Benagil Cave is one of the most popular places to visit in the Algarve, Portugal. This large sea cave, with its skylight and multiple cave entrances, is a gorgeous place to visit.
It attracts huge crowds and its popularity is creating challenges for those who want to visit this cave. In 2023, the rules on visiting Benagil Cave changed, and new rules were released in August 2024.
We visited Benagil Cave on October 11, 2023, just a few weeks after the restrictions were put into place, so we have first-hand knowledge of the best way to visit Benagil Cave.
In this guide, we cover what you need to know to visit Benagil Cave and have the best experience possible.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Where is Benagil Cave?
Benagil Cave is located in Algarve, on the southern coast of Portugal. It is located near the coastal town of Benagil.
What is Benagil Cave?
Benagil Cave, also called Algar de Benagil, is a sea cave. There are two entrances into the cave from the sea and a skylight in the top of the cave. Inside of the cave is a small beach. These multiple entrances, combined with the beach and the aquamarine water creates one of the most photogenic places to visit in Portugal.
Is Benagil Cave Open?
Yes, Benagil Cave is open. However, you can only go inside of Benagil Cave on a boat or kayak tour. Swimming into the cave is no longer permitted.
Benagil Cave Restrictions
Starting September 10, 2023, the Portuguese government put restrictions in place to limit how visitors can access the cave. This comes after an extremely busy summer and with multiple boat tours, kayak tours, and people swimming to the cave, there were several incidents putting visitors in danger.
In response to this, authorities restricted visitation to motor boats only. Kayak tours were cancelled, and visitors are no longer allowed to swim to Benagil Cave.
In August 2024, new rules are now being enforced for visitation to Benagil Cave. Currently, there is a ban on swimming into the cave (no swimming allowed inside of the cave). Kayaks and boats are not permitted to land on the beach. Kayaks are allowed inside of the cave, but this must be done on a guided tour and there is a limit to the number of kayaks. There is also a time limit to how long visitors are allowed to remain in the cave. You can see the list of restrictions in this article. And here is the link to the official document, but be aware that it is in Portuguese.
I will do my best to keep this article updated but if you learn new information about the restrictions, let us know in the comment section below. It would be a huge help to future readers. Thanks!
How to Get to Benagil Cave
Currently, you have two options for visiting Benagil Cave: by boat and on foot.
Getting to Benagil Cave by Boat
Due to recent restrictions, the only way you can enter Benagil Cave is on a boat tour or a guided kayaking tour.
On a boat or kayak tour of Benagil Cave, you can enter the cave but you are not allowed to disembark the boat onto the beach. It’s still a great experience, but if you want to capture a photo of the cave and its multiple openings, you need to get on the beach to do this, and at this point in time, that is not possible.
We took a boat tour of the coast of the Algarve that included Benagil Cave. It was one of our favorite experiences in the Algarve and highly recommend it. Benagil Cave is not the only sea cave on the Algarve coast, and on a boat tour, you can visit multiple caves, plus photograph sea arches and beaches, and it is a must-have experience, in my opinion. Seeing Benagil Cave on this tour is icing on the cake.
Getting to Benagil Cave on Foot
You can also see Benagil Cave by walking/hiking to it. Benagil Cave is located along the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail and from this trail, you can peer down into the cave. Just be aware that it has a fence around the opening, so it’s difficult to get a good view down into the cave.
The view into Benagil Cave from the upper cave opening.
If you are active and adventurous, the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail is one of the most beautiful walks in Portugal. This hike is 5.7 km/3.5 miles one-way and takes 2 to 3 hours of your time.
If you don’t want to do the full hike, you can park nearby (at ‘Free Parking Benagil’ on Google Maps) and it’s a 5-minute walk to Benagil Cave.
But it’s also very important to note that from the hiking trail, you cannot hike down to the shoreline and Benagil Cave. You will only view Benagil Cave from its skylight.
Benagil Cave Boat Tour
On a boat tour to Benagil Cave, not only do you get to visit the cave, but you also get to see the stunning coastlines of the Algarve.
Boat tours leave from Benagil (these are short tours which take you right to the cave), Portimão, and Albufeira. Talking to the concierge at our hotel, who is also training to be a boat skipper, she recommended Portimão over Albufeira, as the coastal scenery is much more interesting between Portimão and Benagil Cave.
We took a 2-hour boat tour from Portimão, in October 2023, while the restrictions were in place.
Here are a few things to know about the Benagil Cave boat tours:
The type of boat you choose impacts whether or not you can enter Benagil Cave. Small boats can enter the cave, larger boats cannot (regardless of Benagil Cave restrictions). When booking your tour, confirm that the boat is small enough to enter Benagil Cave (and other sea caves on the coast).
The tide also impacts your experience. Some sea caves can only be entered at high tide and others can only be entered at low tide. Benagil Cave can be entered regardless of the tide.
If the sea is rough, boat tours will not operate. For the first four days of our visit to the Algarve, boat tours to Benagil Cave were not running because of rough conditions. In the summer, the sea tends to be calmer. Fall through spring, rough conditions are more likely, so keep this in mind if your visit will be at this time.
Benagil Cave Boat Tour from Portimão
We took a boat tour from Portimão. Here is an overview with photos on what to expect during this tour. As you will see, this is a gorgeous trip from start to finish. Our photos were taken between 11 am and 1 pm.
Ferragudo Castle is one of the first landmarks you will see after leaving Portimão.
