Walking the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail in Portugal’s Algarve

The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is a beautiful easy hike along the coast of the Algarve in Portugal. It’s about 6 kilometres long from point to point (12 km return) and along the way you can enjoy beautiful ocean views, cool cliffs and rock features and refreshing ocean dips.

The trail starts either at Praia da Marinha Beach or Praia de Vale Centianes Beach depending on which way you choose to do it. I started at Praia da Marinha and walked the 12km out and back since I did it as a solo walk and Praia da Marinha was closer to our Airbnb.

Below, I’ve included everything you need to know about hiking the Algarve Seven Hanging Valleys Trail including how to get to the trailhead, what to expect and what to pack.

This trail is one of the most popular walks in the Algarve but with this guide, you’ll get more info on how to avoid the crowds and have an enjoyable trip.

Love hiking? Check out over 100 hiking guides from around the world.

How to get to the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail?

If you’re planning a trip to the Algarve and want to head out and explore some of the nearby towns and villages such as Carvoeiro or Lagos and Sagres and the beaches in between from your accommodation I highly recommend renting a car.

While there are buses and some train stations in the Algarve, it’s hard to get between some of the smaller areas and the best beaches without a car. It also means you can’t start as early or as late as you might want to since you’re reliant on bus schedules.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

Another option to reach the trailhead is by using a hop-on-hop-off bus. There is a circular route called Rota das Falesias (the cliffs route) that connects Portimão, Carvoeiro, and Marinha Beach. The buses operate daily from 9 am to 6 pm, and you can purchase tickets on this Seven Hanging Valleys trail bus.

Uber also works well in the Algarve region. If you prefer not to rent a car and want a convenient means of transportation, especially for shorter distances without waiting for buses or trains, Uber can be a good option.

You can also take a guided hike of the trail with transport, a guide and food tastings!

Where does the 7 Valleys trail start?

You can start the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail either at the famous Marinha Beach or from Praia do Vale de Centeanes hiking trail in Carvoeiro.

I recommend starting your hike at Praia da Marinha since there is quite a large free car park at Praia da Marinha.

However, you should bear in mind this gets pretty full by 10 am and perhaps even earlier in the summer. Secondly, by hiking in the direction of Praia de Vale Centianes first, you won’t have the sun shining directly in your face when you return to Praia da Marinha in the late afternoon.

I chose to start from Marinha Beach, which is located about 7 kilometres from Lagoa. which is slightly inland and it’s also not far from Porches or Carvoeiro.

At the Seven Hanging Valleys trail parking lot, there are some market stalls and stands set up by locals selling fresh fruit juice and souvenirs. The juice in particular makes a nice refreshing drink to end your hike!

Marinha Beach has been recognized as one of the top 10 beaches in Europe and one of the 100 most beautiful beaches in the world by the Michelin Guide.

The trail doesn’t lead directly to the beach. From the lookout point at the Marinha Beach Parking, you’ll see the beach on the left-hand side, down the stairs, while the trailhead is on the right.

Where does the trail finish?

For most, the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail ends at Praia do Vale de Centianes in Carvoeiro.

This beach is located approximately 2 kilometres away from the town centre and Carvoeiro Beach where you’ll find the boardwalk and the Algar Seco Caves.

What to know before the Seven Hanging Valleys trail hike

Though the weather in Portugal’s Algarve region is generally sunny and dry all year round you should still check the weather just in case. It’s important to start this hike early, or later on in the day to avoid the worse of the heat, pack a hat, and plenty of sun cream and drink a lot of water to keep you hydrated.

• Always practice leave no trace ethics and pack out anything you take with you.
• Stick to pre-existing trails to avoid eroding the landscape
• The cliffs here are fragile and do not go too close to the edge of them.
• Do not climb over fences and gates just to get ‘the photo
• This trail gets. busy, start early to avoid crowds.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
• Make sure you walk with your 10 essentials.
• DO NOT wear sandals on this hike. There are rough, rocky sections and it’s dusty and sandy most of the way. Trail running shoes are a great option for this hike. I wear Saucony Peregrines.

While you walk through Benagil Beach and walk along the top of Benagil Caves, you should know you cannot access the caves on this hike. To visit the caves you need to rent a kayak, or paddleboard or take this cool bodyboarding trip to Benagil Caves from Benagil Beach itself.

Though the trail is mostly easy to follow (you’re going along the coast), there are. a few sections where it’s not 100% clear. For that reason, I recommend having the trail map on AllTrails+ downloaded.

AllTrails is my go-to hiking app for finding, planning, and navigating while I’m out on the trails. With offline maps on AllTrails+ you can be confident you’re still on the right track, even without mobile signal.

When is the best time to hike the Algarve 7 Hanging Valleys Trail?

The best time to hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is during spring or autumn when the temperatures are a bit cooler and there are generally fewer crowds.

You can also hike over winter though you may find you get rained on and there might be more clouds which obscures the turquoise colours of the water somewhat.

I hiked this trail in late April and temperatures were around 30ºC by midday. Starting around 7 am and finishing before 10 am I was able to avoid the heat and the strong sun and had an enjoyable hike without any crowds too.

