (Between the Barrocal and the Mountains), which starts and ends in the village of Alte. This walk is part of the Arts and Cultures of Alte programme week.

On May 12th, the walk takes place on PR5 ABF - Entre Aldeias (Between Villages), in Paderne (Albufeira). On dates to be announced soon on Via Algarviana's social networks, inaugural walks will take place on the other two routes.

These new routes share the territory of the beautiful Geopark Algarvensis and by walking these routes, it is possible to understand how the particular geology of the region has determined both the natural landscape (rock formations, watercourses, fauna and flora) and the type of occupation and human activity, over the millennium – from agriculture to art and from architecture to traditional technologies.

The PR15 LLE – Entre o Barrocal e a Serra (Between the Barrocal and the Mountains) is an immersion in the diversity of landscapes of the parish of Alte (municipality of Loulé), sometimes following the limestones of the Barrocal, sometimes the schists of the mountains. It is the longest of the four new routes, with 17.60 km, but it is possible to divide it into two parts, which can be done separately.

The PR5 ABF – Entre Aldeias (Between Villages) is a small route of 7 km, in the heart of Barrocal, which starts from Paderne (municipality of Albufeira) and passes through fertile floodplains, trails surrounded by beautiful trees and villages with the traditional architecture of the Algarve.

The PR2 SLV – Nos Passos do Patrimônio (On the Steps of Heritage), 16.30 km long, allows you to discover the valuable megalithic heritage of the Vale Fuzeiros area (municipality of Silves), in a landscape marked by the intense colour of the sandstone of Silves.

Ligação 12 (Connection 12), a linear route of 7.30 km, starts very close to the Funcho dam (in the municipality of Silves) and allows walkers and cyclists to divide sector 9 of the Via Algarviana into two parts, making a small detour that takes them to Vale Fuzeiros. Along the way, the panoramic views allow you to see the National Breeding Centre for the Iberian-Lynx (CNRLI) and the reservoir of the Arade dam.

The new routes were installed within the scope of the project "Via Algarviana - Pelos Caminhos do Património (Through the paths of Heritage)", promoted by the Almargem Association, with co-financing from the PDR 2020 – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and Portugal 2020.

About the Via Algarviana

The Via Algarviana, inaugurated on May 29, 2009, was the creation of an idea long thought out by a group of hiking and nature enthusiasts in the Algarve: to create a large pedestrian route that crossed the entire interior of the Algarve – a visionary project, which paved the way for ecotourism in this region.

Its main objectives, then as now, are to diversify the tourist offer, mitigate seasonality; value the cultural and environmental heritage of the region, with a special focus on low-density territories; stimulate the local economy; and promote the sustainable development of the interior of the Algarve.

The Via Algarviana has grown and diversified: today, in addition to the great route (GR13), there is a vast network of complementary routes that include short routes, thematic routes and audio-guided routes, as well as a series of connections that allow easier access to the great route from various points in the Algarve.

These routes respond to the needs of different audiences: people with greater or lesser physical capacity, more or less time available, with particular interests in topics ranging from birdwatching, geology, flora, history and local heritage. In 2023, Via Algarviana took its first steps in accessible tourism, with an audio-guided tour adapted for the blind and partially sighted and the free availability, on request, of a mono-wheel all-terrain chair for inclusive tourism.

Anabela Santos, coordinator of Via Algarviana, takes stock: "It's been 15 years of which we are proud. Increasingly, the interior of the Algarve is a sought-after destination for Portuguese and international visitors who value what this region has to offer: the landscapes, the unique flora, the contact with the population and the local culture. In addition to all the economic issues, which are important, there is a human dimension to ecotourism that has immense value, both for those who visit and for those who receive it."

The management of the Via Algarviana is carried out by the Almargem Association in partnership with the municipalities through which the routes pass (Albufeira, Alcoutim, Aljezur, Castro Marim, Lagos, Loulé, Monchique, Portimão, São Brás de Alportel, Silves, Tavira and Vila do Bispo).

For more information, please visit www.viaalgarviana.org or find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Viaalgarviana or on Instagram @viaalgarviana.