Best Ways To Visit Ponta da Piedade Lagos in Portugal

Ponta da Piedade Lagos in Portugal is definitely in our top 3 best things to see in the Algarve…

Before we headed to the Algarve, we checked out some pictures of the Ponta da Piedade near Lagos and knew it would be something special. Nevertheless, we were still surprised at how spectacular it in real life was.

And while the natural rock formations are a highlight, we particularly loved the hike and boat trip to get there. The landscape and views around Ponta da Piedade are just as stunning.

There are many ways to get to Ponta da Piedade Lagos in Portugal. The best way is to hike or go by boat or kayak from Lagos town. Along the way, you will be treated to amazing yellow ochre cliff formations and pass beautiful beaches. In this case, the journey is just as great as the destination.

stairs leading to the rock formations of the ponta da piedade lagos — The spectacular Ponta da Piedade

We highly recommend heading to Ponta da Piedade when visiting the Algarve. We have created a road trip itinerary that also includes this natural wonder.

And if you staying in Lagos, it is practically just around the corner. So a must-thing to do when spending time in in Southern Portugal.

What is the Ponta Da Piedade near Lagos?

boat tour can reach the rock formations at ponta da piedade lagos — Exploring Ponta da Piedade up close by boat

Ponta da Piedade means ‘point of mercy’ or ‘piety point’ and refers to the fishermen who left every morning with their boats to the open sea.

The Ponta da Piedade headland is a stunning coastal rock formation near Lagos, Portugal. It features towering limestone cliffs, sea pillars, sea caves, natural arches, and rock formations carved by centuries of natural and geological occurrences.

Various natural and geological elements have created this rock formation over millions of years. It all began when sand, gravel, and marine debris accumulated on the ocean floor.

view of the stairs and surrounding landscape of ponta da piedade — The stairs leading you down to Ponta da Piedade

Due to tectonic movements, the rock layers were pushed up creating the spectacular Algarve coastline we know today.

Over the many years, erosion of wind, rain, and waves created all sorts of formations in the soft rock layers. Erosion has made the cliffs, sea pillars, sea caves, and natural arches like those you see at Ponta da Piedade.

If you closer, you will see sea fossils still in the rocks. It is pretty amazing to realize that you can stand near and within the rock formations that were created millions of years ago.

sea fossils in the cliff walls of the algarve coastline — Fossils are visible in the rocks

And even today, the natural elements with the strong waves of the Atlantic Ocean are still reshaping the landscape.

When we were in Lagos two beaches were closed because huge parts of the cliffs had fallen onto the beach. You will see signs warning you about falling rocks at all beaches.

Best time to visit Ponta da Piedade Lagos

standing at the beginning of the stairs with view of the coast line near Lagos Portugal — View from the stairs leading to Ponta da Piedade

Luckily Ponta da Piedade can be visited all year round. So no matter when you are visiting the Algarve, you can still admire this beautiful natural creation.

However, each season will provide a different experience.

The best time for hiking

Winter

cloudy sky while walking along a dirt trail towards ponta da piedade lago — Morning clouds at the start of our hike

We visited Ponta da Piedade in the winter month of February. It rains the most in the winter months however there were only heavy clouds when we were there. The weather was pleasant. It was perfect for a hike.

However, when the clouds made way for the sun, it did bring out the colors of the water and cliffs. It made everything just a bit more spectacular.

The best thing is that you can go no matter the time of day. It will not be too hot plus there will be fewer tourists.

Spring/Autumn

view points along the board walk to ponta da piedade — Nature in abundance with a boardwalk viewpoint in the distance

Spring and Autumn would probably be the best time to go hiking to Ponta da Piedade. The temperatures are warm but still comfortable for an easy hike. You can take your time and sit at the many beaches along the way while soaking up the sun and view.

The best part of going to the Algarve in spring is that a whole range of wildflowers will accompany you during the hike.

