The Fisherman’s Trail, also known as the Rota Vicentina, is one of Portugal’s most stunning coastal routes, offering breathtaking views of cliffs, beaches, and the Atlantic Ocean. But choosing the right time to walk it can make the difference between a perfect hiking experience and one marred by weather challenges. The best time of year to start walking the Fisherman’s Trail is mid May to early July, or late August to September. Here’s why these months stand out:
Spring transitions into early summer during this period, making it one of the most pleasant times to walk the trail. Expect:
While July marks the start of summer, the early part of the month often retains comfortable hiking conditions, particularly along the coast where ocean breezes help keep temperatures moderate. However, it’s worth being mindful of warmer days and staying hydrated.
As summer begins to fade, the temperatures become more comfortable again:
These months strike the perfect balance between avoiding the hottest, driest parts of summer and the cooler, wetter months of winter. Coastal breezes add to the comfort, and the active season ensures that accommodations, restaurants, and transport services are readily available. By starting your hike during these months, you’ll experience the Fisherman’s Trail at its best—beautiful weather, stunning scenery, and a comfortable hiking experience.
Of course, while these recommendations provide a solid starting point, everyone's preferences and circumstances are unique. For example, if you prefer walking in the cooler morning hours to avoid midday heat, you might prioritize dates with drier conditions. On the other hand, if you are more accustomed to colder climates, you may choose to avoid hotter periods - even if it means encountering more rain. Our search tool allows you to customize your journey to align with your specific needs and preferences, ensuring the best possible experience on the trail.
Furthermore, if your plan differs from walking the standard stages from São Torpes to Lagos, then you can edit the Search Settings below accordingly.
This ensures you won’t be walking in overly hot weather.
Similarly, this ensures you won’t be walking in cold weather.
This might sound similar to the first step – but instead of looking at averages, it filters out extreme temperatures that don’t happen every year. In other words, you’re excluding those parts of the year when there might be a heat wave.
Like the previous step, this applies to extremes instead of averages – but this time you’re excluding cold snaps.
This step excludes those times of year which might have storms or intense showers.
If the previous steps haven’t narrowed down the search to 20%, you can further limit the dates by finding the overall driest periods.
Feel free to use this guide as a starting point to find the time of year that best suits your personal needs and preferences. By tailoring the filters to your specific situation, you can discover the perfect time of year for your hike.
Below is our weather search tool, with the filters already set up according to this process.
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