Behind the western Algarve coast rises the Serra de Monchique, a range of hills and mountains of volcanic origin covered in eucalyptus, cork oak, chestnut and strawberry trees, much greener and cooler than the coast. It is the perfect place for a day away from the beaches, with views, spa waters, trails and mountain food.
The town and Fóia
The town of Monchique, about 450 metres up, is a small cluster of white houses clinging to the slope, with a mother church with a fine Manueline portal, little squares and craft shops, including the distinctive folding wooden scissor chairs, the cadeiras de tesoura. Above the town are the ruins of the seventeenth-century convent of Nossa Senhora do Desterro.
A scenic road climbs to Fóia, at 902 metres the Algarve's highest point: on clear days the view takes in the whole coast from Portimão to Lagos and on to Sagres and Cape St Vincent. The range's other peak, Picota, can be reached on foot.
Caldas de Monchique
A few kilometres south of the town, hidden in a wooded valley, is the spa village of Caldas de Monchique, whose warm, alkaline waters were already used by the Romans. Its elegant nineteenth-century houses, shady little square, spring and modern spa make it a relaxing place to stop.
Flavours
The hills are famous for medronho, a brandy distilled from the fruit of the strawberry tree, often made in small family stills, and melosa, medronho with honey. Also prized are black-pork cured meats, presunto ham and chouriça, soups and meat dishes in the mountain restaurants. A cured-meats fair is held in March.
Nature and trails
The range is crossed by hiking trails, including a stretch of the Via Algarviana, the long-distance path across the Algarve. Wildfires, especially the 2018 fire, badly hit some of the woods, but nature is recovering. Monchique is about half an hour by car from Portimão; buses also run from Portimão.