Summer

going for a swim at praia dona ana, a beach along the ponta da piedade trail — During the hike stop for a swim at one of the many beaches (Praia Dona Ana)

The Algarve in the summer months is known to be hot and crowded. To experience Ponta da Piedade without heat and a pack of people you must go very early.

And remember, in summer you need to take things much slower. ..

This is perfect since there are enough beaches along the way where you can stop for a swim or go sunbathing in the soft sun.

So what we suggest when planning your visit to Ponta da Piedade in the summer is to walk straight to this headland. On the way back stop as much as possible at the many gorgeous beaches such as Praia do Camilo and Praia de Dona Ana.

The best time to go by tour (boat, kayak, SUP)

waves crashing into a headland taken from the boat tour from lagos portugal — Rough winter ocean during the boat tour

Hiking to Ponta da Piedade is a great experience you don’t want to miss, but this is also the case when exploring it along the water.

You can see the rock formations up close, check out caves, and float around Ponta da Piedade.

Winter

view of the cliffs along the algarve coast line from the water — The different sedimentary layers in the rocks are more evident from the water

To our surprise, we discovered that the boat tours to Ponta da Piedade go year-round. You would think it is too cold to head out into the water in small boats in the winter. Luckily the winter temperatures in the Algarve are mild and it is very doable if the wind is calm and the sun is out.

The water can be rougher, so expect the waves to be choppy.

However, tours can be canceled if the weather conditions are not good. We had to wait three days for the go-ahead. Our guide tour told us we were the first boat going out in two weeks.

We did see people go on SUP in February. While we did some swimming then, I think the water and temperatures would be too chilly to go by SUP or kayak to the Ponta da Piedade. The sun isn’t out all the time so you can not warm up easily.

Spring, Summer & Autumn

looking up into the blue sky through a hole in the rock formation during a tour to ponta da piedade — Enter caves and venture through sea arches during the tours

Late spring to the beginning of autumn is the ideal period for the Ponta da Piedade by kayak or SUP. But when the water is choppy then we highly recommend taking the boat.

For all cases, tours only go when the weather conditions permit.

In winter you would expect a lot of cancellations because of the bad weather conditions. But our tour guide told us that in August last year, no boats were leaving for more than 3 weeks because the wind was coming from the south.

However, this is an exception…

Generally in spring, summer, and autumn, you can expect calm water making it easier to enter the little sea caves and approach the mighty rock formations.

crystal clear water near the rock formations near lagos portugal — In summer you can jump in the crystal clear water during any tour

You can even jump in the water for a swim. Additionally, there are chances of spotting dolphins.

More the reason to explore the Ponta da Piedade from the water I would say…

While the high season (late spring, summer, and early autumn) might sound like the best time to go, the downside is that it is busy. Boats and kayaks will be lining up to approach the Ponta da Piedade.

As you can imagine, this would be a different experience if you were the only boat exploring this area in the winter months.

Hiking to Ponta da Piedade from Lagos

map of the ponta da piedade trail — Signs along the route indicate where you are

Distance

2,5KM/1,5 miles
out & back

Elevation

62m/203ft

Difficulty

Easy, wooden boardwalk along most of the route with occasional stairs.

Duration

40 min non-stop

Ponta da Piedade Boardwalk

You don’t have to be a hiker or fit to walk along the Ponta da Piedade coastal trail. Since 2022 the government started building a wooden boardwalk. It was almost finalized at the beginning of 2024.

The boardwalk starts at Praia de Pinhão in the city of Lagos, passes Ponta da Piedade, and continues towards Praia do Canavial which lies on the other side of the headland.

It is a beautiful wooden boardwalk that makes walking a breeze. You don’t have to start at Praia de Pinhão. There are other access points along the way, such as at Praia de Dona Ana.

