Tourist Hotspot: What You Need to Know with the New Restrictions on the Benagil Cave

If you ever find yourself in Europe, I would highly recommend Portugal. In my opinion it’s always been highly underrated, but has recently gained some attention. During my visits there I’ve come to learn that Portugal has a deep, rich and complicated history as well as breathtaking natural sites that are easily accessed by anyone. 

So, if you ever find yourself in Europe, go to Portugal. Lisbon and Porto usually make the top of everyone’s list, but I want to tell you more about the Algarve.

The Benagil Cave was formed too many years ago to count due to rainwater dissolving the roof and ocean waves forming arches and the rounded cave walls. Throughout history it was used as a place of worship by the Celts as well as a safe haven by pirates and fishermen. Today the cave is a popular tourist destination and is easily accessible by boat from the Benagil Beach

Starting August 13, you will no longer be able to take the iconic pictures from the beach. The Portuguese government will implement new restrictions which can be outlined in the following points:

• Prohibiting the landing or use of the beach inside the cave by any individuals or companies

• Prohibiting the rental of kayaks without a guide within and around the Benagil area

• The prohibition of access to the caves by swimming or buoyancy aids will continue

• Maximum times for visiting the caves

• The requirement of one kayak guide for every six kayak visitors

You can read a full article outlining the new restrictions here.

Where to Park:

Address: Estr. de Benagil 8400, Lagoa, Portugal

Parking along the street is permitted up until a certain point. These spots go quickly and can be very hard to find throughout the day. The best place to park is about a 7 minute walk from the beach. This lot also fills up rather quickly, so I recommend booking whatever excursion you choose as early as possible and arriving at the lot no later than 8AM. 

Other nearby attractions:

Praia da Corredoura

Address: Praia da Marinha 8400, Lagoa, Portugal

This beach was once considered the most beautiful beach in all of Europe.There is a large parking lot which is easily accessed by private vehicles as well as taxis and Lyft. In this same area, vendors set up where you can buy delicious fresh fruit, dates, ice cream, popsicles and ice cold water. 

There is a 40 minute walk along the coast that connects Praia da Corredoura to Benagil Beach which can be found through the Alltrails app here.

Where to Book Your Excursion:

Both times that I’ve been to the Benagil Cave, I booked through Algarve Sensations. Sebastião is the founder and owner of this local company. I can confidently say that his passion is reflected in every tour. Offering sustainable and eco-friendly tours is one of his primary focuses, as well as offering an experience unique to the other companies in the area. We were booked for 7AM, which might be early compared to other listings, but when we arrived, we were the first on the water. We had the cave mostly to ourselves and were able to navigate the water calmly without high speed boats creating waves that would’ve thrown us around. 

For more information, visit the Algarve Sensations website here.

If you’re looking for something different, Airbnb has a ton of Experiences listed as well as Tripadvisor. My only recommendation would be to do your research ahead of time! Booking on site can lead to markups you wouldn’t believe and you’ll end up paying way over price.