There’s a magical Caves and Coastline Cruise from Albufeira to Benagil in Portugal, and at the end of your voyage you discover the remarkable Benagil cave. En route there are dramatic coastal cliffs and beautiful blue seas. Let’s find out about the Benagil cave – what’s all the excitement is about?
About Benagil Cave
In hot, sunny southern Portugal, the Benagil sea cave lies 11 miles from Albufeira in central Algarve. Out of sight directly below the village of Benagil, the cave attracts thousands of people every day from their Algarve holiday resorts, from as far away as Armação de Pêra and Faro. It’s less crowded off-season, particularly in April or October.
Out of all the majestic sea caves dotted along the coast between Lagos and Albufeira, the Benagil Cave is the only one eroded from the sea side and the top. The HUGE hole in the roof is part of the magic, letting the sunlight stream through. Only accessible from the water, you won’t be allowed to set foot in the cave unless you arrive by kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Travel by boat and you’ll have to stay in the vessel to take your photos.
You can swim to the cave from Benagil beach in about ten minutes but unless you’re a strong swimmer and used to tidal swimming it can be a hair-raising experience. Walking is an option if you just want to see down through the cave roof and peer down to the beach below. You can either hike west from Marinha Beach along the coastal path or east along the road to the Benagil car park, then duck under a fence off the track to see the cave’s spooky open roof.
The cave is seriously impressive from above. There are wooden safety fences around it, which you shouldn’t cross because the area around the hole isn’t stable. But you should be able to see the sand and sea far below. It’s remarkable.
There are buses to the village but they’re not too regular, and they often drop people off with a walk still to do. The best bet is to find yourself a Benagil cave sea tour and explore this section of the Algarve’s epic coastal landscape by boat from Albufeira. Your vessel will zoom you along, parallel to the region’s beautiful São Rafael, Gale and Marinha Beach beaches, with lovely views of the cliffs and the brilliant blue ocean along the way.
If you’re feeling energetic you can set off by kayak from Albufeira Marina to the Benagil Cave, or reach it on a paddle-board for unlimited access to Lagoa’s beaches, grottos and caves. You can hire a single kayak or one built for two. If you’re fascinated by geology there’s even a specialist tour of the rock formations. Last but not least there are official body-boarding tours to the cave.
How and when the Benagil cave was formed
The most impressive of countless sea caves in the area, the Benagil Cave is a geological treat. A dramatic open-sky cave with a dreamy sandy beach inside, this is one of the Algarve’s favourite natural attractions. From inside, either from your tour boat or from the cave’s beach itself, you can see the sky through the hole at the top. The hole in the cave’s roof has been made by rainwater in a long, slow process taking at least 20 million years.
The rocks are a lovely warm orange, giving you a stunning contrast with the sea and sky. They’re made from limestone, which water and wind have worn away over time to create the cliffs and sea stacks that typify the coast here.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock made mostly of calcite and aragonite, forming when the minerals precipitate out of water containing dissolved calcium. Inside the cave the different coloured stripes of rock clearly show how the material was laid down in layers over millions of years before turning into the soft, mellow-coloured rock we see today.
What you’ll need to pack on your visit to Benagil cave
If you’re walking to the cliff edge to look down from above, you’ll be fine in your beach clothes. But approaching it via the sea means you’ll feel the chill, so take something warm. The temperatures are always cooler out at sea, even in the middle of summer. You’ll probably get wet as the boat speeds along and the wind chill factor soon stacks up. You’ll also need extra sunscreen to cope with the powerful rays reflecting off the water, and shades are essential to keep the sparkling reflected sunlight out of your eyes.
10 more unmissable sea cave adventures on the Algarve
The coastline of the Algarve stretches from Spain’s border at Monte Gordo to Europe’s most south-westerly point at Vila do Bispo, taking in around 94 miles of thrilling cliffs, beaches, wetlands, marinas and caves. Here are 10 of the best sea caves and coastal features in the Algarve.
- The Arch of Triumph is a bit like its Parisian cousin, hence the name. In Lagos, the rock has been sculpted into magical shapes by the wind and tides
- The Elephant – one of the area’s most dramatic caves – Take a boat trip, a stand up paddleboard or kayak to experience it
- Algar Seco is between Carvoeiro and Vale Centeanes beaches, along a lovely boardwalk that runs along the cliff edge with magnificent sea views and seating to relax on. The cave system here is dramatic, a network of caves and curious rock formations including a blowhole and a brilliant viewing point ‘a Boneca’, so called because from the sea it looks like a doll
- Senhora da Rocha stands out from the headland at Armação de Pêra, called Lady of the Rock and effectively separating Praia Nova and Praia da Senhora da Rocha. The tiny church at the cliff end is beautiful and there’s a spooky tunnel linking the two beaches
- Xorino lies west of Fishermans beach in Albufeira, a cave that once allegedly sheltered the Moors from their Christian Reconquista enemies – visit by boat from Vilamoura or Albufeira
- The magnificent Arches of Marinha, at one of the region’s most outstanding beaches, Praia da Marinha
- Zorreira cave near Benagil cave is another unique sea cave that makes for truly amazing photos
- Captain’s Cave is only for the brave, hard to get to and only accessed by sea. You’ll only get there when the sea conditions are perfect, otherwise it’s just not safe. The locals know best
- The Submarine Rock, AKA the Yellow Submarine, sticks out of the sea and makes an excellent photo opportunity
- The Caves of the Combs are in the western Algarve, one of which features a hole in the roof like Benagil cave – and it’s almost as beautiful
You could easily spend your entire Algarve holiday exploring the coast’s many extraordinary caves, sea stacks, rock formations and blowholes, a unique landscape you won’t find anywhere else on earth, all set against the bluest skies with perfect weather throughout the season. Heavenly! Which coastal Algarve tours will you book first?
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