There are also many parking areas on the route as well if you decide to start half way.

boardwalk at praia de pinhao near lagos town — The new boardwalk

walking on the boardwalk near Praia dona ana with hotels in the back — The new boardwalk

the boardwalk takes you up to the cliff and make the walk very easy to the natural rock formations of the algarve — The entrance of the boardwalk at Dona Ana Beach

Dirt Trails

When we were there in February 2024 the boardwalk was almost completed. There were parts where the boardwalk would suddenly end. We would then just follow the dirt trails until we reached the boardwalk again.

There are many dirt trails set along the boardwalk. And when we suddenly found ourselves on one we could explore more of the rock formations, and walk along the cliff edge and admire the view from the top of the cliffs

And I have to admit, this made the hike more incredible….

existing dirt trails along the cliffs of the algarve — Many dirt trails lead to incredible rock formations

incredible rock formations along the hike to ponta da piedade lagos — The rock formations along the trail are incredible

The boardwalk eliminates the feeling of walking through nature. It is all proper and neat. Plus it doesn’t take you to the cliff tops where you can find spectacular pitholes and caves.

But….

When looking over the landscape, we can fully understand why they have built the boardwalk. There were (as we call it in Dutch) elephant trails everywhere: tiny ‘unofficial’ trails’ crossing the vegetation and along the edges.

large pit hole with various shades of orange and red at the algarve portugal — Nature is incredible, right?

layers of rock formations along the coast near lagos town portugal — Not only are the rock formations something we have never seen, but the colors are beautiful too.

We can imagine that nature and wildlife suffer from the people trampling through their habitat searching for the picture.

Plus it can get pretty dangerous on the edges, especially with the busy summer crowd.

Over the years the dirt trails will disappear preventing the temptation of climbing down from the boardwalk.

Until then, let’s be sensible and stick to the boardwalk so nature can recover.

cabana or seating area that provides ocean and cliff view along the ponta da piedade boardwalk — There are enough places to sit and take in the view along the boardwalk

Beaches Along the Ponta Da Piedade trail

sign showing the way and distance to camilo and dona ana beach from ponta da piedade. — A sign pointing to the nearby beaches of Ponta da Piedade

The great thing about the Ponta da Piedade coastline trail is that there are many accessible beaches. Some of them are the most popular in the Algarve.

So while you are hiking along the dramatic limestone coastline and taking in the views you can check off a couple of beaches along the way.

When you come from Lagos town and pass Praia da Batata, Praia dos Estudantes you will eventually see a sign pointing to Praia do Pinhão. This is where the boardwalk starts.

The beaches you will see and access along the way are:

Praia do Pinhão

beach near lagos, starting point of the boardwalk ponta da piedade

This beautiful beach consists of two parts that are connected by a tunnel. The tunnel is only accessible at low tide.

The beach is pretty big however it isn’t visited by many. If you go in the early morning you are likely the only ones there.

We couldn’t access this beach when we were there. A huge part of the cliff had fallen down onto the first part of the beach. So they had closed the beach down.

But if you walk along Praia Dona Ana and peek over the pile of rocks you can see this amazing beach.

Praia Dona Ana

quiet beach in the algarve, busy in the summer — Amazing rock pillars at Praia Dona Ana

Dona Ana Beach is one of the ‘biggest’ beaches along the route. There are many big resorts here, just as a car park and a bus stop. So as you can imagine, this beach is visited by many.

But besides being easily accessible, it is also a lovely beach with wonderful water to swim in.

Praia do Camilo

stairs for camilo beach the algarve — Stairs leading the Camilo beach

This beach is most favorite among many along this trail. The stairs take you down to a beach of soft white sand along clear water. A small tunnel leads you to another little beach called Praia da Boneca.

It’s a popular beach as it is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in this area. I think the secluded feeling among the golden cliffs makes this beach unique.

Praia dos Pinheiros

difficult to spot beach along the algarve coastline near lagos town — There are no visible trails to Pinheiro beach

Praia do Pinheiro is an unofficial nudist beach. Unlike the other beaches, there are no stairs. So as you can imagine it is pretty much secluded.

