Praia do Vale dos Homens: the #1 guide
Praia do Vale dos Homens is a beach northwest of the village of Rogil, in the municipality of Aljezur. The beach attracts few visitors, due to its remote location. However, Praia do Vale dos Homens is a natural beauty. It is great for people nature lovers who seek some peace and quiet. Let’s discover this beach.
Watch it in HD
Would you like to see a preview of this beach? Then watch the video below (note: it has no sound).
The beach
Praia do Vale dos Homens is a medium size beach. It is about 500 metres in length and about 50 metres wide. Literally, Vale dos Homens is translated as the ‘Valley of Men‘. The beach is part of the wonderful Costa Vicentina natural park, which is known for its wild and rugged nature. The area around Vale dos Homens beach consists mostly of pine forests and farmland.
Beware of the tides on this beach. The sea rises a lot during high tide and you could get stuck if you are in the wrong place. During high tide, the beach is reduced to a small strip of sand. It is best to visit this beach during low tide, because you will have more space and have the possibility to go for a beach walk. Moreover, during low tide you will see natural pools appear among the rocks. These natural pools are popular among kids, who love to explore them. You can also find a variety of sea-life near these pools, such as crabs, starfish or mussels.
The water of the Atlantic Ocean here is clean, but can also be quite rough and cold. Watch out for the many rocks in the water on this beach as well. These factors make Praia do Vale dos Homens not a good beach for swimming. However, due to the big waves, the beach is good for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
When walking around the beach you will probably encounter some rocks in bizarre shapes.
Praia do Vale dos Homens is surrounded by big rock formations. These cliffs protect the beach against the wind, which is good. Sometimes you can see local fishermen on top of the cliffs trying to get their catch of the day. However, don’t sit too close to the cliffs. There might be the danger of rockfall.
There are no other beaches directly linked to Vale dos Homens. The closest beach to the south is Praia da Carriagem, which is also a marvelous beach. The closest beach to the north is Praia da Barradinha.
Quiet beach
There are often only a few people on Praia do Vale dos Homens. After all, it is quite remote and few people are willing to take the effort needed to come here. During summer, there are usually only a handful of people on the beach. That makes it a very peaceful beach. Beware that there are no support facilities on this beach. You will have to bring your own food and water.
Praia do Vale dos Homens is mostly visited by people who prefer more quiet beaches. Outside summer, the beach is often deserted or visited by surfers. Even though Praia do Vale dos Homens is not an official nude beach, it is also a popular beach among naturists.
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Staircase
The main way to access Praia do Vale dos Homens is to go down a long wooden staircase. It has almost 300 steps, which is a lot. The staircase is in good condition. From the wooden staircase you already have a great view over the beach.
How to get there
The easiest way to move around in the Algarve is by car. If you don’t have one, make sure to rent a car. The beach is located 3 kilometres west of Rogil, which is a village in between Aljezur and Odeceixe. Even though Praia do Vale dos Homens is off the beaten track, it is relatively easy to find the beach. When driving on the EN120, you will a sign near Rogil indicating Praia do Vale dos Homens. It is about a 6 minute drive from Rogil, partly through a dirt road.
At the end of the road you will see 2 possible entrances: the north and the south entrance. We recommend taking the south entrance, as this one has more parking space and leads to the wooden staircase. The northern entrance has no staircase, but you will need to go down a cliff trail, which is not suitable for families with children. It is best to take the south entrance. Parking is free near Praia do Vale dos Homens and almost always there is plenty of space.
Restaurants
There are no restaurants near the beach. If you are looking for a restaurant, you should go to Rogil, which is a 3 kilometre drive. There are not many restaurants in Rogil, but we recommend any of the following ones:
- Museu da Batata Doce. This is a restaurant and shop that focuses on sweet potato from the region. They will show you a variety of dishes and flavours that are made with local sweet potato. They also have very good desserts.
- Pão do Rogil. This is a bakery which makes good bread, cookies and cakes, such as pastéis de nata. Great if you are looking for something quick to eat. Also good for bread so you can make your own lunch to take with you to the beach.
- Pizza Pasta & Compagnia. If you prefer some pizza, this Italian restaurant has some of the best pizza in the region. Good atmosphere and reasonable prices. They also do takeaway.
Hotels
If you would like to stay near Rogil, which is the nearest town to the beach, we recommend any of the following accommodations:
- Quinta da Bunheira. This calm and quiet house in the countryside is the closest accommodation to the beach. It offers a nice garden with barbecue facilities. Also, there is a kitchen so you can cook your own meals if you want to. Prices are very reasonable.
- Casa Sorriso. This holiday home in Rogil has three bedrooms, which makes it a good choice for families. The accommodation has all the facilities you need for a nice and peaceful stay, including a patio and garden outside. Highly rated as well.
- Hotel Alcatruz. This two star hotel on the main street of Rogil offers comfortable rooms that are decorated with lovely images of Portuguese beaches. In addition, they have a terrace garden outside and a fireplace inside. Moreover, you can freely use the bicycles from the hotel to explore the area.
Another option is to quickly check the availability of nearby hotels. Below you can find a map with the location of hotels near Rogil. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Facilities
There are almost no facilities at Praia do Vale dos Homens and there is no support infrastructure. For example, there are no toilets and there is no restaurant. However, there is a lifeguard here during summer, in contrast to other nearby beaches, such as Praia da Carriagem. This means the beach is supervised.
Facilities in Praia do Vale dos Homens:
- Restaurant: no
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: no
- Shower: no
- Water sports: yes
- Sunbeds: no
- Parking: yes
- Lifeguards: yes, during summer
- Blue Flag beach: no
