How To Get From Lisbon To Porto Covo — ALONG DUSTY ROADS

Can You Travel From Lisbon and Do The First Stage?

If you’re trying to save a day or line up transport connections, this is sensible question to ask yourself.

Theoretically, it’s possible.

Realistically, it depends on your travel style.

If you caught the first bus of the day from Lisbon at 7.30am, then you’d arrive in Porto Covo at 9.40am.

The official guidebook recommends 8 hours for that 20km leg, but it took us 6.5 hours at a slow-ish pace with plenty of photo stops.

So, if you hit the trail straight away and have a good pace between breaks, it’s definitely possible.

However, that Porto Covo to Vila Nova Milfontes is amongst the most beautiful on the Fiserhman’s Trail, and isn’t one you’ll want to rush.

Personally, we would only attempt to do it all in one day if we were guaranteed to be on that first bus of the day.

Alternatively, you could start the Fisherman’s Trail at São Torpes and comfortably cover the 10km (3-4 hours) to Porto Covo; as mentioned though, that may be viewed as a wasted day if time is your biggest constraint!

Travel Tip // As we were doing the full Fisherman’s Trail for thirteen days, our aim was to get in and down to Alentejo as quickly as possible. If you’re doing the shorter Classic Fisherman’s over 4-5 days, then you could of course tag on a night or two in Lisbon before or after your hike. However, unless you’re storing luggage somewhere, this does mean you’ll have to pack and carry some ‘city stuff’ on the trail too!