This activity proposal aims to provide a weekend in the Algarve, enjoying the mountainous part, especially the Rocha da Pena area, Fonte da Benémola and the town of Loulé, as well as a fantastic boat trip around the Ria Formosa and its main islands. There will also be time for a walk / visit to the Marim Environmental Education Centre in Olhão, the headquarters of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Come and join us for another event not to be missed!

TIME: Departure from Lisbon at 7am
RETURN: Arrival in Lisbon at 7.30pm

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 30th September

Saturday 16th November

10am - Planned start time of the walk

Hiking at Rocha da Pena

Points of interest:

- Peninha Village
- Pouting Fountain
- Escarpment
- North Viewpoint
- Walling
- South Viewpoint
- Geodesic landmark
- Pena Rock
- Natural landscapes

Distance: 8 Km

Difficulty: 3 (Scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the easiest)

Expected duration: 2h45m

Walking in the Protected Landscape of Rocha da Pena

The Rocha da Pena walking route is part of the Rocha da Pena Local Protected Landscape and is located in the parishes of Salir and Benafim, occupying an area of 637 ha in the transition between the Barrocal and the Algarve mountains. The creation of this Local Protected Landscape (PPL) was aimed at preserving and protecting the physical, aesthetic, landscape and biological values of the Barrocal, constituting a magnificent environmental monument of great natural beauty, both from a geological and biodiversity point of view. Geologically, Rocha da Pena is a craggy cornice of very hard limestone, whose plateau is approximately 2 kilometres long and an escarpment around 50 metres high. Over the years, the limestone rock has undergone slow chemical erosion which has led to the formation of crevices and caves. The maximum altitude is 479 metres.

Lunch will be in the form of a picnic, which is the responsibility of each participant

14h30-Estimated start time of the walk

Walking at the Benémola Fountain

Points of interest:

- Benémola Fountain
- Menalva Stream
- Lime Kiln
- Picnic Park
- Lagar
- Natural landscapes

Distance: 4Km

Difficulty: 2 (Scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the easiest)

Expected duration: 1h30

Walking in the Protected Landscape of Fonte da Benémola

The Fonte da Benémola walking route is part of the Fonte Benémola Local Protected Landscape (392 ha) is located on the edge of the Barrocal Algarvio and is crossed by the Menalva stream, which runs alongside a dense riparian gallery made up of tree species such as willows, ash trees, poplars and puffins - in clear contrast to the valley slopes covered in Mediterranean vegetation.

The riverside vegetation is a favourable habitat for various species of birds, including the grey heron, the little egret, the moorhen and the kingfisher. Along the stream, in the areas that keep water all year round, you can still see reptiles such as the Mediterranean terrapin and amphibians such as the salamander and the newt. A water mill, levadas, dams and weirs attest to the ancient and important use of water in local agriculture.

16h30 - Tour of the historic centre of Loulé (Castle, Market, Convento da Graça, Museum, etc.)

20h30 - Group Dinner Suggestion

17th November (Sunday)

9.30 a.m. - Scheduled start time for the walk

Walking in the Ria Formosa

Points of interest:

- Marim Environmental Education Centre
- Tide Mill
- Roman ruins
- Walkways and birdwatching spots
- Dunes and marshes
- Rivers and Lagoons
- Bivalve nurseries
- Natural landscapes

Distance: 5 kilometres

Difficulty: 1 (Scale from 1 to 5, 1 being the easiest)

Walking in the Ria Formosa (Marim Environmental Education Centre)

This walk is 5 kilometres long. The C.E.A.M. and headquarters of the Park, is a space dedicated to interpreting the territory of the Natural Park and to environmental education. CEAM is housed in an old farmhouse covering around 60 hectares and has an interpretive centre equipped with exhibition areas, an auditorium and rooms for environmental education activities. Outside, there is a circular trail (5 km) that includes 19 stations interpreted with panels: the dunes, the salt marsh, the bivalve ponds, two bird observatories, the tide mill, the Roman salting tanks and the wildlife recovery centre, among others. Along the way, visitors get to know most of the habitats that make up the Ria Formosa Natural Park, some of its fauna and flora, and man's mark on the landscape.

11.30am - Tour of Olhão

13h00 - Boat trip on the Ria Formosa (Island Route)

The Ria Formosa Natural Park (PNRF) stretches along 60 kilometres of the southern Algarve coast, between the Ancão peninsula and Manta Rota, on the Cacela peninsula. Between these two peninsulas we find, from west to east, five islands: Barreta, Culatra, Armona, Tavira and Cabanas. These islands form a barrier that protects the lagoon and the mainland from the advancing sea. The Ria Formosa is therefore a lagoon area made up essentially of beaches, dunes and marshes. The Natural Park also includes a narrow strip of land of agricultural and forestry fields surrounding the lagoon system.

It was classified as a nature reserve in 1978 and then as a nature park in 1987, with the aim of protecting the lagoon system, namely its flora and fauna. The Ria Formosa is a vital area for birds as a wintering, nesting and migratory support area, or as a breeding ground for birds. habitat permanent. Its importance in the life cycle of numerous species of fish, molluscs and crustaceans should also be emphasised, especially as a breeding and feeding area.

16h15 - End of activity

What is included in the programme:

- Bed and breakfast in a 3-star hotel
- 3 Walks
- 1 Boat trip on the Ria Formosa
- Marim Environmental Education Centre entrance ticket
- The proposed accommodation option includes various room types
- Guided Walks
- Compulsory insurance

Price in double room: 160€
Price in single room: 190€
Seat reservation fee: 50€

The cost of transport will be calculated depending on the number of people interested. Estimated price 50€

- Rocha da Pena Protected Landscape - Viewpoints - Penina Village - Benémola Fountain - Menalva Stream - Loulé Historic Centre - Marim Environmental Education Centre - Tide Mill - Roman Ruins - Walkways, Dunes and Marshes - Boat Trip on the Ria Formosa and Islands - Tour of Olhão - Natural landscapes -