From the sun-drenched golden cliffs of the Algarve to the wild, surf-pounded shores of the Atlantic, Portugal's coastline offers a spectacular variety of beaches. Whether you are looking for vast family-friendly expanses, dramatic coves, world-class surf breaks or sheltered bays, there is something here for every kind of visitor.

Portugal's beaches are as varied as the country itself. To the south, the Algarve offers picturesque bays and vibrant resort towns, while the west-facing Costa Vicentina presents a more rugged, untamed beauty. Closer to Lisbon, where I live, the coast mixes sophisticated resorts with pristine scenery, a character that extends northwards along the Silver Coast with its dramatic cliffs, traditional fishing towns and powerful surfing waves.

I have been visiting Portugal's beaches since 2001, and after years of returning, eventually made Lisbon home. Being married to a Portuguese woman has given me a relationship with this coastline that no holiday ever could, taking me to the quieter spots locals actually go to, the beaches that do not make the guidebooks, and the ones worth the drive. This guide is the result of years of exploring, put together to help you find the right beach for your trip rather than just the most photographed one.

 

 

Where is it? 12km to the west of Óbidos
Suited for? Families, sunbathing, nature watching
Best words to describe it? Calm, natural, low-key, authentic

The beach sits at the mouth of the Lagoa de Óbidos and is one of the prettiest natural landscapes in central Portugal. Its unique position means one side faces the full force of the Atlantic, while the other opens onto the calm, sheltered waters of the lagoon.

This is the beach I always find myself recommending to friends visiting with young children. I brought a close friend here with his two and four year old for a week and it was, quite simply, perfect for them. The lagoon side is shallow, warm and completely calm, that is rare on Portugal's Atlantic coastline.

The town of Foz do Arelho behind the beach is thoroughly un-chic, and honestly that is a big part of why I love it. It is the kind of place populated by ordinary Portuguese families rather than tourists or summer crowds, which gives it a warmth and authenticity that the more famous Algarve resorts have long since lost. If you are looking for a genuine slice of how the Portuguese actually spend their summers, you will find it here.
Related articles: Obidos Guide

Foz do Arelho's lagoon side offers some of the calmest, warmest water on Portugal's Atlantic coast, making it a place I would bring my niece and nephew to

Where is it? East Algarve, 5km from Tavira
Suited for? Families, sunbathers, cultural holiday, photography
Best Words to describe it? Unspoilt, calm and historic

I was first taken to Praia do Barril way back in 2007 by a Portuguese family member who said this beach is a surprise. It was a short walk across the sand dunes from the car park, but what waited at the end was the surprise; the Cemitério das Âncoras.

Lining the sand dunes are hundreds of rusting anchors, the Cemitério das Âncoras, a haunting memorial to the abandoned tuna fishing community that called this beach home until the 1960s. As much as I love a beautiful beach, it is the places where the past and the present collide like this that stay with you longest.

The beach itself lies within the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a protected reserve that delivers some of the finest, most unspoilt coastline in the Algarve. The calm, shallow waters make it an excellent choice for families, and the setting within the natural park means it has been spared the development that has overtaken much of the region.

Tavira, the closest town, is one of my favourite destinations in the Algarve and well worth building a few days around.
Related articles: Praia do Barril

There are hundreds of fishing anchors lined in the sands of the Praia do Barril

Where is it? Ericeira, just north of Lisbon
Suited for? Surfing
Best Words to describe it? Wild, world-class surfing

I couldn't write a guide to Portugal's best beaches without including one for surfing. I thought long and hard about it, considered the breaks near Sagres and Peniche, and kept coming back to the same answer: the beach I enjoy most and return to most often is Praia da Foz do Lizandro.

It sits within the Ericeira World Surf Reserve, one of only a handful in the world, and the waves reflect that status. This is the beach I head for a Sunday surfing trip from Lisbon. But what puts Lizandro ahead of Portugal's other outstanding surf beaches for me is that it works for everyone in your group. I’m not dragging my wife to a blustery surfing beach, she actually wants to go.

