After the Benagil Cave boat tour, Antonio from South Explorers met us on the beach and we started the second part of the tour – walking the Algar Seco Boardwalk along the cliffs of Carvoeiro. We headed up the steps from the beach and up the hill. There was a great little scenic viewpoint off to the side that looked back down over the beach and city.
The wooden boardwalk starts at Forte de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação and ends at the Algar Seco rock formation. It is a short walk (only about 600 meters) but well worth it. The views over the water are stunning and it was a neat experience to walk along the tops of the cliffs that we just saw from the water on our Benagil Cave boat tour.
Aside from the amazing views, there are a few notable landmarks along the route and two spots where you can leave the boardwalk to climb down into the rocks and cliffs. About halfway down the trail, we got to the first point to explore and took the stairs carved into the rocks down into the cliff. It was fun to clamber around the rocks, exploring tunnels and hidden nooks and crannies.
We had a lot of fun climbing around in that area and then returned to the boardwalk to finish the walk. At the end of the trail is Algar Seco, which boasts a beautiful rock formation known as A Boneca (the doll) and a natural pool. The cave inside the A Boneca rock formation has two “windows” that look like a doll’s eyes from the water. There is a short path in the cave to get to the opening where the windows are. Lots of people were waiting to take pictures at the windows so we had to wait about 10 minutes. (The view is worth the wait but the lighting is really difficult to get a good picture, especially with people in it.)
After checking out the cave, we headed over to the natural rock pool. Legend has it that the holes in the rocks forming the pool in Algar Seco were formed from the tears of a heartbroken princess whose father had ordered her poor boyfriend killed when he discovered their secret love affair. Regardless of their origin, the rock pool and its surrounding area are beautiful. Depending on the season, you can swim in the pool but it can be rough so use caution if you decide to take a dip.
We loved our walk along the Algar Seco boardwalk. The views are amazing and being able to climb around on the cliffs is a unique experience. The walk is easy and short but rewarding.
