Walking along the Costa de Prata (Silvercoast) in Portugal
Walking in this region is fantastic, we know as no one else. The Costa de Prata has many things which are worth while, like the picturesque villages, fine scenery, woods of eucalyptus trees and pinetrees, orchards and vineyards, highlands and a beautiful, often rough, coastline. There are lots of convents, castles and many other historical buildings worth to visit. In spring and autumn the climate is still soft and nice and it won't be too hot to walk.
The Costa de Prata is a great destination for hiking. Therefore we have developed a special programme for walkers in the months of April, May, June, September and October, but of course you can walk all year around:
- You walk alone with a written guide of the walk and drive in your own car to the start of the walk and back again. (You might take a taxi to drive you back to the start.)
- You walk alone with a written guide, but we'll take you to the start of the walk and pick you up later.
- You walk with your personal walking guide.
- You chose a combination of above-mentioned points.
- You can choose whether you have your breakfast, lunch and/or dinner provided by us.
Sample program:
First day: Arrival
A walk about the Quinta and the village. We suggest a walk about our Quinta just to get to know the surroundings. The walk goes through the orchards and the woods to the village of Vimeiro, where you can drink a coffee and eat the famous Pastel de Nata.
Distance: 7 km.
Second day: Walk from the convent of Alcobaça to the convent of Cós. We walk through the village of Boa Vista to avoid the busy road. When we arrive at the convent of Cós you can expand your walk by going to the Hermitage of Cós. You can return the same way or choose to walk back along another way.
Distance from Alcobaça to Cós: 10 km.
Distance on the way back: 7 km.
Third day: Today you walk along the coast from Salir do Porto to Foz do Arelho. A beautiful route through villages and along the coast to the village of Foz do Arelho, where you can easily find a taxi to take you back to Salir do Porto, when necessary.
Distance: 14,6 km.
Fourth day: Walk through Caldas da Rainha, a town nearby with some special sights. From there we drive to Foz do Arelho where we start the walk to Óbidos. We walk along the lagoa (lagoon), pass the sailing-school, walk through eucalyptus- and pinewoods, pass the orchards and walk after 13 km into Óbidos.
Distance: 5 km. In Caldas da Rainha
Distance 13 km . Foc do Arelho to Óbidos
Fifth day: Famalicao- Nazaré. Famalicao is a small village, situated just behind the first row of dunes between São Martinho do Porto and Nazaré. You’ll pass a plateau which after an earthquake thousands of years ago ended up in a vertical position in the landscape. If you look very carefully, you can still see the prints of the dinosaurs. A little later we'll see some Portuguese villages and an ancient church. Then the walk goes along the beach in the direction of Nazaré. In Nazaré you can expand the walk by going to the Sitio.
Sunday: Sunday is special. In the morning we visit the market of Santana. Then we go by car to the salt-mines of Rio Mayor and make a walk in the Serra dos Candeiiras. We will see whether we have a lunch in a typically Portuguese restaurant in the middle of the wilderness or we might go to a fish reataurant in Asseisseira.
Accommodation:
You'll stay all week in one of the apartments or if you want to in the Yurt on our Quinta. Every morning breakfast is served by Lars. In consultation with you the packed lunches will be prepared. If there is a restaurant where you can lunch and you prefer to do that we will tell you when and where there are possibilities. In the evening we'll prepare a good dinner. If you prefer to cook yourself, that is also OK.
Prices:
Rent of the Yurt or the apartment: from €350,- a week
Breakfast : € 5,50
Packed Lunch: € 5-
Picnic: € 10,-
Dinner: € 15,-
Guide: € 45,- a day
Petrol € 0,20 a kilometre
Not included: drinks, admissions,
The rent for the apartments is paid in advance. The other costs are paid at the end of the week.