The waves are serious enough to keep surfers happy all afternoon, but the beach is sheltered enough that my wife is perfectly content to sit and relax while I'm in the water. Barbatana Surf bar takes care of the food and drinks, and when the sun starts to drop, the Miradouro da Praia da Foz do Lizandro offers one of the better sunset viewpoints on this stretch of coast.

Portugal is a surf country and is not short of world-class breaks. But Lizandro is the one that has everything: the waves, the setting, the bars, and a reason for non-surfers to love it just as much.
Related articles: Ericeira beach guide

Me walking the long path from the viewpoint down to Foz do Lizandro beach

Where is it? 9km south of Porto
Suited for? Relaxing, sunbathing, families
Best words to describe it? Traditional and pretty

Praia do Senhor da Pedra surprised me the first time I visited and continues to surprise people I recommend it to. Most come for the photograph, the little Baroque chapel perched on its rocky outcrop at the water's edge is one of the most recognisable images on the Portuguese coast, and then find themselves staying far longer than planned.

Because the beach itself is genuinely good. Dark golden sands, black basalt rock outcrops and the kind of powerful Atlantic waves that remind you this is the Costa Verde, the Green Coast, a stretch of Portugal that gets overlooked far too often in favour of the Algarve. The town of Miramar that surrounds it is low-key and likeable, and all the better for it.

What I'd say to anyone staying in Porto is that this makes for one of the best easy day trips you can do. Twenty minutes on the train and you're here. The Costa Verde has a string of excellent beach towns worth exploring further if you have the time, Espinho, Vila do Conde, Povoa de Varzim and Vila Praia de Ancora among them, each with their own character and charm.
This is not a beach that shouts. It is one that quietly wins you over.
Related articles: Porto’s beaches

The Capela do Senhor da Pedra on a calm spring day but I’ve seen this chapel take a battering from violent winter storms

Where is it? Tróia Peninsula,
Suited for? Sun-worshipers, relaxing
Best words to describe it? Undiscovered, pristine, refined

Powder white sands, calm clear waters and the sweet smell of pine from the forests that hold the dunes in place. Portugal has strict laws guaranteeing public access to every inch of its coastline, and without them, Tróia would almost certainly have been swallowed whole by private money long ago. Because make no mistake, this is where Europe's ultra-wealthy come to disappear. Royalty, A-list celebrities, people with two or three houses who need a fourth. The pine forests do their job well, concealing properties in total seclusion, and the beauty of it is that nobody ever quite knows who is behind the treeline.

There is a tension here worth acknowledging. What gets sold as seclusion can start to feel like exclusion. The luxury corridor that runs down the peninsula, with its eco resorts and golf courses, is not exactly designed with the average visitor in mind.

But here is the thing: Portugal's open access laws mean the beaches themselves belong to everyone. I take the green ferry from Setúbal to the northern tip of Tróia with the rest of the locals, and from there some of the finest beaches in the country are yours to enjoy, free, quiet and genuinely beautiful.
Related articles: The Tróia Peninsula

A little way south of the ferry terminal, a 20minute walk for me, are the deserted sands of the Praia Atlantic on the western side of Tróia

Location: In the town of Praia da Rocha
Ideal for: Sunbathing, water sports, activities, and socialising
Key features: Vast, lively, active

My 21 year old cousin adores Praia da Rocha, and it would be a disservice to her constant enthusiasm not to include it on this list. She is also probably a better judge of this beach than I am.

And she has a point. This is a magnificent and vast beach, with enough space that even the peak summer crowds never make it feel truly overcrowded. Beach football, volleyball, music festivals in summer and the kind of buzzing atmosphere that younger visitors absolutely love. The NoSoloAgua beach club serves cocktails with an attitude, the Instagram opportunities are plentiful, and inexpensive food spots line the clifftops above. She's been back twice already and is currently hunting down a last-minute deal for this year’s girls' trip.

The golden sandstone cliffs are genuinely striking, and they somehow manage to make even the hotels and apartments stacked above look like part of the scenery. For families the sheer size of the beach means children have plenty of room, and the western end hides quieter coves tucked between the red cliffs if you need a break from the main stretch.

