Carvoeiro is a village that belongs to the municipality of Lagoa. Having been a fishing village, it supported itself by fishing for sardines and tuna. Its name “Carvoeiro” comes from the Arabic “Carboiere” and means fishing village.

This town was the target of many attacks by corsairs and became very well known, with the feat that occurred in 1544 by the troops of Sir Pedro da Cunha who defeated the Turkish corsair Xarramet.

Regarding its natural beauty, Carvoeiro has many beaches with crystal clear waters and its cliffs are unique. Some of these examples are Praia do Carvoeiro, Praia do Paraíso, Algar Seco and Gruta de Benagil.

Carvoeiro Beach

Carvoeiro Beach, sheltered by the cliffs, where the small white fishermen's houses are distributed, is one of the beautiful and picturesque images of the Algarve coast, and this, in its small sand, presents the fishermen's boats, which can be used both for fishing as well as for tours on the coast of the western Algarve, showing the beautiful caves and caves in the surroundings.

Paradise Beach

Paradise Beach, also known as Monte Carvoeiro Beach, is located, as the name implies, in Monte do Carvoeiro. This is located on a cliff and the small piece of sand that it has is submerged by the sea when the tide occurs, and the main characteristics of this beach are the natural pools made on the cliff and the submerged rocks, great for activities related to diving.

Algar Seco

Algar Seco is a natural monument, being considered one of the ex-libris of the municipality of Lagoa. This is composed of several rock formations, natural pools and holes in the rocks that give the illusion of windows facing the Atlantic Ocean, having been created due to the erosion of the wind and the sea.

One of the very famous rock formations in Algar Seco is the “Boneca”. A rock shaped like an inverted cone that supposedly resembles a doll when sighted from the sea.

Legend of Carvoeiro

A long time ago, in the lands of southern Portugal, in the Algarve, there lived a Moorish king named Benagil, who had a very beautiful daughter called Princess of Alfanzina. The princess liked to go for a walk by the sea until one day on one of her walks she met a handsome young man named Carvoeiro with whom she fell in love. The lovers met every day until her father King Benagil discovered their romance and forbade Princess Alfanzina to date Carvoeiro. Away from each other, they missed each other very much and decided to meet secretly from their father in a secret place called Algar Seco. 

The two emotional lovers embrace, not noticing that they were being followed by the Moorish king who, enraged by his daughter's disobedience, stabs the boy with his dagger, taking his life. Carvoeiro's body falls into the sea and is carried away by the waves. Since then, Princess Alfanzina has taken refuge in the place where her lover was killed and there she weeps her sorrows. Her tears fell on the rocks. There were so many that they dug small openings through which the waters of the sea come to join the princess's tears.

Benagil Cave

The Benagil Cave, also known as Algar de Benagil, is located on the beach that gives it its name. To reach its interior, you can either swim from Praia de Benagil (when the tide is calm), or by boat. It is also possible to visit the top, but it is necessary to take a short walk from the beach parking lot to the cave. By renting a scooter your parking will be easier.

According to some historians, the designation “Benagil” comes from the Arabic word “Ben” plus the Christian name “Gil” which means “Son of Gil”.

The cave, excavated over the centuries, reveals itself in a long cliff, having been considered one of the 10 natural wonders of the world by the British newspaper The Guardian.

Come and discover the natural wonders that the Algarve has to offer from the coast or inland. The easiest way to do this without having to worry about traffic or even parking is by renting a scooter. To learn more, click here