What to do in the Serra de Alcaria do Cume
The serra de Alcaria do Cume
The serra offers you a great escape from the crowded coast, with its colorful scenery, fantastic views, traditional Portuguese lifestyles.
- Beautiful scenic drives through the countryside
- The highest point of East Algarve.
- Walking and mountain bike tracks.
- Nice honest food, and some great culinary findings.
The highest point of East Algarve
In Alcaria do Cume you find the highest point, at 525 m. From a far distance you can spot the large aerials and two fire towers, this is the actual highest point. On a clear day you can overlook the Serra and the Golf of Cadiz, view all the way to the coast and see the peninsula that divides Spain with Portugal.
A walk through the village
From the lower part of the village you may take the road that leads to the upper part of the village, walk straight on behind the village. This road offers you nice views to all sides.
More information available at restaurant Mesa do Cume
We have a brochure about the serra and the walking trails available for pick up at our restaurant. It shows a detailed map with all trail discriptions.
We are also always very willing to help you with more information if needed.
Please see below for a shorter version of the discription of the trails.
Marked walking and biking trails
If you enjoy hiking Alcaria do Cume offers you three marked walking trails. They run through a moderately hilly area. The region produces native trees like cork trees, holm oaks, olive trees, and the low bushes called estevas. During spring, and often in autumn, you´ll find a variety of native flowers.
Track 1
11.1 kilometers, 3 – 4 hours. It is one of six tracks Percursos Pedestres around Santa Catharina Fonte do Bispo. The starting point is a green billboard next to the road that leads to the highest point. The marks are yellow and red.
Track 2
6 kilometers, 1 ¼ -1 ½ hours. It starts at the parking lot of Restaurant Mesa do Cume.
Track 3
4 kilometers, ¾ – 1 hour. It starts at the parking lot too. Track 2 and 3 have a yellow marking.
Mountain biking
The serra is an excellent area for mountain bikers also. They can easily string the three walking tracks into a great biking track.
Scenic drives through the serra
The serra offers you beautiful winding drives through the hilly region, with fantastic views. From Tavira the N397 goes north towards Cachopo. After about 25 km (halfway the N397) you find the sign Alcaria do Cume. A three hundred meters after you turn left to Alcaria do Cume.
From Alcaria do Cume you can continue the scenic drive from Tavira to Cachopo, well woth the visit, and further on via São Bras Alportel and Santa Catharina to Tavira.
Very rewarding in landscape beauty is the road continuing from Alcaria do Cume to Santa Catharina. This is certainly worth the effort of driving partly (4km´s) on an unsealed road.
1. Turn left at the restaurant and follow the paved road towards Alcaria Fria. After about 2 km the road becomes unpaved. (Attention: keep right at the small T-junction, the left exit leads to the village of Carneiros). From Alcaria Fria continue on the same road, south to Santa Catharina from where you take the N 270 back to Tavira. Though it is a route on a partly (4 km) unpaved road, it offers one of the nicest views over the Serra and it’s certainly worth the effort. This route is approximately, from the restaurant to Tavira, an one hour drive.
2. Turn right to the N 397 to Cachopo. From Cachopo continue to Barranco Velho on the N 124. Follow the N 2 to São Brás de Alportel, from there take the N 270 via Santa Catarina back to Tavira. This route is approximately, from the restaurant to Tavira, a 2 hours drive.
See location.