Day 7 of the Fishermen’s Trail features a shorter section. A varied route, according to our GPX file. Section 7 of the Fishermen’s Trail takes you from Aljezur to Arrifana, a hike of approximately 17 kilometers. After yesterday’s long stage, a shorter day is a welcome change. In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about day 7 of the Fishermen’s Trail, from Aljezur to Arrifana.
Hi! My name is Antonette and in March 2026 I hiked the first five stages of the Fishermen’s Trail in Portugal. In October 2026 I did the remaining eight sections. In this series of articles I will take you on a personal story of my adventures, combined with practical information that’s useful to know when planning your own trip.
Departure from Aljezur
In Aljezur, we make our way back to the trail from where we spent the night, but not before stopping at an ATM. Since amenities in Arrifana are said to be limited, we decide to withdraw some extra cash, just to be safe and have some on hand for the journey ahead.
We immediately face a sturdy climb out of the village, passing a church as we head into the hinterland. The Ribeira de Aljezur stream appears to be mostly dry. Suddenly, we find ourselves in front of what looks like the entrance to a holiday resort, yet the trail markers insist that this is the way to go. Walking among the vacation villas feels a bit awkward, but we assume it must be the correct route.
The resort is built on a hillside, and the road climbs steeply. After a good kilometer, we reach the highest point, where we emerge onto the main road connecting Aljezur to the coast.
Marching along the main road
I won’t lie: the next few kilometers are really not much fun. Walking for about 4 kilometers along a main road takes me right back to my time in New Zealand, when I hiked the Te Araroa trail and spent days walking along roads. My partner checks the GPX file and suggests a shortcut that would get us to the coast a bit sooner. That sounds like a good plan to me.
Not long after, we arrive at Praia de Monte Clérigo, a beautiful sandy beach that’s relatively busy today. Since the restaurants in Monte Clérigo won’t open until later, we decide to climb out of the village and have lunch on the rocks above the ocean, using whatever supplies we still have on our bags.
Finally along the coast
The next section finally takes us back along the coast and it’s an absolute delight. Fortunately, it’s mostly cloudy today, but it’s stunning nonetheless. Far below us lies Praia do Medo da Fonte Santa, home to large flocks of birds. Truly impressive!
The Ribat of Arrifana, an archaeological site, is a bit of a disappoinment, perhaps our expectations were too high. Beyond this site, the trail heads back inland, even leading us into the forest. We circle around Vale de Telha and eventually have to make a strenuous trek through a deep ravine to reach Arrifana.
Upon arriving at our hostel, we get quite a shock: there’s a queue of about 15 people at the check-in desk. A quick chat with other hikers reveals that check-in doesn’t begin until 3:00 PM. We arrived at 2:50 PM, meaning some people had already been waiting for nearly half an hour. It’s 3:45 PM by the time we finally get our key, it’s very disappointing that it should take this long.
To make matters worse, the restaurant turns out to be closed that evening. We have the option of walking to Arrifana beach or heading further inland. We end up at Maxi’s Warung, a fantastic spot where we feel incredibly welcome. Where the hostel failed in every aspect, the delicious food here more than makes up for it.
Practical information Fishermen’s Trail day 7
Day seven of the Fishermen’s Trail is in the pocket. Here is the practical information of this section.
Walking distance: approx. 17.5 kilometer
Walking time: approx. 4.5 hours
Elevation gain: 223 meters
We had breakfast and lunch using the groceries we had bought in Aljezur. The restaurants along the way weren’t open yet when we passed by. For dinner, we ate at a spot a fifteen-minute walk from Arrifana. There are no supermarkets in Arrifana.
Our costs today were:
- Overnight in Arrifana € 93,09
- Dinner Maxi’s Warung: € 33,50
Total cost of the Fishermen’s Trail day 7 for 2 persons: € 126,59
At stayed at HI Arrifana Destination Hostel. Such a letdown. We had booked a private room, where there was dust on the fan and the windows looked out onto a public parking lot where there was free camping so there was a lot of noise until late at night. I would rather spend the night somewhere else, even if it is a little more expensive. You can find all options and prices for places to stay in Arrifana here.
Concluson of Fishermen’s Trail day 7
Once again, not a particularly spectacular day. My partner started wondering why I’d invited him along, as, aside from a few kilometers along the beach, he hadn’t really seen any of the beauty of the Fishermen’s Trail that I’d promised him. The road-walking sections, in particular, are dreadfully boring and could easily be skipped; in hindsight, we would have been better off taking an Uber to the beach and just chilling there. But that’s easy to say in hindsight… fortunately (spoiler alert!), things will get better over the next few days!
Would you also like to read the blogs of the other sections I walked? You can find them below:
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