The Fishermen’s Trail (Trilho dos Pescadores) is one of Portugal’s most spectacular long-distance hikes, following rugged coastal paths from Porto Covo in the Alentejo down to the stunning beaches and sea cliffs of the Algarve. Stretching over about 230 km and typically taking 10–14 days to complete, it’s a feast for the senses — and with careful planning, can be a feast for your budget too. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how much you can expect to spend — from nights in hostels to dinners by the sea, from luggage transfers to transport — so you can plan your adventure with confidence.
The cost of walking the Fishermen’s Trail can vary widely and depends on several factors. There are no charges or park fees for walking this stunning route. As this is a long-distance walk, expenses can quickly add up over time. Accommodation, meals, drinks, and optional services such as luggage transfers and laundry may seem manageable day by day, but over a two-week journey they become a significant part of your budget. You should also factor in the cost of travel to and from your starting point, as well as any equipment or gear you may need to buy before setting off.
In this post we compare The Fishermen´s trail vs The Portuguese Camino Coastal Routes.
Determine Your Fishermen´s trail Budget
The biggest influence on your Fishermen´s trail budget will be the accommodation followed by food and drinks. Other regular expenses that many hikers have are luggage delivery and laundry. On a tight budget you will have to stay in hostels with dormitory rooms or share a room with a hiking buddy, shop in the supermarket and cook in the hostel kitchens.
Here’s how your daily cost might break down depending on your travel style:
| Style | Accommodation | Food | Extras | Daily Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hostel / Camping €20–30 | Self-cater €10 | Extras €5 | €35-55 |
| Mid-Range | Private room €40–60 | Cooking & restaurants €15–25 | Drinks €5 | €60–80 |
| Comfort/ Luxury | Hotel €80–150 | Restaurant €30 | Luggage transfers €15 | €120–160+ |
Most hikers have great experience on the Fishermen´s trail on a mid-range budget (€60–80 per day) — comfortable rooms, three meals, some drinks, and a bit of flexibility.
- On a Budget – € 35 – 55 possible
- Mid-range – € 60-80
- Very Comfortable € 100+
Money Saving Tips for the Fishermen’s Trail
Here are a couple of tips you can use to save money, from very obvious to some things you might not know.
- Walk with a buddy – Double rooms are available in all towns, sharing accommodation is a big saving, you can also cook and shop together.
- Stay in hostels – using budget accommodation and staying in dormitories is the biggest money saver.
- Walk out of holiday season – hotels are more expensive in summer when there are many local holiday makers on the coast.
- Book early – the trail passes through small coastal towns with limited budget accommodation, to get a dormitory bed book early, especially in season.
- Carry your backpack – not using luggage transfer service is a significant way to reduce cost.
- Supermarkets – buy food in the supermarket and cook in the hostel kitchens.
- Handwash clothes – wash your clothes by hand and hang to dry.
- Share Laundry -the washers and dryers in albergues are big, share with fellow pilgrims.
- Tap Water – is drinkable, we prefer to filter water, use a filter like the Lifestraw Filter Bottle and limit plastic waste.
- Use a local Sim – save on international phone costs and data charges by buying a local sim or e-sim. This way you can be online to use online navigation applications.
- Use Wi-Fi – wifi is widely available if you do not need a permanent phone or internet connection.
Accommodation Cost on the Fishermen´s Trail – the Big Item
Accommodation is the main expense on the Fishermen´s Trail and the best place to save money. What you pay depends hugely on season, type of lodging, and whether you’re hiking solo or sharing with a partner.
Typical Pricing Options per Night:
- 🛏 Dorm/Hostel Beds: ~€20–30 per person per night if available.
- 🛌 Budget Private Rooms: ~€30–50 per night for a double or twin room.
- 🏨 Mid-Range Guesthouses/Hotels: ~€50–70 per night.
- 🌟 Higher-End Hotels or Boutique Stays: ~€80–150+ per night.
- ⛺ Campsite Pitch: ~€10–15 per person per night (season-dependent and with gear).
Seasonal Variations:
During peak summer (June–September), prices can double compared with the off-season. Many smaller guesthouses sell out fast, so booking ahead is strongly recommended — especially if you’re hiking in July or August.
