Portugal's 15 greatest beaches

Telegraph

29-05-2025

Portugal does beaches better than anywhere. Golden coves framed by limestone rocks in the south, endless stretches of white sands fringed by turquoise ocean in Alentejo and breezy, windswept surf-centric swathes on the western Algarve and above Lisbon.
Even in the north, there are 75 blue flag coastal beaches and nine inland blue flag beaches, contributing to the country's total of 444 this year.
And goodness, aren't they loved by the Portuguese? Nothing comes between them and a trip to the praia.
The moment the sun comes out, the locals turn beachwards. Families bed into the fine sand for hours on end, refreshing themselves with the typical bolo de berlim doughnuts.
Locals have their favourite beaches, but for visitors, here is a guide to where best to find yours.
Praia de Princesa, Costa da Capariça
Best for weekend sunset parties
Hugely popular with chic Lisbonites, this beach (easily accessible from the capital) is a great spot to watch the sunset, glass in hand, to the beat of live music. The go-to, eponymous, beach club allows you to eat dishes such as shrimps and fish with rice whilst digging your toes into the sand.
To your right and left lie dazzling white sands and neighbouring beaches such as Praia da Morena, where the ocean causes small lagoons in the sand to create perfect paddling conditions for children. Princesa thrums with a carefree, summer vibe and an almost tangible appreciation for la vida Portuguesa.
Insider tip
Book a beach bed, possible by the hour, to enjoy a siesta after lunch, accompanied by the lull of the waves.
How to get there
Buses from various points in Lisbon, including Marques de Pombal, go to the little town of Capariça. An Uber will probably cost around €20 for the 20-minute drive.
Where to stay nearby
Palacio Principe Real (00351 913 301 403) has double rooms from £464, including breakfast.
Praia dos Galapinhos, Arrabida
Best for unspoilt natural beauty
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Arrábida Natural Park, with its abundance of green forest, this tiny beach has won awards for its natural beauty. The coves in this region are trickier to reach than many others in the country, Galapinhos especially, resulting in fewer crowds and more tranquillity. Although the entrance to the beach is rocky, the crystal waters are wonderful to swim in. There are sun loungers provided and thatched parasols if you want to spend the day and a small bar to quench your thirst.
Insider tip
The diaphanous waters make this ideal for snorkelling.
How to get there
It is about 45 minutes from Lisbon over the Vasco da Gama bridge, but from any direction, the best place to park is at Praia do Figueirinho, from where you can take a free shuttle bus (10 minutes) along the coast and then walk down the winding stairway to the beach.
Where to stay nearby
Hotel Casa Palmela (00351 265 249 650) has double rooms from £182, including breakfast.
Praia de Benagil, Central Algarve
Best for photographs
Postcard-pretty and indeed gracing many of the postcards for sale in the Algarve, this beach is memorable for its neighbouring huge cave with a natural skylight, accessible only by boat, kayak or paddleboard. The latter two are available to rent on the beach. Swimmers should be aware that the sea floor goes from shallow to very deep quite suddenly. The old fishing village of Benagil makes for a nice wander when you want a break from the beach.
Insider tip
The Seven Hanging Valleys trail takes you along the top of this beach.
How to get there
About 15 minutes drive from Lagoa; park at the top of the cliffs and walk down the steep hill to the beach.
Where to stay nearby
Vila Alba Resort (00351 282 380 700) has double rooms from £173, including breakfast.
Praia de Odeceixe, Western Algarve
Best for activities
Selected as one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal for its surrounding cliffs, the beauty of this horseshoe-shaped beach is protected by its location in a natural park. The Seixe River forms the natural border between the Algarve and the Alentejo and meets the Atlantic on the beach. The river sides offer safe swimming for children and are popular with kayakers. The ocean here is popular with surfers and bodyboarders, and there are a couple of surf schools which offer classes and equipment rental. Alternatively, enjoy beach volleyball.
Insider tip
Otters have been spotted in and around the rivers.
How to get there
Very easily accessible from the main road, the beach lies about 3km from Odeceixe village; parking is available above the beach.
Where to stay nearby
Amaria Hotel (00351 910 333 555) has double rooms from £261, including breakfast.
