Outside of surfing and watching big waves in Nazaré, hiking is another fun activity you can try while you’re in town. There is a short hike in a town called the Nazaré Funicular Trail but this hike to the top of Monde de São Bartolomeu is more of an actual hike that gives you a view of the whole area.
The Monte de São Bartolomeu trail is one of the activities you have to add to your Nazaré bucket list. It’s a short and rewarding hike that offers a beautiful view of the entire landscape, the town of Nazaré as well as Praia da Nazaré.
So how do you hike to the top of Monte São de Bartolomeu?
How to hike Monte São de Bartolomeu in Nazaré
Nazarė is definitely known for its beaches and surfing but if you’ve read our post about hiking the Funicular Trail in Nazaré you’ll know we find hikes wherever we go.
After doing a bit of research on Google we realized there’s this cool viewpoint right outside of Nazaré. The cool part is you can literally see the whole city, ocean, and countryside from the top of this hike. So we made it a mission to try it out while exploring Nazaré.
You will need a vehicle or a bicycle to get to the trailhead if you’re staying downtown Nazaré. Once you get to the trailhead there are lots of parking options.
The hike itself isn’t very long but it’s definitely challenging. If you have some proper hiking boots or outdoor shoes then wear them. You’ll be hiking up a staircase for the majority of the hike with a railing for support in case you need it. There are no sketchy drop-offs, it’s just steep.
Since it’s not too long of a hike you won’t need to prep too much. Be prepared to get your sweat on though because it gets extremely hot in this part of Portugal. So bring your boots, a water bottle, and your camera – then you’re good to go!
Practical information about hiking the Monte de São Bartolomeu
Distance: 1 km return / 0.6 miles return
Elevation: Roughly 52 m / 170 ft. elevation gain
Type: In-and-out trail
Length: 45 to 60 minutes return
Difficulty: 3.5/5
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Click here to see a map of the beginning of the Monte de São Bartolomeu Trail.
Here’s a picture of the beginning of the Monte de São Bartolomeu trail:
Monte de São Bartolomeu Trailhead
If you park your car where we’ve marked it on the map just above, the hike is just under 1 kilometer return. After you park your car, follow the road in the same direction as you drove in.
At the fork in the road, take a left. You will follow this road for a few more minutes and then you’ll notice that the asphalt turns into gravel and sand. Soon you will see the staircase.
Head up the staircase and soon you will reach the top! It’s as simple as that.
Although it’s a short hike, it’s fairly steep. Luckily, there are a few spots you can stop at on the way up with benches and a bit of extra room in case someone needs to pass you or the other way around. There isn’t much of a viewpoint but it’s nice that they’re there so you can take a breather for a sec if you need to.
Viewpoint from Monte de São Bartolomeu
At the top, you will find what looks like an old house at first, but we actually believe that this is some sort of church. You can walk in and find images of Virgin Mary and Jesus and take a quick rest if you need to.
Next to the house/church, you will find a lookout tower. Unfortunately, when we went in October, this was closed. But if it’s open when you go, you should definitely go up there and enjoy even more of the view.
To the west, you will see Nazaré and Praia da Nazaré. It looks so beautiful from above! To the east, you will see the Leiria pine forest stretching for miles and miles out in the distance. Down below you’ll see the Orbitur Valado Campsite which is one of the best paid campsites in town.
Bonus tip: This hike starts close to one of the better camping spots in Nazaré, Orbitur Valado. So if you’re camping there, you can even walk to the start of the hike.
You may also like…
- 3 of the Best Camping Spots in Nazaré
- Top 11 Things to Do in Nazaré, Portugal
- The Ultimate Guide to Camping in Portugal
- The Best Ways to Get From Lisbon to Nazare
- The Ultimate Guide to Óbidos
Recap of the Monte de São Bartolomeu Trail in Nazaré
There ya have it! A fun activity to do in Nazaré that’s not surfing! Of course, the surf is why most people come here, but there are a lot of other fun things to do in Nazaré.
There’s a bunch of fun and short hikes to do like this one overlooking all of Nazaré or the funicular trail in the city centre. Sometimes these types of activities are a bit less known but for that reason, they will be a lot less busy. We find that hiking and exploring a bit off the map get us away from the crowds and like we get a more local experience.
We hope you enjoy the view from the top and the workout the stairs give. If you’re up for a bit of a longer hike then look for the staircase behind the church. It turns this hike into more of a loop trail. You’ll eventually end up back at your car!
We hope you have the best time hiking up Monte de São Bartolomeu and enjoy your time in Nazaré.
Have fun!
Dom & Jo
Red White Adventures
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