I prefer my beaches wild and unspoilt, but Praia da Rocha makes its case well. If you want sun, activity and a lively scene, it delivers on all fronts.
Related articles: Praia da Rocha guide

The Praia da Rocha beach is magnificent, and unlike this photo taken in April, will be buzzing

Where is it? South of Lagos, in the western Algarve
Suited for? Families, sunbathing, relaxing
Best Words to describe it? Beautiful, tranquil and stunning

Praia de Dona Ana has both wowed me and let me down, and the difference came down to one thing: timing.

My first visit was in April. Calm turquoise waters in a region famous for rough seas, beautiful soft sands and towering golden cliffs. I thought I had discovered the finest beach in Portugal.

So when my brother visited with his family, I couldn't wait to show him. He took one look at the packed beach and said "where do we even go?" He had a point. The setting was every bit as beautiful but there was barely enough room for my niece and nephew to run around, and the calm sheltered waters I had loved for snorkelling were still too cold for young children.

The difference between those two visits is why I always say the same thing to anyone asking about Dona Ana: I tend to visit in early June or late September, and that is when this beach is at its absolute best. A sheltered cove within easy walking distance of Lagos, with turquoise water and golden cliffs, and room to actually breathe. In peak season it still looks stunning, you'll just be sharing it with a lot of other people.
Related Articles: Lagos beach guide

Golden sands and turquoise waters, beautiful in mid-May

Location: 5km north of Cascais
Ideal for: Surfing, hiking, nature appreciation
Key features: Unspoilt, bracing, rugged

Getting to Praia do Guincho isn't the easiest, but it's one of those places where the effort fades the moment you arrive. This wild stretch of coastline sits within the dramatic landscape of Serra de Sintra Nature Park, and the moment you step out of the car, the Atlantic wind reminds you that you're somewhere untamed.

Guincho faces the full might of the ocean, and if you're an experienced kite-surfer, you'll understand immediately why this beach has such a devoted following. The massive waves, expansive shore and almost total lack of crowds make it something rare: a world-class beach that still feels raw.

My wife flat out refuses to go here, and I understand why. The near-constant breeze and strong waves mean it's not the place for a lazy sunbathing afternoon. But if surfing, kitesurfing, or simply standing in front of wild scenery is your idea of a perfect day, Guincho is hard to beat.

What I love most is how completely it contrasts with the sheltered, polished beaches of nearby Cascais. The surrounding Serra de Sintra also offers some wonderful hiking, letting you explore this rugged coastline from above as well as at sea level. Despite being just 5km from Cascais, Guincho feels like a different Portugal entirely.
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The wild and rugged setting of the Praia do Guincho, and what the image doesn’t capture is the very strong wind blowing in while the photo was taken.

Location: 7 km south of Vila Nova de Milfontes on the Alentejo coastline
Suited for? Nature enthusiasts and scenery admirers
Key features: Vast, untamed, pristine

I visited last week and I'm still thinking about it.

Raging seas, windswept cliffs and vast golden sands stretching further than feels real. Praia do Almograve sits within the protected Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, a corner of Portugal that mainstream tourism has largely passed by, and the beach wears that fact well. No beach bars, no sun lounger rentals, no holiday apartment blocks stacked on the clifftops. The day I visited I had what felt like miles of coastline almost entirely to myself.

The coastline around Vila Nova de Milfontes had been on my list for a while, but nothing I'd read quite prepared me for the scale of it. The cliffs, the Atlantic, the emptiness. It is the kind of place that recalibrates your idea of what a beach can be.

This is not a beach for everyone. The isolated location and frequently blustery conditions suit those who find something appealing in nature at its most unfiltered, rather than those after a classic beach holiday. But if that sounds like you, Almograve is one of the most memorable stretches of coastline I've found in Portugal. Make the journey.

The Praia do Almograve is my ideal of a perfect beach, wild windswept and no sense of tourism

Where is it? Between Sesimbra and Setubal
Suited for? Families, sunbathing and relaxing
Key features: Picturesque, unspoilt, serene

As a naïve 19-year-old, the Praia do Creiro was the first beach that I considered as a paradise beach. Now after more than 20 years of travelling the world I still hold this opinion.

Tucked between the forested hills of the Serra da Arrábida and the deep blue Atlantic, it wooed me once and has never really let me go since.

