- 5.7 kmOne way (11.4 km return)
- 2.5–3 hrsOne way with photo stops
- Easy–moderateOfficial difficulty
- PR1 LGAOfficial trail code
- Mar–May, Sep–NovBest seasons
What Makes the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Special
The Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos (official code PR1 LGA) runs along the top of golden Miocene limestone cliffs in the Lagoa municipality of the central Algarve. The "seven hanging valleys" are the mouths of seven seasonal streams: as the soft calcareous coastline retreated abruptly over 20 million years, the stream beds were left hanging above the sea rather than meeting it — producing a string of plunging gorges, sinkholes, sea stacks, natural arches and hidden coves. In 2019 it was voted the best hiking destination in Europe by European Best Destinations, based on 28,000+ votes from 153 countries.
The trail concentrates the best of the Algarve — turquoise water, ochre cliffs, sea caves, seabirds and wildflowers — into a few spectacular kilometres that even non-hikers can manage. One important point: although the trail passes directly over Benagil Cave, you cannot reach the interior on foot. The clifftop skylight is fenced, and from above you see a large hole, not the famous interior light show. To see inside the cave you need a licensed boat tour or a guided kayak from the water. The kayak tour above is a natural pairing with the trail — walk the clifftops in the morning, paddle inside Benagil Cave in the afternoon from Benagil Beach. For a guided all-in-one day combining the full hike with a cave boat trip, see the featured section below.
Trail essentials
- Linear, one-way trail — plan your return before you set off
- Start at Praia da Marinha (east) and walk west to Vale de Centeanes
- Well waymarked with yellow-and-red painted stripes (PR1 LGA)
- Free to hike — no permit or entrance fee
- Benagil village and beach are roughly halfway, about 2 km in
Set your expectations
- Almost zero shade — heat can be extreme in July and August
- The clifftop view of Benagil Cave is limited; the cave interior requires a boat
- Unfenced cliff edges with drops of 30–45 m — keep children close
- Rocky and uneven underfoot — proper shoes are not optional
- The trail is one-way, so have a return plan before you start
Worth Adding to Your Algarve Day
The trail ends near Carvoeiro — one of the best departure points for Benagil Cave boat tours. Pair the hike with a boat trip to Benagil Cave and Praia da Marinha from Carvoeiro, a guided kayak tour from Benagil Beach, a dolphin-watching cruise from Portimão with a marine biologist, or a full-day tour combining Benagil, Algar Seco, Praia da Marinha and the Seven Hanging Valleys coast from Albufeira. The picks below update automatically.
Walking the Route: Highlights Section by Section
Hike east to west for the best light, easier parking and a restaurant at the finish. Here is what you'll encounter along the way.
1 · Praia da Marinha (start)
Your first viewpoint delivers an immediate jaw-drop: the famous double sea arch — the "Elephant Rock" or "Heart of the Algarve" — frames the Atlantic below. The Michelin Guide lists Marinha among Europe's ten most beautiful beaches; CNN named it one of the world's twenty most beautiful cliffside beaches. Large free car park; food trucks, snack bar and a washroom near the trail start. The trail begins to the right (west) of the lookout.
2 · Natural arches & Praia da Corredoura
Immediately west of Marinha the path skirts spectacular natural arches over an untouched cove accessible only from the sea. The limestone here shows its millions of years of layering — look for wave-sculpted honeycomb patterns in the cliff faces. The colour contrast between ochre rock and turquoise water is at its most intense here in the morning light.
3 · Benagil & the cave skylight (~2 km)
About an hour in, the trail passes directly over Algar de Benagil. You can peer down through the round fenced skylight — but from above you only see a large sinkhole, not the famous interior. The cave interior requires a boat or kayak tour from the water. The trail dips inland through Benagil village (cafés, restaurants, ice cream) and back down to Benagil Beach — also the launch point for cave boat and kayak tours.
4 · Praia do Carvalho & the smugglers' tunnel
A fairy-tale golden cove reached via a hand-carved tunnel through the rock — an old smugglers' route with a "window" that frames a perfect sea stack. The stairs and tunnel can be slippery when damp; take care on the descent. One of the most-photographed spots on the trail and worth every second of the detour down and back up.
