Guided Walking at Luz, Portugal
EXPLORE DRAMATIC SEA CLIFFS AND THE MOUNTAINS OF THE SERRA DE MONCHIQUE
Code: AGLCL
Print pageActivity types:
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Coastal
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Culture
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Food & drink
Level
Difficulty indicator
Difficulty is measured on many factors such as distance, ascent/descent, terrain, weather and more. There's no magic formula, but from our experience we use yellow for easy, orange for medium and red for hard. Challenger holidays require a high level of fitness and stamina.
Holiday overview
Explore the wild Atlantic coast with dramatic cliffs and the most westerly point, Cape St Vincent. The national parks in this area are filled with colourful wild flowers and renowned for their bird life including storks that build large elevated eye-catching nests on buildings and even telegraph poles! There are many historical towns in this region including the nearby town of Lagos with its colourful tiled buildings, old town wall and fishing port. Silves’ cobbled streets rise from an ancient market area to an imposing hill fort and an old Roman bridge over the tidal river Arade. Our walks from Luz offer an incredible variety of walks on well marked routes with plenty of opportunities for refreshments and to sample the local cuisine.
Holiday Highlights
- Stunning coastal scenery in this picturesque corner of Europe
- Soak up the Portuguese culture in the traditional cobbled streets of Silves and Lagos
- Uncover the paradise of green hills, wildflowers and eucalyptus trees around Monchique
- Cape St. Vincent with its lighthouse and striking, high sea cliffs
Price includes
- A full programme of guided walks with 2 options every walking day
- All transport to and from walks
- The services of experienced HF Holidays leaders
- ‘With flight’ holidays include return flights from the UK and hotel transfers
- 7 night's accommodation in en-suite rooms
- Half Board –buffet breakfast and 3-course evening meal
In pictures...
Accommodation
Hotel Belavista da Luz
The 4-star Hotel Belavista da Luz enjoys an elevated position overlooking the coastal resort of Luz. The hotel is built in a horseshoe shape which surrounds some colourful gardens and the two outdoor swimming pools.
Your room
There are 39 spacious en-suite bedrooms offering:
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Facilities
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As a guest, you can enjoy the use of:
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Dining
Our holidays at Luz are Half Board with breakfast and 3-course evening meal.
Breakfast Evening meal Drinks |
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Your evenings
The friendly atmosphere of our Guided Walking holidays continues into the evening.
Enjoy a glass of wine or beer whilst listening to your leaders outlining the next day's walks. On some evenings there may be some live music and the leaders will be checking for local events going on nearby. You may just like to relax in the hotel bar or on the terrace outside chatting with your fellow guests.
Itinerary
Our experienced leaders offer the choice of two different walks each day. Choose the option which best suits your interests and fitness
We provide flexible holidays. Choose easier walking one day and harder the next or just explore independently or relax around the resort.
Our leaders are friendly and welcoming making your holiday fun and sociable.
Our walks from Luz help discover the incredible variety this compact area has to offer from beautifully varied coastline rich in birdlife, striking cliffs, beaches and boardwalks to the green, rolling hills inland around Monchique and Foia (the highest point in the Algarve), offering a great contrast to the more familiar sights of the region.
Easier walks: 4 to 7 miles on good paths. Up to 700ft of ascent in a day.
Harder walks: 6 to 11 miles on good paths. Up to 1,000ft of ascent in a day.
Day 1: Arrival Day
Depending on your arrival time you may have the opportunity to see Luz before your evening meal. On the first evening our leaders will explain more about our walks and there will be plenty of time to meet with your fellow guests.
Day 2: Burgau to Pona Piadade
Our first day of walks starts with a short coach ride to the fishing village of Burgau. This is one of the most unspoilt villages on the Algarve coast and it still retains its original charm and character. The rock strata between Burgau and Ponta Piadade are particularly varied and very colourful, from white limestone to red sandstone, with many minerals giving rise to different colours. These different rocks support a wide variety of flora and in Spring there are impressive displays of wild flowers. Orchids are common on the limestone sections, whilst other plants prefer the coarse sandy soils. Ponta Piedade (Point of Piety) is a truly unforgettable sea cliff ensemble. On a calm day you can look all the way down to a perfectly transparent sea washing the dramatic rock bridges and grottoes. Very long stairways have been cut in the cliffside all the way down to sea level. Look for the sea stack which is the nesting home of the egrets. There is a lighthouse with its own shelter of palm trees. Easier walk: 6 miles (9.5km) with 600ft (180m) of ascent, Harder walk: 7 miles (11km) with 800ft (240m) of ascent.
Day 3: The ancient town of Silves
Today we travel inland to a reservoir built between 1944 and 1956. The Barragem do Arade supplies water for drinking and irrigation purposes as well as generating electricity. The harder walkers start here and follow the Via Algarviana through hills and eucalyptus forests to Silves. The easier walkers re-board the coach then return to the outskirts of Silves for their walk in the rounded hills to the north of the town. Both groups meet in the town and will have time to explore its history and enjoy a refreshing drink in the many cafes. Easier Walk: 6 miles (9.5km) with 500ft (150m) of ascent, Harder Walk: 7 miles (11km) with 700ft (210m) of ascent.
Day 4: Figueira to Sagres
These walks explore the coast line in the Cabo de Sau Vicente Natural Park. Figueira, which still retains its old farming atmosphere, remains virtually unspoilt and is well known for its rich variety of wild flowers and birdlife. We walk along cliff tops and then descend to beautiful undeveloped beaches, and return to the cliff tops once more. Our final descent is at Martinhal Beach, where we walk along the sand and into the village of Sagres, which is the most south-westerly community in Europe. Easier Walk: 5 miles (8km) with 500ft (150m) of ascent, Harder Walk: 9 miles (14.5km) with 800ft (240m) of ascent.