Hiking the 7 Hanging Valleys Trail in Portugal

Stats for the Sete Vales Suspensos

• Distance: 12 km (out and back, 6 km one way)
• Elevation gain: 333 m
• Duration: 2.5-5 hours
• Seven Hanging Valleys trail difficulty: Easy-moderate. Easy if you’re fairly fit. There are some steeper staircases and areas of uneven terrain
• Seven Hanging Valleys trail map

Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Route: Marinha Beach – Benagil Beach

Starting from Marinha Beach, the first section can be considered to end at Benagil Beach which is the next spot you’ll reach houses and a village,

I found this section of the trail to be the busiest. Even when I started around 7 am there were a few people about getting drone shots of the views and by the time I finished around 9.30 am the car park was pretty much full and there were a lot of people heading off on the hike.

Benagil too is also very busy during the day given it’s the main starting point for kayaking tours to Benagil Cave.

However, I wouldn’t;t recommend skipping this section just to avoid the crowds. It’s definitely the prettiest part of the route, especially within a 10-minute walk from the car park where you can look down onto the stunning rock formations of Marinha Beach.

I actually came back here a few evenings later with my husband who hadn’t done the hike to enjoy the views with him.

To start the trail, head west (right if facing the sea) from the parking lot at Praia da Marinha. If you wish to visit Marinha Beach first, take the stairs down on your left.

As you progress along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail, you’ll come across numerous breathtaking lookout points where you can admire limestone stacks and natural arches around Marinha Beach.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour from the trail’s starting point to reach Benagil Beach.

Along the way, you’ll walk past several beaches which can only be accessed from the sea as well as several sinkhole areas and parts that are blocked off by fences, including the opening to the Benagil Cave.

Respect the fences and do not climb over them, they’re there for your safety and the limestone rocks and cliffs are fragile!

The trail will spit you out onto a road on a hill that goes down to Benagil Beach. Walk down the hill on the paved road until you get to the beach and then look for the staircases to the right of the beach as you’re looking at the sea.

Go up the staircase until they turn to the right and if you look left you’ll see a trail marker pointing you into a section of trees and onto the trail.

If you’re thirsty or hungry at this point you can get a snack from the beach cafes at Benagil. Alternatively, I recommend booking lunch at O Pescador restaurant in Benagil which does delicious food! We went there for dinner one evening and you also get great views of the sunset from their terrace.

Benagil Beach – Praia do Carvalho

Benagil Beach is renowned for its beauty, but it is particularly popular because of its close proximity to the famous Benagil Cave (Algar de Benagil).

Once you’re back on the trail along the cliffs, you’ll soon come to Praia do Carvalho one of the best beaches near Carvoeiro and one of the coolest since you have to go through a tunnel to get onto the beach itself!

The Seven Hanging Valleys walk gets a little quieter from this point onwards usually.

Praia do Carvalho – Praia do Vale de Centianes

The coastal trail continues beyond Carvalho Beach, up a fairly long staircase and continues along the cliff to Alfanzina Lighthouse.

The lighthouse is fenced off so you’ll walk around it on the non-cliff side. It’s actually open during the summer on certain days and is a cool place to visit if you happen to be walking this trail when it is open.

The trail meanders along the coastline, passing by another secluded beach accessible only by boat.

After the lighthouse, you’ll embark on the final stretch towards Praia de Vale Centianes.

There are some narrower sections of trail here and then you’ll eventually go down a long staircase that takes you to Praia do Vale de Centianes, the final beach of this hike.

There is a restaurant on the beach here where you can get some food to end your hike or as a half way point before heading back.

The beach is also worth walking down to, it’s much bigger than it looks as you descend the stairs!

From here, if you’re doing the return trip, simply retrace your steps back to Praia do Marinha. Alternatively, you can book an Uber to head back to your accommodation, or, if you came with two cars, just drive back!

Take a guided hike of the trail with transport, a guide and food tastings!

What to pack for the 7 Valleys Trail

For the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail in Portugal, you should check out my guide to what to wear hiking in hot weather since it’ll most likely be hot and dry during your hike.

You can also take a look at everything I pack for a day hike and the 10 things you should take with you on every walk and hike.

I also have a guide on what to wear for summer hiking trips which could be useful for this.

Some essentials for this hike include:

• Water: I like to have a Nalgene bottle and sometimes a water bladder too
• Suncream
• SPF lip balm
• A hat
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear to chill off in the ocean!
• Some good hiking shoes. I used my trail runners there is rocky terrain and slippery/dusty sections

FAQs about this hike in Portugal

Final thoughts on the Seven Hanging Valleys Hiking Trail

The Seven Hanging Valleys Trail Portugal is one of the best things to do in the Algarve. This relatively easy 12 km return trip hike has some beautiful viewpoints and coastal scenery that shouldn’t be missed.

Whether you choose to embark on the full Hanging Valleys Trail in the Algarve, or explore certain sections, the trail rewards you with stunning views at every turn.

From the dramatic drops to the mesmerizing pinnacles and the turquoise waters crashing against the cliffs, the 7 Valleys Trail Portugal showcases the wonders of the Algarve Portugal coastline.

Want more? Check out my Portugal travel guides!