5 · Alfanzina Lighthouse
A white quadrangular tower (built 1920) on a rocky promontory, ringed by the only significant grove of Aleppo pines on the route — the only real shade on the entire trail. One of the best photographic moments comes as the lighthouse appears above a blue-green sea cave far below. A picnic area near Praia do Vale Espinhaço makes a natural rest point roughly three-quarters of the way through.
6 · Praia de Vale de Centeanes (finish)
The official western trailhead near Carvoeiro, with a picturesque beach and the O Stop beach restaurant (usually closed November–March). Limited roadside parking here. A final wooden belvedere before the beach — one bench is marked on Google Maps as "the best lunch bench in the Algarve" — is a celebrated rest spot. Take an Uber back to Marinha from here (~€6–9, 10–15 min).
Benagil Cave from the Trail: What You Can and Can't Do
✓ From the trail
- Look down through the fenced circular skylight from the clifftop
- Photograph the cave's "eye" from above — free, no booking needed
- Hear the sea echoing in the cave below, especially when swells run
- See the cave's position on the coast from the cliff edge
- Walk to Benagil Beach (halfway point) and board a cave tour from there
✕ Not possible from the trail
- Seeing the famous interior light show — only visible from the water
- Descending to the inner beach — fenced, no path, no land access
- Swimming in — banned and fined since 13 August 2024 (Edital 019/2024)
- Recreating the "person standing on the empty beach" photos
- Entering the cave at all without a licensed boat, kayak or SUP tour
The view from the clifftop is honestly underwhelming — most hikers describe it as "just a large hole." The interior light show that defines every photograph of Benagil Cave is only visible from the water. If seeing it properly matters to you, combine the hike with a licensed boat tour or a guided kayak tour — see our recommended boat trip below, which departs from Carvoeiro and also covers Praia da Marinha. For the full rules breakdown, read can you still go inside Benagil Cave?
The Best Guided Tour for the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
Want the cave and the trail in one day without the logistics? This 5.0-rated guided tour from Faro does exactly that — the full PR1 LGA hike with a local expert, then a licensed boat trip inside Benagil Cave, transport included.
From Faro: Benagil Cave and Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Tour
Why it's the best way to do this: this tour names both Benagil Cave and the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail in its title — because it genuinely covers both. A local expert leads you along the full PR1 LGA route, handles all the transport (pickup from Faro is included), and the day ends with a licensed boat trip inside the cave. You get the clifftop views and the interior light show without renting a car, navigating the Marinha car park or organising an Uber back.
A guided walk along the entire Seven Hanging Valleys Trail combined with a licensed boat trip inside Benagil Cave. Your guide explains the geology of the limestone cliffs, the formation of the "hanging valleys" and the history of the coastal fishing villages as you walk. By the end of the day you've seen the cave from two angles — the fenced clifftop skylight from above, and the golden dome and inner beach from the water.
- Full Seven Hanging Valleys Trail (PR1 LGA) led by a local expert guide
- Licensed boat trip inside Benagil Cave included — same day
- Transport from Faro included — no parking, no Uber logistics
- 5.0 out of 5 stars across 833 verified reviews — the top-rated hiking tour for this trail
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
Pickup from Faro. Full day (typically 8–10 hours). Check live dates and book on the right.
Check AvailabilityThe Cave Tour That Best Completes This Hike
This Carvoeiro small-boat trip covers Praia da Marinha (where the trail starts) and enters Benagil Cave — the ideal pair to the hike. Check live availability.
From Carvoeiro: Benagil Caves and Praia da Marinha Boat Trip
Why it pairs perfectly with this hike: the boat departs from Carvoeiro — close to the trail's western end — and covers both Praia da Marinha (where you started the walk) and Benagil Cave (which you walked over but couldn't enter). The combined experience gives you the full picture: the clifftop view on the hike and the interior light show from the water.
A licensed small fibreglass boat (max ~10 passengers) launches from Carvoeiro Beach and works east along the coast, entering multiple sea caves including Benagil Cave through the arch. It passes below the very clifftops you walked, showing you the arches and grottoes that are invisible from above. The Carvoeiro departure also makes it easy to combine with an Uber back to your car at Marinha.