Praia da Afurada
When sea conditions are right, and if the boat is small enough, your boat will cruise through this sea arch.
Paradise Cave, a cave that looks similar to Benagil Cave, with a secluded beach and much wider skylight.
Praia do Carvoeiro
Algar Seco
Algar Seco is famous for its two cave openings. The man with the blue shirt is standing in this cave. Learn more in our Guide to Algar Seco.
Sea pillar near Praia de Vale Covo
Praia do Carvalho
Benagil Beach
One of the entrances into Benagil Cave
Entering Benagil Cave
Inside Benagil Cave
The second Benagil Cave entrance
Praia do Cão Raivoso
Elephant Rock at Marinha Beach
Marinha Beach from sea
Benagil Cave Tours
This 1.5 hour tour from Portimão is our top pick. You will see the beaches, sea arches, and sea caves along the coastline, plus a visit to Benagil Cave.
This 1.5-hour tour from Portimão is similar to the one above, but you can pick a sunrise option (your best chance to have the cave to yourself) or a sunset option.
If you prefer to start in Albufeira, this speed boat tour to Benagil Cave is our top pick.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: When choosing a tour, pay attention to the starting point, the duration of the tour, and the type of boat. Larger boats cannot enter Benagil Cave.
Setting Your Expectations
Benagil Cave is one of the most popular destinations in the Algarve. Don’t expect a quiet, tranquil, crowd free experience. Currently, you can only visit Benagil Cave on a boat tour and there is a very good chance that your boat will not be the only one inside of the cave.
Online, you will see many photos of the empty beach and cave. Currently, it’s not possible to get this view, as people are not allowed to swim to the cave or disembark from the boat tours. So don’t expect to get a photo like the one below.
Rad Radu/shutterstock.com
This view (photo below) is more likely…we took this photo on our boat tour.
With all that being said, a boat tour of the Algarve is highly worth it, not only because you can see Benagil Cave, but the other sea caves and beaches are just as beautiful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benagil Cave worth visiting?
Benagil Cave is one of the most popular sea caves to visit in Portugal. It’s also one of the most beautiful, with its multiple entrances and skylight. It is well worth visiting, and if you take a boat tour of the coast, not only will you get to visit the inside of Benagil Cave, but you will also get to view the dramatic coastline of the Algarve.
How do you get into Benagil Cave?
Currently, the only way to enter Benagil Cave is on a boat or kayak tour. Due to recent restrictions, swimming into the cave is no longer allowed.
What is the best way to visit Benagil Cave?
The best way to visit Benagil Cave is on a boat tour. These tours generally take 2 hours and also include visits to many other beautiful sights along the Algarve coast.
Why is Benagil Cave famous?
Benagil Cave was a screensaver on Windows, which increased its popularity. It has also been featured a countless number of times on Instagram and other social media sights. Many visitors to the Algarve have put the cave on their to-do list so they can see this now incredibly famous place.
If you have any questions about how to visit Benagil Cave, let us know in the comment section below.
More Algarve & Portugal Travel Guides
ALGARVE ITINERARY: How to Plan a Dream Trip to the Algarve
BEST OF THE ALGARVE: Algarve Bucket List: 20 Best Things to Do in the Algarve
ALGARVE BEACHES: 10 Stunning Beaches to Visit in the Algarve
ALGAR SECO: How to Visit Algar Seco: Best Photo Spots & Things to Do
PORTUGAL ITINERARY: 10 Day Portugal Itinerary: 5 Amazing Ways to Plan Your Trip
We have TONS more information about Portugal in our Portugal Travel Guide, including Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, the Algarve, the Douro Valley, and Madeira.
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Comments 4
Ik zou heel graag een boot tocht naar de grotten maken maar heb enorme claustrofobie. Is dit dan wel te doen? Maw ga je echt de grot in?
Author
I would really like to take a boat trip to the caves, but I have enormous claustrophobia. Is this possible? In other words, are you really going into the cave?
Benagil Cave is very large and even with claustrophobia, you might be fine in this one. However, some boat tours go into smaller caves and these could be an issue for you. I recommend reaching out to tour companies to see if they have a private option, where they just take you inside of Benagil Cave and skip the smaller caves. Doing it this way would still be worth it because seeing the Algarve coast is beautiful.
De Benagil-grot is erg groot en zelfs met claustrofobie zit je hier misschien goed in. Sommige boottochten gaan echter naar kleinere grotten en deze kunnen voor u een probleem zijn. Ik raad aan om contact op te nemen met reisorganisaties om te zien of ze een privéoptie hebben, waarbij ze je gewoon naar de Benagil-grot brengen en de kleinere grotten overslaan. Het zou nog steeds de moeite waard zijn om het op deze manier te doen, want het zien van de kust van de Algarve is prachtig.
Cheers, Julie
Hello! Love the blog. I visited the caves in September 2024. It is my understanding that only kayak/SUP tours can go inside the cave- no swimmers no boats no solo kayaks. When i was hiking the day prior it seemed VERY busy in the area. We did a 7 am kayak tour that was limited to 6 kayaks in the group. My guide told me that each group has 5 minutes inside the caves. As it was early we didn’t have to wait. Totally worth it to see the sunrise and have calm waters before all the boats head out on the water. I normally dislike tours but very much enjoyed this experience.
Author
Hello Preethi. Thank you for taking the time to write in with this update! Cheers, Julie