Praia de Dona Ana, Western Algarve
Best for shelter and shade
Protected by high cliffs in the Ponte da Piedade headland, this lovely beach, where golden sands perfectly match the honeyed strata of the limestone rocks, is ideal for windy days and offers calm, beautifully turquoise waters. It is one of the largest beaches along this part of the coast, but its popularity means it can get crowded in the summer months. The ocean is cold here, even on hot days, due to much if it being in shade, making it wonderfully refreshing.
Insider tip
Deck chairs, parasols and sun shades can be hired and there is a small restaurant on the beach for light meals.
How to get there
10 minutes by car from Lagos; reached by a steep set of steps down the cliff face.
Where to stay nearby
Palmares Beach House Hotel (00351 282 249 880) has double rooms from £249, including breakfast.
Praia da Norté, Nazaré, Silver Coast
Best for surfing
One of the most traditional fishing villages in Portugal, the older women in Nazaré still dress in the region's typical seven skirts as they sell their families' catch in the local fish market or arrange horse mackerel on nets to salt-dry. But on the northern side of town is Praia do Norté, where the highest ever wave was surfed by Sebastian Steudtner in 2020. Since then, he has surfed a 93.7-foot wave here, breaking his own record. A pilgrimage site for surfers, particularly in winter for the wild, magnificent waves, the beach is overlooked by a 16th-century fortress.
Insider tip
Make time for the nearby Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré, an impressive church which dates back to the 14 th century.
How to get there
It is a little over an hour from Lisbon and easily found north of Nazaré town.
Where to stay nearby
Noah's Surf House (00351 261 936 366) has double rooms from £240, including breakfast.
Praia da Marinha, Central Algarve
Best for a romantic setting
The setting for the famous Arcos Naturais – a double arch in the limestone rocks, eroded by rainwater and winter storms at the edge of the beach, which look like a heart – makes this a popular spot for proposals. It gets very crowded in the summer due, not only to its Instagram fame, but also because of its clear and calm waters, making it ideal for snorkelling and swimming. The sand here is wonderfully golden and fine, but much of it disappears at high tide.
Insider tip
Leave mid-afternoon before the scramble for taxi pick-ups.
How to get there
Offering limited spaces, the car park fills up very quickly; the police are known to close the road to prevent illegal parking. Get a taxi instead.
Where to stay nearby
Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve (00351 282 351 100) has double rooms from £278, including breakfast.
Praia do Guincho, Lisbon coast
Best for kite-surfing
Set within the Serra de Sintra Natural Park, this beach has been protected from any major development creating a pristine environment less than half an hour from the centre of Lisbon. A destination for the hardy, and not for children, the sea here rarely gets above 21C and strong sea winds, although less in summer, make this more suited to kite-surfing and surfing than swimming or picnicking. It is renowned for its immense waves and, along its 750-metre shoreline, you can feel the power of the Atlantic Ocean.
Insider tip
If you prefer to look at the beach from the comfort of a good restaurant, the Michelin-starred Fortaleza do Guincho offers the spectacular taste of the Atlantic.
How to get there
There is limited public transport from Lisbon; hire car or a taxi (20 minutes).
Where to stay nearby
Fortaleza do Guincho (00351 214 870 491) has double rooms from £280, including breakfast.
Praia do Barril, Eastern Algarve
Best for a sense of place
This beach is one of the finest in the eastern Algarve, but also stands as a powerful memorial of the region's vanished tuna fishing heritage. Most notable is the cemetery of anchors that lie rusting on the beach, commemorating the lost maritime skills and fishing community that once defined this area. The soft sands and calm ocean are typical of the eastern Algarve. The little train that transports visitors to the beach is a real standout feature; it chugs along the rail track between the mainland and the beach, taking children on what was once a lifeline for fishermen.
Insider tip
The unspoiled dune ecosystem of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which stretches behind the beach, is worth exploring for its diverse plant and bird life.
How to get there
The beach is on the Ilha de Tavira and is connected to the mainland by a footbridge from Pedras d'El Rei village; either walk through the dunes or hop aboard the train.
Where to stay nearby
Pousada Convento Tavira (00351 281 249 800) has double rooms from £239, including breakfast.
Praia de Moledo, Northern Portugal
Best for windsurfing
Famous since the beginning of the 20 th century as a seaside resort, Praia de Moledo has long been the go-to beach for dignitaries and politicians, who prefer its natural beauty to the hotter climes down south. It is also popular with windsurfers, especially in the summer. Just in front of the wide beach is a small rocky island that can be visited by boat. On its stands a fortress, built as a convent in the 15 th century and transformed into a coastal defence post in the 18 th century.