Camping on the Fishermen’s Trail
Wild camping is not allowed on the Fishermen´s trail. Large parts of the trail is off the beaten track and we do sometime see people camping on the route (illegally). Campsites are available in some of the main villages. The price of camping varies and cost is between EUR 10 and 20 per person. Campsites are not all open during the off-season.
Campsites on the Fishermen´s Trail 2026 –
- Porto Covo – Camping Porto Covo
- Vila Nova de Milfontes – Camping Milfontes, ORBITUR Sitava Milfontes
- Zambujeira do Mar – Camping Vila Park
- Odeceixe – Camping Sao Miguel – Odeceixe Bungalow-Parque de Campismo Sao Miguel, Campifeiras
- Salema – Salema Eco Camp
- Sagres – Camping Orbitur Sagres
- Praia da Luz – Orbitur Valverde
Hostels
A dormitory bed in a hostel is the budget accommodation commonly booked on route.
Cost of dormitory beds on this route are mostly around EUR 25
Facilities vary between establishments. Dormitories have a shared bathroom. The kitchen usually has cooking facilities and is a good place to meet other hikers. Some luxuries you might find are; lockers, bedding provided, bed lamps, electric sockets at each bed, curtains at beds for privacy, smaller rooms with fewer beds, separate male and female rooms, basic breakfast/coffee provided. Some hostels have private rooms as well.
Hotels/guesthouses/pensions
Prices for a private room start at around 40 Euros. Since most towns on the trail are small the facilities do not often have many rooms available. Check the ratings of facilities and read reviews. Book ahead, especially in season when the coastal holiday towns tend to be busy.
Dorm Beds vs Private Rooms:
Hostel beds are the most economical way to stay, but they aren’t available in every town along the trail and are limited in peak season. Many hikers find that splitting a private room with a partner ends up being great value — often similar per person to a dorm bed with more comfort and privacy.
List of Accommodation on the Fishermen’s Trail
Food Costs — Eating on the Trail
Food prices on the Fishermen’s Trail are generally affordable — especially compared with large Western European destinations — but they vary based on how much you eat out vs self-cater.
What to Expect:
- 🍺 Drinks/Beer/Wine: €1.50–3 per local beer; wine varies by bottle and place.
- ☕ Coffee & Pastry (Breakfast): ~€3–5.
- 🥪 Bakery Lunch or Snack: ~€5–8.
- 🍽 Restaurant Lunch: ~€7–10.
- 🍷 Restaurant Dinner: ~€12–15 (without drinks), more in tourist hotspots.
- 🛒 Supermarket Groceries (3 meals): ~€10–12 per person per day if cooking yourself.
Self – catering, Grocery shopping and cooking
Many hikers self-cater part of the time — shopping from local supermarkets to cook and make lunches on the go. This keeps daily costs low and makes long walking days easier on the pocket.
In small towns along the coast, you’ll find local cafés, snack bars, and traditional restaurants where meals are fresh and priced reasonably — but like anywhere, touristy beachfront places cost more than hidden local spots.
Buying food at the supermarket and cooking is the cheapest way to eat on the Fishermen´s trail. If you stay in a place with a kitchen I will recommend you first check out the kitchen for facilities and utensils before going shopping.
Most towns on the Camino in Portugal have at least a small grocery store where you can get bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, fruit, vegetables, beer and wine. Bigger towns and cities have fantastic supermarkets often selling take-away food. We usually spend between 15 and 20 Euros per day on grocery shopping for two people. Depending on what you buy and for how many meals I’d recommend budgeting 10 Euros per person per day to buy enough food for 2 meals.
Breakfast
A typical breakfast in a Portuguese cafe costs around 3-5 Euros.
In Portugal the simplest and cheapest breakfast is just a plain croissant (croissant simples) and coffee. The Portuguese usually eat some kind of bread with butter, ham or cheese for breakfast. My favorite is a tosta mista (mixed sandwich, basically a super ham and cheese toastie). Croissant Brioche mista is also popular (a more dense, thicker dough than a traditional croissant) with ham and cheese. This is also a good option for light lunch.
In supermarkets like Pingo Doce, Lidl and Continente there is often a cafe/restaurant serving a variety of cooked meals that are very reasonable.