Day 5: Free Day
Today there are no organised walks, allowing you time to explore the local area or just relax in the hotel or at the beach.
Your free day offers the chance to relax in this resort, visit Lagos by local bus and walk the town trail or take a boat trip from Luz or Lagos.
Lagos: The town is easily accessible by bus directly from outside the hotel. The town has a rich historical past. There is a bold boulevard with marina and many shops and restaurants. Lacobriga was the Roman name for Lagos and the Roman wall can still be seen, many parts of it original. It became the capital of the Algarve with the Governors Palace at the headquarters of Henry’s School of Navigation. Lagos became a key port in the slave trade from the 14th century until it was abolished in the second half of the 19th century. Most of the city was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake but one survivor is the alter of the Chapel of St. Antony. There are boat trips from Lagos to Ponta Piadade with its many grottos and sea cliffs to wonder at.
Day 6: Monchique
Today we head for the hills of the Serra de Monchique. The town of Monchique is set in a valley between the two highpoints of the Algarve, Foia and Picota at 997 and 773 metres respectively. Both parties start their walks in the town and head to the foothills of Picota before descending to the spa at Caldas de Monchique. The harder walkers have the option of ascending Picota and will be rewarded by the magnificent views. Easier Walk: 6 miles (9.5km) with 900ft (270m) of ascent and 1,700ft (510m) of descent, Harder Walk: 8 miles (13km) with 1,500ft (450m) of ascent and 2,300ft (690m) of descent (The Harder walk includes an optional extra ascent).
Day 7: Carrapeteira and Pontal
Today’s walks take us through the village of Carrapatiera and to the West Atlantic coast. We walk through spectacular coastal and country scenery. The village is famous for its multi coloured cliffs at the Pontal headland. There is a rich variety of coastal scenery as we head south towards the beautiful Praia do Amado (the Lovers Beach), very popular with surfers. Both groups will meet at a restaurant overlooking the beach to enjoy a memorable lunch. A short walk takes us back to the village and our coach. Easier Walk: 5 miles (8km) with 400ft (120m,) of ascent, Harder Walk: 8 miles (13km) with 700ft (210m) of ascent with 1,000ft (300m) of descent.
Day 8: Departure day
Please note that the itinerary outlined is provisional and could be subject to change. A finalised itinerary will be available at the resort and every evening your leaders will talk to you about the next day’s walks.
Two-centre
Make the most of your European holiday by visiting two resorts. Why not visit Tavira and enjoy the laid back charm of the eastern Algarve.
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Tavira and LuzCombine a week at Luz with a week at Tavira in the eastern Algarve. Uncover the areas rich heritage on walks to pretty fishing harbours and tiny unspoilt villages. Discover the rich birdlife of the salt pans and the Rio Formosa. With flight & transfers from: £1,649 Without flights & transfers from: £1,449 |
To book any of our Two-Centre holidays call our Reservations Team on 0345 470 7558
Local area
Luz
Luz is believed to have been inhabited since Neolithic times, due to several ancient artefacts being discovered in the town. The Romans also settled here; there are ruins of the Roman baths in the town. Following the Romans, the Moors colonised the area, and brought with them fruit trees, which now flourish in the area. The bay of Luz also has an interesting Geology, although most of the western Algarve is limestone, Luz also had sandstone bedrock, and is bounded by the Rocha Negro, a black igneous outcrop, which shelters the bay. Today, Luz is a lively resort, with a beautiful beach and plenty of attractions including the Church of Our Lady of Light and the Roman baths.
Lagos
Also a town with a rich history, Lagos is larger than Luz, and has been settled by a variety of people, from the Romans to the Visigoths and later the Byzantines. As a result, there are plenty of churches, museums and cafes to explore. The harbour is a site of historical significance and boat trips run from here along the coast. You can reach Lagos by bus from Luz.
Cape St. Vincent
Sacrid ground for centuries, Cape St. Vincent takes its name from Vincent of Saragossa, whose bones, legend says, were laid to rest here. These were later transported to Lisbon in the 12th Century. The headland was the site of a Monastery until it was mostly destroyed by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The current lighthouse that stands on the cape was built in the 19th Century on the site of the Monastery and is powerful enough to be seen from 60km away.
Did you Know?
The Algarve is famous for its pottery and ceramics, in particular hand-painted pottery.
Travel
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‘With flight’ holidays – the hassle-free optionBook your holiday ‘with flight’ and choose between Gatwick and Manchester flights to Faro airport. For flight times and prices please see the Dates & Prices tab. If you choose this option we automatically include return transfers between the airport and the hotel. The coach transfer takes approx 1 hour to the Hotel Belavista da Luz. |
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‘Without flight’ holidays – the flexible travel optionAlternatively, tailor your journey to suit you by booking your holiday ‘without flight’ allowing you the freedom to book your own flights from your local airport. If you choose this option, transfers are not included in the price. However, below are some suggestions to help you reach your destination: We can book you a seat on the HF Holidays’ transfer coach from Faro airport. This is timed to meet the HF Holidays’ flights* (provisional flight times can be found on the dates and prices tab or you can call us on 020 8732 1220 for more information). Cost per single journey is £25.50. Why not let us book you a private taxi transfer at a cost of £80.00 per single taxi journey? Transfers must be pre-booked. Please call 020 8732 1220 for more details * Please note that HF Holidays is not responsible for your onward travel if you fail to meet the transfer coach |
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Reviews
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Dates & Prices
We're sorry, there are no dates available for this holiday at the moment. Please check out our other tours and breaks or call our team on 0345 470 8558 to be notified of new dates as soon as they become available.
Prices are per person
Information
- Double room for sole occupancy: £23 per night
- Non member associate fee: £10 per person