We didn’t realize this small beach was along the route but our boat tour guide pointed it out to us. He called it the tutti-frutti beach: the melons and bananas beach.

In the winter there is nobody, but in the summer it is the perfect beach to be on your own. If nudism is your thing of course…

Either hike down the dirt trail or arrange a kayak to get there.

Arriving at Ponta da Piedade

the incredible rock formations at ponta da piedade lagos portugal

To get to the famous rock formation at Ponta da Piedade you need to climb down many stairs. Like the boardwalk, the stairs are well maintained so easy to go down and up.

In winter it will be quiet so you can take your time going down the stairs and sitting at the water’s edge.

I’m not sure how this would be in summer. But even if it is busy, it is worth going to admire the magnificent rock formations up close.

lighthouse on the headland of ponta da piedade lagos — Ponta da Piedade lighthouse

Near Ponta da Piedade you have a beautifully maintained lighthouse. There is also a small restaurant where you can have lunch or a drink.

The boardwalk continues west to the beach Praia do Canavial.

Exploring Ponta da Piedade with a tour

boulevard in lagos with the marina in the back — The boulevard at Lagos

After being amazed by the coastline around Ponta da Piedade, we were curious how it would look from the water.

Many tours are leaving from Lagos Marina to Ponta da Piedade. They are called Grotto Tours and will take you in little boats along the coastline. You can also choose to go by kayak or SUP. You can admire the steep cliffs up close and enter caves.

Once the water is warmer, many tours say that a visit to a secluded beach or a chance to go swimming is included. However, don’t expect to be to only one on the secluded beach. Plus this visit or swimming opportunity will be around 20 minutes only. These tours are not full-day tours and run on a tight schedule.

Grotto Tours

guide and skipper of our grotto boat tour — Preparing for our boat ride to Ponta da Piedade

Small boats leave all year round from Lagos Marina towards Ponta da Piedade. The Ponta da Piedade boat tour usually lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes. We booked our tour at Lagos Grotto Trips and departed on the first boat at 9:30 in the morning.

There are many tour companies to choose from. You can find them online or at the Lagos Marina at one of the many sales booths.

For a Grotto Boat tour expect to pay around €22,50 for an adult and €12,50 for a child. During the off-season, this can be even less. A maximum of 10 people can board the boat.

At Ponta da Piedade local fishermen offer tours too. It’s a great option to combine it with a hike to Ponta da Piedade. Once down the stairs, you will see their small boats floating around. You can’t pre-book them so when it is busy, there is a queue. It is a great way to support the local fishermen who know the area like the back of their hand.

a beach in the algarve seen from the boat — View of Camilo Beach from the water

We went in February on a very windy day. But as our guide explained, it isn’t the windspeed we need to worry about. It’s the wind direction that sometimes prevents tours from going.

We were lucky that the wind turned on our very last day in the Algarve. It was the first boat tour after 2 weeks of bad wind conditions.

It was wonderful to be on the water and cruising along the tall cliffs and secluded beaches. The colors of the water were stunning.

entering a cave during the grotto tour the algarve — Timing is everything

headland in the form of a camel head during a tour to the ponta da piedade in lagos portugal — Timing is everything

Our son had fun trying to see objects and animals that our guide pointed out in the rock formation, such as the camel head, the kissing couple, the baby elephant, and the skull.

In winter the sea level is lower but luckily our skillful skipper could avoid the hidden rocks by waiting for the right wave to guide us into the caves.

Everything looks so different from the water…

us in the small boat admiring the cliffs during the grotto tour lagos portugal — Enjoying our Grotto Tour

In summer the boat stops at a beach or a spot for some swimming. Plus there are chances of spotting dolphins as well.

I guess we have to head back again.

Grotto Tour by Kayak or SUP

rock formation that looks like a baby elephant — A baby elephant holding its mother’s tail…

Imagine quietly floating along the cliffs up close and entering nature archways that lead to another incredible rock formation and caves.

