Algar Seco

Our photos

Algar Seco is one of those places that photographs never quite capture. Centuries of waves and wind have carved the soft limestone at the eastern end of Carvoeiro into arches, tunnels, chimneys and pools, and you can walk right into the middle of it.

Getting there and parking

From Praia de Carvoeiro, walk up the road on the eastern side of the village and follow the wooden boardwalk along the cliff top. It is an easy, mostly flat walk with views back over the village, and takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

If you drive, there is a free car park near the start of the rocks, but it fills early in summer. If you are staying in Carvoeiro, walking is simpler.

Getting down into the rocks

From the end of the boardwalk, steps lead down into the formations. Below, the paths are uneven rock and can be slippery, especially when wet or covered in sea spray. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and take care with small children.

What you will see

• Natural windows in the rock that frame the sea, the best-known of them looking straight out over the water.
• Caves and tunnels you can walk through at low tide.
• Rock pools that fill and empty with the tide. On calm days at low tide, people swim and snorkel in the more sheltered ones.
• Views along the coast east towards Vale de Centeanes and the Alfanzina lighthouse.

In summer, a small seasonal bar operates among the rocks.

Tides and safety

Visit around low tide on a calm day. At high tide and with any swell, waves wash through the lower parts of the formations and the pools become dangerous. Do not climb on the arches or the tops of the rocks, and stay out of the lower areas when the sea is rough. See how tides change Algarve beaches.

Our tips

• Go in the late afternoon: the low sun lights up the golden rock, and the walk back along the boardwalk at sunset is lovely.
• Combine it with a swim at Praia de Carvoeiro, the village beach a short walk back along the boardwalk, or at Praia do Paraíso just west of the village.