About This Place
A remote Alcoutim village in the Serra do Caldeirão with a restored copper-mine museum, sitting between Sectors 3 and 4 of the Via Algarviana.
Vaqueiros is a village of a few hundred people in the Alcoutim municipality, set among the rounded schist hills of the Serra do Caldeirão. It is one of the larger settlements in a very empty part of the Algarve, which means it has the things the surrounding hamlets do not: a café or two, a small shop, a school, and a health post.
Cova dos Mouros
The reason most visitors come here is the Parque Mineiro Cova dos Mouros, a few kilometres north of the village. Copper was mined at this site more than four thousand years ago, in the Chalcolithic, making it one of the oldest known mining sites on the Iberian Peninsula. The park is run as an open-air interpretation centre rather than a polished museum: you walk the ancient workings, see reconstructed prehistoric huts, and there is a donkey sanctuary and a stretch of river for swimming in summer. It is deliberately low-tech and all the better for it. Opening days are seasonal — check before making the drive.
Reaching Vaqueiros without a car is difficult, and the off-road tracks through this part of the serra are half the appeal. A full-day 4x4 trip is the usual way visitors see this landscape, distilleries and abandoned villages included.
For walkers
Vaqueiros is the end of Sector 3 of the Via Algarviana, a 22.6 km day from Furnazinhas, and the start of Sector 4, a shorter 14.9 km leg to Cachopo. The official trail notes list water as available here, and after Sector 3's dry crossing that is welcome news.
Sector 4 leaves the village heading towards Monchique. Because Vaqueiros has a shop and a café, it is a sensible resupply point — the next comparable stop is Cachopo, and after that the serra gets emptier still.
Getting there
Vaqueiros lies on the EM 507 road network inland from Castro Marim and Alcoutim. Bus services are sparse and geared to school runs rather than visitors; check Vamus Algarve timetables carefully, and assume you will need a car unless you are walking.
Getting Here
Weather & When to Visit
Hot and sunny with minimal rainfall. Peak tourist season with long days.
Sunshine
300+ days/year
Sea Temp
17–23°C
Tips for Summer
- Start outdoor activities early morning
- Stay hydrated and use sun protection
- Beach activities best before 11am or after 4pm
Best for this season
Best time to visit
April–June and September–October offer the best balance of pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and good prices.
Things to Do in Vaqueiros
Discover Activities Across the Region
While we're adding more activities for Vaqueiros, explore guided tours, coastal hikes, and unique experiences throughout the Algarve.
More Places to Discover
Discover more of the Algarve
Vila do Bispo
The last town before the end of Europe — a working crossroads settlement in the far southwest, surrounded by the densest concentration of megalithic monuments on the Iberian Peninsula, and the final staging post on the Via Algarviana.
Bensafrim
A quiet village in the Lagos hinterland where the Via Algarviana comes down off the serra, marking the transition from mountain walking to the coastal west.
Marmelete
A small upland village west of Monchique, high in the Serra de Espinhaço de Cão, marking the point where the Via Algarviana leaves the mountains and starts its long descent to the Atlantic.