- Enters Benagil Cave and multiple sea grottoes the large boats can't reach
- Covers Praia da Marinha — the trail's starting point seen from the sea
- Small boat, max ~10 passengers — more intimate than catamaran tours
- Beach launch from Carvoeiro — near the trail's western endpoint
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
Departs from Carvoeiro Beach (wet feet at boarding). Check live dates and book on the right.
Practical Info: Difficulty, Getting There, Getting Back
Everything you need to plan the hike before you set off.
Difficulty & terrain
Officially easy-to-moderate. The path is natural — rocky, uneven dirt with sandy stretches, a few short climbs and descents, and one or two minor scrambles. It is NOT a paved boardwalk. Well waymarked with yellow-and-red painted stripes; if you lose a marker, keeping the coast on your left keeps you on track. Two spots confuse hikers: the inland detour at Benagil village, and the Rocha Brava resort area near Vale de Centeanes. Unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs; hiking poles help on loose rock sections.
Best time of year & day
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are ideal: mild temperatures, clear skies, wildflowers in spring. Summer (June–August) is hot, busy and essentially shadeless — start by 8:00 in summer to beat the heat and secure a parking space at Marinha (the lot fills by 10:30 in peak season). Morning light (east-to-west walk) keeps the sun at your back and gives the richest colour contrast over the water.
Getting there & parking
From the A22 or N125, follow signs to Praia da Marinha — about 10–15 minutes from Lagoa/Carvoeiro, 30 minutes from Albufeira and 45–55 minutes from Faro Airport. The Praia da Marinha car park is the best starting point: large, free, with food trucks and picnic tables. Benagil's lot fills by 09:00 and is harder to park at. Public transport is limited: Vamus bus 52 runs May–October only, with roughly six departures daily, and bus 77 has two to three weekday departures with no weekend service.
Getting back (one-way hike)
Because the trail is linear, you need to plan your return. Uber/Bolt from Vale de Centeanes to Marinha costs roughly €6–9 and takes 5–15 minutes — the most popular option. Walking back the same way is 11.4 km total and takes a full day but lets you see the scenery from the reverse angle. A two-car shuttle (leave one at each end) is the cleanest logistics. Alternatively, combine the hike with a Benagil Cave boat or kayak tour at Benagil Beach halfway through and Uber back from there.
Food, water & facilities
There is almost no shade and almost no shade except the Alfanzina Lighthouse pines. Carry at least 1.5–2 litres of water per person — more in summer. Facilities are seasonal: snack stands at Marinha (no public toilets beyond the reported washroom near the start), cafés and restaurants at Benagil village (roughly halfway — good for fish, drinks and ice cream), and the O Stop restaurant at Vale de Centeanes (usually closed November–March). Pack snacks, especially off-season.
What to wear & bring
Sturdy trainers or hiking shoes with good grip — not flip-flops or sandals ("this is limestone, you will fall and get hurt" is a recurring reviewer warning). Sun hat, sunglasses and reef-safe sunscreen. Carry swimwear and a quick-dry towel to swim at beaches en route. Download the AllTrails or Wikiloc GPX route offline before setting off, as cell coverage is generally serviceable but markers can be easy to miss. Dogs are allowed on a leash; check beach dog policies separately.
The Kayak Tour: The Most Intimate Way to See the Cave
Guided kayaks linger up to eight minutes inside Benagil Cave — four times longer than a motorboat — and reach sea grottoes the boats can't enter.
Benagil: Guided Kayak Tour inside Caves and Praia da Marinha
Why it pairs perfectly with this hike: this guided kayak tour covers both ends of the trail — it launches from Benagil Beach (halfway along the route) and also passes Praia da Marinha, where the walk begins. You paddle the same coast you walked above, see the sea arches from the water instead of the clifftop, and spend up to eight minutes inside the cave at water level — the only angle where the light show makes sense.
A small-group guided kayak from Benagil Beach east along the golden limestone cliffs, entering Benagil Cave through the arch. Inside, there's no engine noise — just the sound of water on cave walls and the light beam through the dome's skylight. The route also passes below Praia da Marinha's famous double arch, giving you the full trail coastline from sea level. Life jacket, dry bag and a local guide are all included.
