We went on a Benagil caves tour from Portimão

Lianne’s experience:

Wow! I didn’t know that it was possible to visit so many beautiful caves along the Algarve coastline between Portimão and Marinha. Departing from Clube Naval de Portimão, we were all provided with a life jacket before starting our boat ride to pick up a few more people in Ferragudo. Ferragudo is literally in front of Portimão. By boat, it took us approximately 5/10 minutes to reach this cute and authentic fishermen’s village.

There are so many rock formations and caves to see!

Once everyone found their place to sit, we sailed along the most impressive rock formations of the Algarve where we passed by the most impressive caves I have ever seen. Really, if I think about it, we saw between 15 – 20 caves along the way, including the famous Benagil cave.

Many may wonder how you would get to the Benagil caves? With a Benagil caves tour of course! Now I know for sure, the safest and most fun way to explore the Benagil sea cave is by boat! But not only Benagil with its golden sands is worth a visit. The skipper knows exactly which caves are worth taking you besides Benagil. Believe me, you will see many more impressive caves and maybe Benagil is not even the most beautiful one! I was super impressed by the bright purple colors we saw when entering the caves. Most caves have two names, one Portuguese name and one touristic name. The skipper knows them all and is more than happy to show you to which they owe their name.

Abílio, our fun and knowledgable skipper

Bo’s experience:

Yes! We finally did a Benagil caves tour with our team! This time, we decided to join a tour to Benagil and Marinha. The boat tour had two starting points. You could board either in Portimão, at the Clube Naval, or in Ferragudo. This is great because you can choose what suits you best. We decided to start the tour in Portimão. Near the Clube Naval, there are many free parking spots, so this was ideal as we arrived to Portimão by car.

The arches of Marinha are worth a visit

At the Clube Naval, the meeting point for this cave tour to Marinha is at the gate in front of the Museum. It’s very easy to find. Just look for Abílio, the skipper and he’ll take you to the boat. Abílio is a super friendly local who has spent almost all his life “in” the sea. He once was a fisherman and a few years ago started to take travellers to enjoy the stunning coastline and caves in between Portimão and Benagil.

You’ll cruise by Carvoeiro

It’s a true family business. Marisa, Abílio’s wife, does the sales. You can find her friendly smile on their ticket stand in Ferragudo. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll meet Mariana, their daughter. Mariana and Abílio are great guides as they know the rock formations and other curiosities about the region like no other. They’re proud locals who are happy to share some interesting facts with you. Both guides speak French, along with Portuguese and English.

The “Devil’s Eyes”

We can highly recommend this Benagil caves tour. We were all impressed by Abílio’s skills to manoeuvre his 12-seats boat in the smallest caves and rock-formed alleys. Abílio has a great sense of humor and most likely, you’ll so now and then we surprised with some sudden accelerations! Another reason why we recommend this trip is that, because you depart from Portimão, you also get to see the caves in between Portimão and Benagil. Other boat trips to Benagil are more focussed on the caves around Benagil and Marinha. But this tour will take you to uncover many caves and rock formations that are less crowded and almost as impressive as the famous Benagil Cathedral. Don’t forget to wear a hat, sunscreen and just enjoy! It’s recommended to book ahead to assure your seats.

The Benagil Cathedral is just one of the many impressive caves of the area

Do you also want to visit the Benagil caves? Please check all our Benagil tours here. Whether you prefer to go on a luxury yacht or a small boat, all our sea caves tours will show you the best of the Algarve coast with its beautiful beaches. From many different locations, you can visit Benagil beach and the Benagil cave. Did you know that if the sea conditions are good enough, you probably can enter Benagil during your Benagil cave boat tour? And for all nature-lovers out there, besides visiting the caves, don’t forget to join a dolphin watching tour from Portimão!