Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

By Vicky · Published Sep. 9th, 2025 · Updated Sep. 11th, 2025

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The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail follows a spectacular section of the Algarve Coastline, with gorgeous beaches and dramatic cliffs.

Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Hiking Map

Location

This hike starts from the large car park at Praia da Marinha (Marinha Beach). Even though the car park is quite large, it does fill up early in the busy season and there are no other parking options, so arrive as early as possible. Otherwise, a great way to reach the beach is via Bus Number 77, for example, from Lagoa Bus Station. This takes just 15 minutes, although the bus is not very frequent.

Tips

Marinha Beach, just underneath the car park, is a lovely beach and a great place to relax after this walk. At popular times, there’s a food truck or two in the car park. There’s also a snack bar on the beach open in summer, but the food isn’t great and it’s expensive.
While this hike goes past the top of the famous Benagil Caves, you can’t see much. If you actually want to see the cave, you have to take a boat tour*.
You can extend the hike described here by continuing to Praia do Vale de Centeanes on the edge of Carvoeiro, or even to Praia de Carvoeiro in the centre of Carvoeiro itself. This would add on about 1.75/3.75 km each way, making the hike 12/16 km in total, respectively.
Check out other great hikes in Europe.

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Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Hiking Route

Marinha Beach

Marinha Beach is just underneath the car park, and it’s a really lovely beach. Make sure to visit either before or after your hike along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. To get to Marinha beach, it’s the opposite way to the hike, leading down a paved trail and then some steps.

Hiking along the Trail

A fishing village on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Hike in Algarve, Portugal

From the car park at the top of Marinha Beach, turn right on the steps past the picnic tables. There are a lot of small paths here – try and stick to the ones closest to the clifftops to get the best views.

After a couple of viewpoints, the trail heads slightly inland before continuing along the cliffs. After a short distance, the path descends past some blowholes. These are vertical holes in the cliffs, open to the ocean. The waves below crash into the holes and spray seawater upwards, often making a loud noise. Make sure not to get too close as the cliffs are slightly unstable and you don’t want to fall down one.

Benagil Caves and Beach

At the top of Benagil Caves on the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail

The path leads up the other side of the small valley and continues through the sandy, bush-covered scrub. After passing a lovely half-moon-shaped beach, you’ll reach the top of Benagil Caves. This picturesque cave/blowhole is famous from Instagram and Microsoft Windows background. However, from the top you can’t see anything interesting. If you want to visit the caves, take a boat tour*.

Up next is Benagil Beach. This is another lovely beach. The hiking trail descends to a road slightly inland, and then you can walk down the road to the beach. After the beach, continue on the road, heading a short distance uphill. Take the paved path to the left, leading up past the restaurants and back onto the cliffs.

A beach on the seven hanging valleys trail in the Algarve

The next beach you descend to is Praia do Carvalho. Then it’s back up quite a few steps to the next section of the walk. After passing a few more little coves, you’ll be able to see a lighthouse in the distance. This is Farol de Alfanzina. After another down and up, you’ll be at the lighthouse. This is the further point on this Seven Hanging Valleys Trail. You can either return the way you came, or read about the extensions below.

Hiking Extensions

You can extend the hike described here by continuing to Praia do Vale de Centeanes on the edge of Carvoeiro, or even to Praia de Carvoeiro in the centre of Carvoeiro itself. This would add on about 1.75/3.75 km each way, making the hike 12/16 km in total, respectively. If you just want to walk one way, you could take an Uber back from Carvoeiro.

Check out other great hikes in Europe.