Carvoeiro: Beach and Coastal Paths

Praia do Carvoeiro is a small, sheltered beach beneath a cliff dotted with little white fishermen’s houses. Right by the beach, there is a wide range of restaurants, bars and terraces. This gives Carvoeiro a clear focal point for the beach and dining by the sea. To decide whether the town is right for your trip, you can use this combination as a concrete starting point: both the coastal experience and places to eat right by the beach are central here.

From Praia do Carvoeiro, fishing boats set out on coastal excursions to nearby caves and karst formations. This offers another way to experience the coast alongside a stay at the beach: the tours head from Praia to the rock formations and caves. The difference matters when comparing them with a walking excursion. A boat tour and a hiking trail have different destinations and modes of travel; the Percurso dos 7 Vales Suspensos is a footpath between two beaches. So, when sorting through activities for your stay, you can group these options by boat trip or walking distance.

Hiking along the cliffs

The Percurso dos 7 Vales Suspensos is a 5.7 km coastal path for pedestrians between Praia de Vale Centeanes and Praia da Marinha. Its English name, Seven Hanging Valleys Walk, refers to a distinctive landscape along the route: an almost continuous line of cliffs is interrupted by watercourses, creating the Hanging Valleys that give the walk its name. So the cliffs do not form one unbroken edge but are divided by the watercourses. This explanation gives the name a concrete connection to the landscape and makes clear what distinguishes the walk beyond its length and endpoints.

The Carvoeiro Boardwalk takes about ten minutes to walk and has numerous places to sit. This sets it apart from the Percurso not only in the stated length of 5.7 km, but also in how it is described: an approximate walking time is given for the Boardwalk, while a distance is given for the other route. For a short walk, the Boardwalk therefore offers a different scale from the coastal route between the two beaches.

Algar Seco and finding a hotel

Algar Seco is a spectacular rock formation on the coastal path, 750 metres east of Carvoeiro’s main square. This gives you three points of reference for finding your way: the named rock formation, the main square as the reference point for the distance, and its location east along the coastal path. Algar Seco adds a single, named natural landmark to the beach and walking route, which you can include in your travel plans.

The approximate time it takes to walk the Boardwalk and the length of the hiking route provide different planning measures.

Discover more destinations: Benagil, Estômbar, Porches, Lagoa, Parchal, Ferragudo.

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