When we think of the Algarve, it hardly comes to mind walking a trail. But the truth is that one of the most beautiful trails in Portugal is located in this region – Seven Hanging Valleys Trail 😊
In the municipality of Lagoa, there is the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail that connects Marinha beach to Vale Centeanes beach. The trail is one-way (5,7 km) and, although rated as medium difficulty, it is not that difficult to walk it.
Almost the entire route takes place on top of cliffs, making it a very pleasant walk by the sea. It will be difficult not to want to stop at every step for a photo! Many of the landscapes are absolutely superb. I should also warn you that, on hotter days, it will be difficult to avoid a dip in the sea!
The name of the trail comes from the seven hanging valleys that exist there. Along the way, the cliffs are sometimes interrupted by water courses that flow into the sea, thus originating these hanging valleys.
We chose to start the trail at Marinha Beach. The beach has a medium-sized car park, perfect to park the car there. As soon as the trail starts, we are invaded by a huge desire to take several photos of Marinha beach.
The trail (PR1 LGA) is marked with the appropriate demarcations. However, I confess that sometimes we had a hard time in understanding in which direction the trail continued.
The trail continued towards Mesquita Beach, where you can take that famous Instagram photo of the two arches forming the image of a heart!
We continued a bit further until we reached another cliff from where it is possible to see Corredoura beach. This is a clearly more unspoiled beach, since it’s only accessible by sea. It’s hard not to fall in love with such beauty, isn’t it?
We weren’t even halfway, and we reached one of the most awaited points of the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail – the Benagil cave. These caves (cavities that are formed due to the effect of sea erosion on the rocks) will also be a constant along the trail.
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From above, it is quite difficult to observe the Benagil Cave, as there are some fences that should not be crossed.
What I highly recommend is to go down to the beach, rent a kayak/SUP and visit the inside of the cave. I confess I wasn’t expecting to like it so much, and it is one of the experiences I most recommend in the Algarve.
There are some companies that offer these kayak/boat services, but I chose to buy tickets here. It is recommended that you bring some cash with you as they did not accept cards. An hour and a half in a double kayak costs 30€. It’s a bit expensive but well worth it 😉
It is also possible to visit the cave by boat, but apart from being less fun, it pollutes more and you should be careful before booking as some boats do not allow you to leave the boat and go inside the cave.
💡 EXTRA TIP: From Benagil Beach to Benagil Cave it takes only 5 minutes by kayak and it is only natural that you will not take 1 hour and a half in the cave. This way, you can take advantage of this tour to kayak to the less accessible beach that stands next to the cave – Corredoura beach.
After the visit to Benagil cave and a very refreshing swim at Benagil beach, the path continued towards Carvalho beach. This is another beach that is difficult to access but, as always, incredibly beautiful.
Before reaching the end of the trail, we still passed by the well-known Cabo Carvoeiro, where the Alfanzina lighthouse is located, or even by Leixão dos Ladrões.
Finally, we arrived at Vale de Centeanes beach with an enormous desire for lunch. The beach offers some facilities and a restaurant that serves all kinds of meals.
Finally, as the Seven Hanging Valleys trail is linear, and we still wanted to enjoy the rest of the afternoon visiting other places, we called an Uber to take us back to the car park of Marinha Beach. The trip took about 10 min and cost about 6€.
When is the best time to walk the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail?
The Algarve region is known for its warmer temperatures in summer, so it is recommended to do this trail in spring or autumn. It is also possible to do this trail in the summer. However, in this case, it is best to start early in the morning to avoid the hottest hours of the day.
When I walked the trail it was a bit hot (27ºC) and I confess that I didn’t start the trail as early as I would have liked (I started around 11 am). There were some times when I would have liked it to be a little less hot, but even so, the walk was smooth. The sea breeze helped a lot 😊
On rainy days or after it has rained, I don’t recommend walking it as most of the trail is on dirt roads.
Useful information about the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
- Start of the trail: Marinha or Vale de Centeanes Beach
- There are car parks at both starting points
- Linear trail
- Distance: 5,7 km (one way only)
- Duration of the trail: 3 hours in one direction only (no stops to visit some of the beaches)
- Medium difficulty (despite some slope, the trail is not extremely demanding)
- In some parts of the trail there are fences (either on the cliffs or in the caves) that must not be crossed.
- If you choose to do the trail in only one direction, you can return to the starting point by taxi (~10€) or Uber (~6€)
- Official trail map here
What to bring on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail?
This is a wonderful trail, but given that the Algarve is known for its higher temperatures and there is little shade along the trail, it is important to make sure you pack a few things.
- Sun cream
- Sunglasses and hat
- Water
- Some snacks or even lunch for a picnic
- Comfortable clothes and a swimming suit (for an eventual dip in the sea)
- Appropriate footwear (it is not at all recommended to walk the trail wearing flip-flops)
- Money (in case you want to stop for a meal on the way or go kayaking to visit Benagil cave)
- Protective phone case if you choose to visit Benagil Cave by kayak/SUP (this way you can bring your phone with you to take some photos in the cave)
Accommodation for those hiking Seven Hanging Valleys Trail
When I walked this trail I was staying in the historical centre of Silves at Moisaiko Suites. This accommodation is set in an old building that has been fully renovated. The rooms are spacious, and the rate includes breakfast, which is served in the restaurant located right next to the flats.
However, there are some other recommendations for accommodation near Lagoa:
- Lagoa: Lagoa Hotel
- Carvoeiro: Quinta das Andorinhas | Carvoeiro Hotel | Placid Village | O Quintal Guesthouse | Castelo Guest House
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