Insider tip
Be warned, in summer the sea water temperature is chilly (15C to 17C).
How to get there
An hour north of Porto; parking nearby. There also a train service to Caminha and a bus service from there to Moledo.
Where to stay nearby
Casa da Eira (00351 939 470 998) has double room cottages from £80, including breakfast.
Praia da Arrifana, Western Algarve
Best for bodyboarding
A year-round favourite with bodyboarders and surfers, Arrifana beach offers the best of the windswept western Algarve, with its golden sands and rugged orange and black sandstone cliffs. Popular also for watching the sun set across the Atlantic, this large expanse of beach never gets too crowded. However, at high tide much of the sand disappears, so time your visit well. Above the beach, there is a fortress, which dates back to the 17th century and offers a wonderful view over the beach.
Insider tip
Lunch at the excellent little restaurant at the entrance to the beach on octopus with the local sweet potatoes or the typical goose barnacles.
How to get there
Praia da Arrifana is well signposted and easily reached from the town of Aljezur; park at the top of the cliffs.
Where to stay nearby
Herdade Quinta Natura (00351 282 048 175) has double rooms from £118, including breakfast.
Praia do Pego, Comporta
Best for beach clubs
Praia do Pego is hard to take in one swoop, with its white sands stretching as far as the eye can see. Four kilometres of pristine beach, washed by gentle, foam-flecked, turquoise waters, meet everyone's idea of a perfect beach. If you can prise yourself off the warm sands, there are some great beach clubs here too: Praia na Comporta, designed by Philippe Starck, offers his vision of a beach cottage; at JNĉQUOI, designed by Vincent van Duysen, you can feast on lobster hot dogs, or blinis with caviar whilst watching the waves roll in.
Insider tip
It might still be summer, but the chic shops in Comporta are the best place to do your Christmas shopping.
How to get there
30 minutes off the main motorway between Lisbon and the Algarve.
Where to stay
Quinta das Comporta (00351 265 112 390) has double rooms from £679, including breakfast.
Praia de Cacela Velha, Eastern Algarve
Best for children
One of the loveliest beaches in the Algarve runs down to the Ria Formosa Natural Park from the tiny town of Cacelha Velha. Here the streets are named after poets and, in the shade of the ancient church, you can eat local oysters at wooden tables. The beach is accessed either by boat from the side of the beach known as Fábrica or on foot at low tide across lagoons and natural pools, which are perfect for children to paddle in.
Insiders tip
The boat has no schedule, but is run in the summer by local fishermen who will take you across for €1.50/£1.26.
How to get there
Park in the few spots next to the restaurants at Sitio da Fabrica and take a boat across.
Where to stay nearby
Casas de Quinta da Cima (00351 966 912 743) has double rooms from £415, including breakfast.
Praia dos Caneiros, Central Algarve
Best for lunch with a view
Caneiros is not too big nor too small, with a big rock just out at sea pleasingly framed by the cliffs that curve around the sand and out to sea. The lighthouse above was once the home of the lighthouse keeper who started the beach restaurant, Reis das Prais – long my favourite in the Algarve. Book a table next to the open windows and order the catch of the day, carabineiros or scarlet shrimps and some crisp white wine.
Insider tip
Beach parties are held here in the summer and there are regular live music events at the restaurant on the beach.
How to get there
From the town of Ferragudo, Praia dos Caneiros is well signposted; park in the overflow up the road from the beach..
Where to stay
Caneiros Luxury House & Suites (00351 282 426 241) has double rooms from £262 (two-night minimum stay), including breakfast.
Praia do Cabadelo, Northern Portugal
Best for entertainment
Not only is this beach great for sports, from surfing to windsurfing and wing foiling, with instructors and equipment available at the FeelViana Watersports Centre, but it is also good for partying. The bars around the edge of the beach offer a vibrant nightlife until the early hours of the morning. Semi-circular in shape, the beach is surrounded by pine forests and dunes and is a favourite of the inhabitants from nearby towns like Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima.
Insider tip
Browse the many jewellery shops in Viana do Castelo for their emblematic 'heart of Viana'. Crafted in filigree gold, it has become as much a symbol of Portugal as of this town.
How to get there
Arrive by ferry from Viana do Castelo. The crossing takes five minutes and goes every 30 minutes.
Where to stay
Carmo's Boutique Hotel (00351 910 587 558) has double rooms from £239, including breakfast.