Monchique Walking Festival 2026

The Monchique Walking Festival is one of the most anticipated events in the Serra de Monchique, returning from 10 to 13 June 2026 for a new edition. Part of the annual calendar of the AWS - Algarve Walking Season, a regional project promoting walking festivals across the Algarve, the event celebrates the theme of water, the element that runs through the veins of this sacred mountain range.

Over four days, participants of all ages will have access to a diverse programme that includes walking routes through some of the most emblematic places in the mountain range: from Caldas de Monchique to Picota, along the Mills Route, around Cerro de Alferce, past the waterfalls of Monchique, around Fóia, through Bica Boa, and amongst the region's monumental trees. There are also sunrise walks and night hikes under the stars.

Beyond the hikes, the festival offers workshops, forest bathing, yoga sessions, street performances, family and children's activities, astronomical observation, theatre and gastronomic moments featuring local produce. Organised by the Municipality of Monchique, the event is defined by its balance between sport, culture and nature.

One of the highlights is the presentation of "A Fonte" (The Fountain), a multidisciplinary performance that uses puppet theatre, mask theatre and physical theatre techniques to address the story of life on the planet with intensity and humour. Admission is free, and the performance takes place at the Urban Park amphitheatre by the riverside.

All activities require mandatory prior registration. The full programme and registration details are available through the Municipality of Monchique website or by phone on +351 282 910 200. This is an unmissable event for anyone wishing to discover the best of the Algarve mountains in an authentic, slow-paced way, in communion with nature.