I bet it would be an unforgettable experience…

Kayak tours leave from Lagos all year round! Yes! Incredible right?

The Algarve Outdoors Tours offers Winter Kayak Tours. But as you can imagine, the conditions have to be perfect to fully enjoy the whole experience.

The best time to go is from May until September. The weather is warmer and the water is usually calmer. For the other months, we recommend going on a boat tour.

You don’t need to be extremely fit to go explore to do the Grotto Tours by kayak or SUP. For the case of the kayak, a tag-along boat nearby will help out, especially at the somewhat open sea when leaving and approaching Lagos town.

A kayak trip to the Ponta da Piedade usually last around 2,5 hours. The prices differ considerably depending on the time of year and company. Expect to pay between €28 to €40 per person.

SUP Tours leave from the beach Praia Dona Ana. You don’t need to be experienced to go. SUP tours are €50 per person for 2 hours.

people on a SUP arriving at the beach Dona Ana — SUP tour arriving at Praia Dona Ana

As you can imagine, as soon as the weather is warmer and the sun is stronger it gets busy on the water. Our boat tour guide said that in summer there are traffic jams everywhere, with groups of kayaks and SUPS trying to enter the caves.

It can get pretty crazy since many tours are on a tight schedule. So in the peak season don’t expect to be the only ones admiring this beautiful coastline. Unless you go on a sunrise tour: the moment of day when the bigger crowd hasn’t arrived yet.

Love Ponta da Piedada? Check these out…

Benagil Cave

One of the most popular tours in the Algarve is the Benagil Cave tour. It takes you on a boat, kayak or SUP to a stunning cave just around the corner of Benagil beach.

It is only accessible by water. Depending on the tide you can enter the cave and check out the beach.

Tours leave from different places such as Lagos, Albufeira and Faro. The closest is Carvoeiro or Benagil Beach.

7 Hanging Valley Trail

The Seven Hanging Valley Trail is one of the most popular in the Algarve. It is a pretty easy but long 12km hike out and back between Praia da Marinha and Praia do Vale de Centianes.

You can start at one of these beaches. Praia da Marinha has more parking options.

The trail takes you along the coastline, passing amazing headlands, deserted beaches, little towns, and beautiful nature.

If you don’t want to hike the whole way, then there are several points along the trail where you can start such as Benagil Beach or Praia da Carvalho.

Make sure you don’t miss out on the Praia da Marinha, one of the most beautiful beaches of the Algarve.

Praia da Falésia

view of the falesia beach with the red cliffs — What a view!

This beach is also known as the ‘Red Rock Beach’. Not knowing what to expect, we were pretty blown away when we arrived.

The parking lot is just above the cliff, so when you approach the beach you have striking of the red cliffs.

We loved walking along the soft sanded beach and jumping in the water, from where the cliffs looked even more unreal with the blue skies in the back.

Algar Seco

The stunning Algar Seco is another incredible rock formation just around the corner of Cavoeiro town center.

Stairs take you down where you can see water crashing into the sea caves while little trials lead you along the yellow rocks towards ocean views.

It is a totally different experience than Ponta da Piedade. Not sure which one is the better way, so if you can do both make sure you do so.

Like Ponta da Piedade there is a boardwalk from Carvoeiro to Algar Seco. It’s a short walk (just 15 minutes) to get there.

Conclusion: Best Ways to Visit Ponta da Piedade Lagos Portugal

us at ponta da piedade lagos portugal — Enjoying our morning exploring Ponta da Piedade

The Ponta da Piedada was a highlight of our Algarve Portugal trip. And of course, the hike and the small boat tour add to the experience. It wouldn’t have been the same if we had driven straight to this unique headland just to see the rock formation.

The whole journey, whether on foot or by boat is what makes visiting Ponta da Piedade one to remember.

Plus the great thing about Ponta da Piedade is that you can easily combine it with a visit to Lagos city center, making it a diverse and fun day in the Algarve.