The cave of Benagil is one of Portugal's most beautiful natural places.
The Huffington Post compares it to Vietnam, Iceland, Bolivia, and Turkey.
If you spend your vacation in the Algarve, both Benagil Cave and Benagil Beach are worth a visit.
In this article, you'll find all the necessary information, including tours and some recommendations to get the most out of this experience.
So where should we start?
It is located about twenty-five kilometers from Lagoa, in the charming fishing village of Benagil. Both the caves and their beaches are worth a visit.
To have an unforgettable experience, we recommend you first walk through the charming streets of the village and then go to the beach of Benagil to feel the fine sand and refreshing water while walking along the beach. Nature, the sun, and the sea will prepare you for this experience.
Then, when you are ready, you can join one of the many tours to admire the natural beauty of the Benagil Cave.
The Benagil Cave is also known as the Cathedral of Benagil. Building cathedrals takes a long time, and a natural cathedral even longer.
The formation of Benagil Cave began millions of years ago:
Wind and sea were responsible for creating this astonishing structure. During the cave's formation, erosion struck harder in some places than others, eroding the rock over the millennia and creating the cave. The rain also had its influence and caused the ceiling to collapse, so you can see the result: an opening through which you can observe the sky from inside the cave, causing a dizzying feeling
The erosion process continues so that the cave will eventually collapse. However, we hope that this will happen in the distant future. The ideal would be to visit the stunning Benagil Cave while it stands.
As you know, much of the beauty of the Algarve lies in its natural and preserved landscapes — which means that most towns or small villages have little activity.
On the other hand, Albufeira has grown to welcome crowds of tourists who enjoy the beaches, hotels, restaurants, bars, and excursions.
The Benagil Cave tour is an excellent starting point for discovering the entire region.
We suggest this to be a full-day experience as it only takes thirty-six minutes to drive from Albufeira to Benagil.
After admiring one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world, return to Albufeira at sunset, where a delicious dinner, entertainment, and a good night's rest await you.
Quarteira is forty-eight minutes by car, more precisely 44.4 km, from Benagil. Very close to the Algarve-Accommodations apartments, from where you can explore the entire Algarve region.
The car is one way to get there, but the road is tight, steep, and unsafe, so we advise you to follow one of our suggestions below.
Remember, the cave's beauty comes from the feeling of splendor when you feel the sand under your feet and look at the sky through the opening in the ceiling.
The best way to visit Benagil Cave safely is to join one of the many excursions available. Take a boat trip, and you can admire other caves along the coast.
However, you must choose the best option for you and your companions to enjoy an unforgettable day.
Kayaking is, in itself, a unique and fun experience for the whole family. Adding to that a visit to the Benagil Cave, the experience becomes even more intense when the sun's rays penetrate the cave through the ceiling opening and illuminate the sand.
Most people think that swimming from Benagil beach to the cave is safe. Well, that is wrong!
However, we can recommend a much safer option: bring from home or rent a Stand Up Paddle and paddle there.
There are numerous boat excursions to visit the Benagil Cave and depart from different areas of the Algarve, namely Faro, Vilamoura, Portimão, and Lagos, among other options. You only need to choose which is the best option for you.
One of the advantages of these excursions is the possibility to admire the Algarve coast and discover other caves. On the other hand, walking on the beach and exploring the cave is hardly possible because the boats are not allowed to dock in the sand. If that is your goal, then the ideal thing is to get around by kayak or stand-up paddle.
As you know, the best time to visit the Algarve is between May and September. But even in the winter months, you can do various activities in the region, such as a visit to the Benagil Cave.
In other words, the best time to go on this excursion depends on daylight, whether winter or summer, tides, and weather conditions.
The best time for the boat tour is in the morning, and to allow the vessel to enter the cave, it has to be between tides.
On the other hand, if you prefer Kayaking, stand-up paddling, or swimming (which we do not recommend as it is dangerous), you should visit the Benagil cave during low tide, as the cave's beach will get more spacious during this period.
The Benagil Cave is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful natural formations in the world. Regardless of the method, time of year, and day you choose to visit the cave, you should always follow the guidelines of the guides and consult the weather report and tide schedule.
Have a good time!
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