Lunch
Most days I would recommend you pack something for lunch on the way. If you pass through a town with a restaurant you can maybe get a menu do dia (meal of the day) for around EUR 10-12. Or a pastry or sandwich similar to breakfast. Bigger supermarkets serve cooked meals for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Menu do Dia
Menu do Dia is a set meal that includes a starter, a main, a drink (wine, beer, water, soda), bread, and dessert or coffee. This is a popular lunch option in Portugal. A typical menu costs between 10 and 15 Euros.
The quality of the menu varies. We have had some amazing menus, but also some really poor ones. I usually do not take wine with the menu I rather go for cooldrink or a beer. I have drunk some of the worst, cheap wine possible with well priced menu del dias.
If you follow a special diet e.g. vegetarian or vegan you may find it difficult in small towns to find a suitable menu. The best option for you is to cook for yourself.
Dinner
Dinner in a restaurant with a glass of wine will cost you from 20 Euros per person depending on the restaurant. For a beer or a glass of wine at the bar, you’ll pay an average of 2-3 Euros.
Coffee in Portugal
Portugal’s coffee culture is both delightful and inexpensive. A quick morning coffee and pastry can be a lovely way to fuel up before a day of trekking. Read all about drinking coffee in Portugal. An expresso is around a Euro and a Galao 2 EUR.
- Galão – similar to a flat white or latte, lots of milk.
- Meia de leite – (translated half milk) is half milk and half espresso
- Abatanado – black coffee, can ask for Americano
- Expresso
- Cafe Duplo – double espresso
Other expenses on the Fishermen’s trail
Luggage transport is a service that moves your main bag daily between accommodations, allowing you to walk with just a small daypack. Luggage transfer is available and efficient on the Fisherman’s Trail (Rota Vicentina), with Vicentina Transfers. The door-to-door pick-up and delivery service between accommodations cost about €15-€20 per stage, making it easy to hike with minimal gear.
Laundry
In larger towns there are some laundry facilities mentioned here. In smaller villages plan to handwash and dry some urgent items. Laundry costs around 4 Euros per load for washing and 5 Euros for drying.
Laundry facilities on the Fishermen´s Trail
- Aljezur – Public laundromat at the InterMarche supermarket in the centre of town, notes/coins.
- Sagres – Sagres Laundry Lounge, a cafe, a restaurant
- Vila do Bispo – Lavadeira da Vila nice laundromat near Lidl, cash machines.
- Lagos -Speed Queen laundromat, cash machines and cafe next door.
Travel Insurance
Walking the Fishermen´s trail is not a high-risk venture but medical expenses gear loss, or trip cancellation can be costly. Note, if you have a European Health Insurance card you should not need any extra medical insurance for Portugal. Just confirm that before your trip.
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Transport Costs — Getting There and Back
Your total budget needs to include transport to and from the trail, especially if you’re flying in.
Typical Transport Costs:
- ✈️ Flights to Lisbon or Faro: These depend on your departure city and time of booking.
- 🚌 Bus from Lisbon to Porto Covo/Lagos: Around ~€16–20 each way.
- 🚕 Airport Transfers: If you want convenience instead of public transport, rides from the Lisbon or Faro airport can range widely — plan ahead and shop around.
Since transport is so variable (especially flights), many hikers allocate €100–€300+ for private travel costs, depending on origin and booking timing.
Final Budget Checklist
Before you go, here’s a quick checklist of costs to include:
✔️ Accommodation for each night
✔️ Daily food (meals + coffee/snacks)
✔️ Transport to/from the trail
✔️ Luggage transfer (optional)
✔️ GPX navigation apps
✔️ Travel insurance
✔️ Misc costs (water, laundry, museum visits, souvenirs)
The cost of essential gear
You can see our complete Fishermen’s trail packing list. Here is a list of the cost of the most essential items to pack when walking the Camino.
- Backpack $150/ Daypack $80
- Hiking Shoes $100
- Merino Wool Socks $ 35 (3 pairs)
- Quick Dry Towel $15
- Light sleeping bag $25
- Water Bottle $15
- Headlamp $20
- Walking poles $30
- Hiking Clothing $150
- TOTAL – $550
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