THE ALGARVE

The Algarve is ideal land for all manner of outdoor sports and activities. The more popular of these include walking and hiking, and cycling and mountain biking. This hilly terrain was almost designed for these activities and because of this it is easy to find many companies providing activity holidays, and many stores providing the necessary equipment, be it for sale or hire, such as ‘Megasport’, the bicycle store for rentals and sales www.megasport.pt. The teams will provide details of imminent events such as the Lisbon off road marathon. They can help with race applications, bike and equipment hire, and bicycles and equipment on sale. They will also carry out any repairs or services required. Megasport have three stores in the Algarve, all fairly centrally located in Faro, Loulé, and Albufeira.

Created especially for lovers of nature and outdoor activities, the ‘Algarve Way’ is a long-distance footpath that runs from the Spanish border at Alcoutim on the Guadiana River to Cabo São Vicente, at the point where Portugal’s southern and western coasts meet. This is not the first attempt at an east-west walking route across the Algarve. A full Algarve Way was established in 1998 covering 243kms, and a slightly modified version of this can be traversed on horseback.

The hills of Monchique provide an excellent setting for hiking and mountain biking. Home to ‘Fóia’, the highest peak in the Algarve reaching 902m, these hills have been renowned since Roman times for their springs with therapeutic qualities. This thickly wooded mountain range divides the Algarve from the region of the Alentejo. The view from Fóia is fantastic and on a clear day reaches as far as Cabo São Vicente in the west and almost as far east as Lisbon. Unfortunately the landscape at Fóia itself has been somewhat blighted by an array of military communications aerials, but nothing can spoil the distant views and the long climb to the top is truly worthwhile.

For a list of properties for sale in Monchique click on the link below

http://www.algarveprop.com/property-for-sale-Monchique.html

Wherever you are in the Algarve, you are never far from the opportunity to take to the hills and fall in love with the wild and rugged nature of this truly wonderful region.