Costa Vicentina Natural Park

Nature & Wildlife

The Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina is one of the best-preserved stretches of coastline in southern Europe. Running for over 100 kilometres from Burgau in the western Algarve northward through Sagres, Aljezur and into the Alentejo, this natural park protects a landscape of dramatic schist and sandstone cliffs, remote beaches, coastal heathland and river valleys that feels a world apart from the developed south coast.

The park was established in 1988 to protect this wild Atlantic coastline from the development pressures that had already transformed much of the southern Algarve. Building restrictions within the park are strict, limiting construction heights, prohibiting new coastal development and maintaining the low-density, rural character of the settlements within its boundaries.

The geology of the Costa Vicentina differs markedly from the golden limestone of the central Algarve. Here, dark schist and greywacke cliffs plunge into the Atlantic, creating a more austere and dramatic landscape. The rock formations have been sculpted by the powerful Atlantic swell into stacks, arches and coves of striking beauty.

The beaches of the Costa Vicentina are among the finest in the Algarve. Praia da Bordeira, backed by a vast dune system and a meandering river, is one of the most spectacular. Praia da Arrifana, set beneath towering cliffs with a ruined Moorish fortress above, combines surfing waves with a dramatic setting. Praia do Amado is the Algarve's most celebrated surf beach.

The park's botanical richness is exceptional. The coastal heathland supports a flora that includes many species found nowhere else, with the unique microclimate created by Atlantic mists producing habitats that support endemic and rare plants. Cistus, wild lavender, rosemary and thyme scent the air on the clifftop paths, and spring brings spectacular wildflower displays.

The Rota Vicentina walking network has transformed access to the park for hikers. The network consists of two main routes: the Historical Way (Caminho Historico), an inland path following ancient tracks through farming country, and the Fishermen's Trail (Trilho dos Pescadores), a coastal path that follows the clifftops with dramatic ocean views. The Fishermen's Trail offers some of the most spectacular coastal walking in Europe.

Aljezur, the main town within the park's Algarve section, is a pleasant market town with a ruined Moorish castle, a small museum and a growing number of restaurants and guesthouses catering to walkers and surfers.

Cabo de Sao Vicente, the southwesternmost point of mainland Europe, marks the southern end of the park. This windswept cape, with its lighthouse and sheer 75-metre cliffs, was considered the end of the known world in antiquity. The Romans called it Promontorium Sacrum (Sacred Cape).