The Algarve’s Via Algarviana walking network will turn 17 on May 29, 2026, but celebrations won’t be limited to just one day. Instead, the iconic hiking route is launching 17 initiatives throughout the year, including a series of open walks and activities with local schools.
The programme kicks off early in the year with free guided walks open to the public, inviting residents and visitors alike to discover some of the most scenic and lesser-known paths of the Algarve’s interior.
The popular “Caminhadas Domingueiras” are a series of weekly Sunday walks taking place between January 11 and April 26. Participation is free, but registration is required. The complete walking calendar is already online.
Education and environmental awareness also play a key role. School walks will include environmental education activities designed to inspire younger generations. “The earlier children have direct contact with nature – especially nearby natural spaces – the more likely they are to be citizens who value and protect the natural world, the territory and the sustainable ways in which we will live in it in the future,” says Anabela Santos, coordinator of the Via Algarviana.
Managed by environmental association Almargem, the Via Algarviana owes much of its existence to the vision of biologist and former association president João Santos, the association says in a statement. Today, the project is supported by 13 Algarve municipalities, from Alcoutim and Monchique to Tavira and Vila do Bispo.
Seventeen years on, the Via Algarviana network now includes around 1,000 kilometres of signposted routes, from the GR13 long-distance trail to thematic paths, short routes and audio-guided walks.
