SamuelThe seven hanging valleys trail (Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos) is one of the most beautiful walking route in Portugal. Located in the southernmost part of the country, in Algarve, this trail offers an impossibly beautiful coastal view and turquoise water typical of the area. This easy trail is ideal for a day walk, which can be completed in about two to three hours.
The seven hanging valleys trail treads along the precipitous cliffs of the Algarve coast line, passing through myriad of hidden beaches, picturesque Portuguese sea-side towns, luxurious lodgings, and caves carved in the cliffs. These caves, eroded overtime by the sea, beautifully decorate the cliffs’ face throughout the trail.
We walked this amazing seven hanging valleys trail on a spring day during a family trip in Portugal. It was definitely worth the effort to visit this southernmost part of the country already basking under the warm sun this time of the year.
Getting there:
The trail goes from the town of Carvoeiro to the west until Praia da Marinha (Marinha beach) to the east. It can also be walked the other way around. We started from Carvoeiro and stocked up some water and snacks before embarking on the walk.
We reached Carvoeiro by car, but there is also public bus available from Portimão, a larger town further to the west. Portimão itself can be reached by bus or train from other large cities in Alrgave, such as Lagos or Faro.
Meanwhile, bus service to Praia da Marinha is rather limited, so it’s best to plan well beforehand. Alternatively, you can walk back a small portion of the trail to Praia do Carvalho to catch the relatively more frequent bus back to Portimão.
The walk
Upon reaching Carvoeiro in the afternoon, we were immediately greeted by the blazing sun. The cool sea breeze was our only salvation from the relentless heat. People were already crowding in the beachfront promenade and a number of sun-bathers littered the sandy beach.
The sheltered beach upon a small bay ensured a calm sea, where sun-bleached white houses firmly watched from the surrounding cliffs. A road led from there to the starting point of the walk.
The first part took us through the neatly placed Carvoeiro Boardwalk. Like the name suggests, it consists of wooden walkways bolted to the cliff side, offering an easy and pleasant start to the trail.
When the boardwalk ended, the rest of the trail consisted simply of dirt path, decorated by dry shrubs and rocks. It’s impossible to get lost in this walk as we simply had to follow the coast line.
The walk was full of surprise. One moment we could be walking next to a precipitous cliff and the next a wonderful secluded beach would appear out of nowhere. At some beaches, staircases had been built to give access these otherwise unreachable hidden gems, such as the one at Praia de Vale Covo.
Many of the beaches were decorated with a rock structure standing tall in the middle of the water, a remnant of the eroded coast line that still stood tall resisting the destructive force of the sea.
Being a generally very touristy area, the coastline of Algarve is packed with luxurious hotels, some of which could be clearly seen from this trail. A massive multi-stories edifice stood perched on the golden colored cliff side, with its own swimming pool and sun-bathing area. I’d rather swim in the sea and sun-bathe on the beach though.
Truth be told, this walk is perfectly ideal to be combined with beach and swim-hopping – that is walking from one beach to the next to take a dip in each one. We regrettably could not do that in the time that we had but would strongly recommend you to do that.
There was never a dull moment during the walk. There was a part though where we had to take extra care, since there could be hidden holes hidden among the rocky paths since the caves below were getting to big. At some point, a part of the path would simply crumble to the sea after a prolonged erosion.
At some viewing points, these caves could be clearly seen from the distance. A number of tourist boats would come and go to marvel at these natural wonders. Some of these caves hid hidden beaches which could only be accessed by boats. The most famous one, Algar de Benagil, even had a gaping hole on its cave roof.
After two memorable and wonderful hours, we finally made it to the finish point of the seven hanging valleys trail, Praia da Marinha. It is one of the most famous, picturesque, and iconic in Algarve, with white sandy beach tucked among towering cliffs and rocks formation.
Our family had been waiting with the car at Praia da Marinha to pick us up, all drenched in sweat after a satisfying walk through the seven hanging valleys trail. We then hopped on the car to leave this memorable and wonderful place, but only after emptying our shoes off the sand and dirt collected during the walk.
