A common questions for many hikers planning their journey is: "What is the difference between Rota Vicentina and Fishermen's Trail?" (I've been there!). Rota Vicentina is the name for the whole walking network in southwest Portugal. It includes two big long-distance routes: the Historical Way (runs inland) and the Fishermen's Trail (runs along the coast). They are not the same trail; they meet or pass near some of the same towns, but the experience is quite different.
Historical Way (Caminho Histórico)
The Historical Way is 13 day stages and about 263 km end to end. It runs through towns and villages on a rural line with centuries of history - cork oak forest, hills, valleys, rivers, and old paths. It is built mainly as a classic GR (Grand Route) style walk: dirt tracks, countryside vibes and quiet nature.
In 2016 and 2020, the Historical Way was certified as Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe by the ERA (European Ramblers Association) which is a true badge of honor for a trail! That puts it among Europe's top walking destinations. The official stages are meant as day hikes you can mix and match - not something you have to chain in a single longer hike.
Santiago do Cacém - a popular starting point for the hikers on the Historical Way
Fishermen's Trail (Trilho dos Pescadores)
The Fishermen's Trail is its own trail, still under the Rota Vicentina organisation. It follows old fishermen's paths along the Atlantic: cliffs, beaches, and the routes locals used to reach fishing spots. It is foot traffic only - a single trail on the coast, with long sandy stretches which makes it a lot more challenging than it looks on paper. In comparison to the Historical Way, you're in constant wind, have little shade and is generally just more exposed to the elements. Read our guide to hiking the Fishermen's Trail for more details.
The beautiful and rough nature that you'll encounter on the Fishermen's Trail
Where they overlap
You'll see the same names on maps - Porto Covo, Odeceixe, Arrifana, Carrapateira - because both routes pass through or near the same parts of the Alentejo and Algarve coast. Being in Porto Covo doesn't mean you're “on Rota Vicentina” in one fixed way - you might be on the coastal Fishermen's Trail or you might have arrived from the inland Historical Way. A popular extension of the Fishermen's Trail (only sacrificing 10 km from São Torpes) is to start in Santiago do Cacém, continue to Vale Seco (18m), then to Cercal do Alentejo (23m) and lastly to Porto Covo (16 km) before joining the Fishermen's Trail.
Quick comparison
- Historical Way
- Terrain: Inland - forest, hills, villages
- Length (rough): 263 km, 13 stages
- Feel: Culture, history, GR walking
- How to use it: Pick stages; compose your trip
- Fishermen's Trail
- Terrain: Coast - cliffs, sand, sea
- Length (rough): 226 km, 13 coastal stages
- Feel: Wind, exposure, fishermen's coast
- How to use it: Usually hiked as the coastal line (north to south)