- Enters Benagil Cave — up to ~8 minutes inside at water level
- Passes below Praia da Marinha — the trail's starting point seen from the water
- Small guided group — more time inside the cave than any motorboat
- Life jacket, dry bag and a local guide included
- Launches from Benagil Beach — the trail's halfway point
Launches from Benagil Beach. Moderate fitness needed; you will get wet. Check live dates and book on the right.
Common Mistakes — and How to Avoid Them
These are the errors that trip up first-time hikers on this trail. Most are easy to avoid with a little planning.
Underestimating the heat
There is almost no shade between the start at Marinha and the lighthouse pines. In July and August, midday temperatures on the exposed limestone can feel brutal. Start no later than 8:00 in summer, carry more water than you think you'll need (at least 1.5–2 L per person), and wear a hat. Hiking midday in summer is genuinely risky.
Expecting to enter the cave from the trail
The trail passes over Benagil Cave, but you cannot descend to it. The clifftop skylight is fenced, and the view from above is limited — most hikers describe it as "just a large hole." If entering the cave matters to you, book a licensed boat or kayak tour. It's best treated as two separate experiences.
Wearing the wrong footwear
Flip-flops and sandals are not suitable. The path is rocky, uneven limestone that gets slippery when damp, with short sections that require proper grip. One reviewer's advice that gets repeated constantly: "This is limestone, you will fall and get hurt." Wear closed-toe trainers or hiking shoes with decent grip.
Not planning the return
The trail is linear — you can't loop back without either walking the same path or arranging transport. The most common mistake is arriving at Vale de Centeanes without a plan. Save the Uber app, have a rough idea of walk-back time, or organise a two-car drop before you start. Uber is reliable here (~€6–9) but check signal before you're in the middle of nowhere.
Missing the Benagil inland detour
About 2 km in, the trail dips inland through Benagil village rather than continuing along the cliff. Several hikers lose the path here. Follow the waymarks inland past the houses and look for the Casa Lamy sign; the trail rejoins the coast via steps back down toward the beach. Benagil village is also the only place to buy lunch or ice cream mid-hike.
Skipping the beaches en route
The clifftop views are the main event, but the descents to Praia do Carvalho (via the smugglers' tunnel) and a swim at Benagil Beach are highlights of their own. Build in time for at least one beach stop — it's not just a walk, and treating it like a race from A to B misses the point. Carry a swimsuit and a quick-dry towel.
Seven Hanging Valleys Trail: Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail?
The trail is 5.7 km one way between Praia da Marinha and Praia de Vale de Centeanes, or about 11.4 km out-and-back. Most hikers take 2.5 to 3 hours one way at a comfortable photo-stop pace, or a full day if you include beach swims and lunch at Benagil village. GPS watches often record 6.5–7 km due to clifftop detours and the Benagil village loop.
Which direction should you hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail?
Start at Praia da Marinha in the east and walk west to Praia de Vale de Centeanes near Carvoeiro. Marinha's car park is larger and fills later than Benagil's, the morning sun stays at your back for the best lighting on the sea, you avoid a steep early climb, and you finish near the O Stop beach restaurant where you can wait for an Uber back to your car.
Can you see Benagil Cave from the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail?
You walk directly over Benagil Cave and can look down through the fenced circular skylight from the clifftop — but the view from above is limited. Most hikers describe it as looking down a large hole. To see the famous interior light show and the inner beach, you need a licensed boat tour, a guided kayak or SUP tour from the water. Swimming into the cave has been banned since August 2024.
Is the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail difficult?
It's rated easy to moderate. The path is well waymarked but rocky and uneven, with short climbs, descents and unfenced sections above cliff edges of 30–45 metres. Proper trainers or hiking shoes are essential — not flip-flops. Carry at least 1.5 litres of water per person as there is almost no shade along the entire route. Not recommended for wheelchairs, pushchairs or limited-mobility hikers.
How do you get back after hiking the trail one way?
The easiest option is Uber or Bolt from Praia de Vale de Centeanes back to Praia da Marinha — roughly €6–9 and 10–15 minutes. A two-car shuttle (one car at each trailhead) works well for groups. The most scenic option is to hike to Benagil Beach (halfway) and then take a Benagil Cave boat or kayak tour back along the coast — you see the caves from the water on the same day you walked above them.