What separates it from almost every other beach on Portugal's Atlantic coastline is the water. Sheltered by the dramatic jagged cliffs of the Serra da Arrábida, the sea here is uniquely calm, more Mediterranean than wild Atlantic. The forest hills add to the setting and shelter it from any breeze, its always warm on even the windest of days.

On the day I brought my nephews here they were in the water within minutes, which simply doesn't happen on Portugal's more exposed beaches. We liked it so much we came back the following day.

I've been coming back to Praia do Creiro for two decades. This is the beach I take friends to when I want to show Portugal at its finest. Even the drive is magical, crossing the Serra da Arrábida hills and catching that first glimpse of white sand between the green and the blue.

My fortune is that I can visit out of peak season. But Creiro struggles in summer. The small car park fills by 10am, and the roads into the area get closed to traffic not long after. If you arrive and find this is the case, head instead to the Lagoa de Albufeira, a worthy alternative that rarely gets the same attention.
Related articles: The Serra da Arrábida

The Praia do Creiro as seen from the top of the hills, which was a long walk from the road

The interactive map below displays the locations of Portugal’s ten finest beaches (marked in yellow) and the country's best resort towns (marked in green). Detailed guides to each of these resort towns are provided in the section that follows.

Best beaches: 1) Praia do Creiro 2) Praia do Almograve 3) Praia da Marinha 4) Tróia Peninsula 5) Praia das Maçãs 6) Praia do Camilo 7) Foz do Arelho 8) Praia de Cacela Velha 9) Praia da Costa Nova 10) Praia da Rocha

Best resort towns: 1) Cascais 2) Lagos 3) Vila Nova de Milfontes 4) Sesimbra 5) Ericeira 6) Tavira 7) Alvor 8) Albufeira 9) São Martinho do Porto 10) Nazaré

1. Cascais
An elegant coastal town that blends 19th-century grandeur with a sophisticated resort atmosphere. Once the summer retreat for Portuguese royalty, its charming historic centre of cobbled streets and grand villas is today filled with high-end boutiques and excellent restaurants. Its position on the Lisbon coastline provides beautiful sandy coves and a vibrant marina, making it the perfect base for exploring the region in style - Cascais guide.

2. Lagos
A historic and energetic town in the western Algarve, famed for its dramatic coastline of golden cliffs and spectacular sea grottoes. The ancient walled centre speaks of its importance during Portugal's Age of Discovery, offering a vibrant maze of cobbled streets, traditional restaurants, and lively bars. This unique combination of history and stunning natural scenery makes Lagos one of the Algarve's most rewarding destinations - Lagos guide

3. Vila Nova de Milfontes
A charmingly laid-back town on the Alentejo coast, enjoying a picturesque setting at the mouth of the Mira River. Vila Nova de Milfontes offers the unique advantage of both tranquil, family-friendly river beaches and the wild, surf-pounded shores of the Atlantic. It serves as a perfect, authentic base for exploring the untamed beauty of the Vicentine Coast and its renowned hiking trails - Vila Nova de Milfontes

4. Sesimbra
An authentic and lively fishing town set within a beautiful sheltered bay at the foot of the Serra da Arrábida hills. Overlooked by a magnificent Moorish castle, the town is renowned throughout Portugal for its exceptional seafood, served fresh in the many restaurants lining its waterfront. Sesimbra acts as the ideal gateway to the secluded, pristine beaches of the Arrábida Natural Park, offering a perfect blend of local character and natural beauty - Sesimbra guide

5. Ericeira
A unique coastal town that masterfully blends its heritage as a traditional fishing village with a cool, contemporary surf culture. As Europe's only dedicated World Surfing Reserve, it attracts surfers from across the globe, famed for its succession of powerful and consistent reef breaks. Away from the waves, the charming, whitewashed old town provides a vibrant hub of cobbled streets, excellent restaurants, and surf-centric boutiques - Ericeira guide

6. Tavira
Widely regarded as the most beautiful town in the Algarve, Tavira is defined by the Gilão River that flows through its historic heart. This elegant town is rich with Moorish heritage, revealing a labyrinth of cobbled streets, a Roman-era bridge, and fine gothic churches. It serves as a tranquil and cultured base from which to explore the pristine sandbar islands of the Ria Formosa Natural Park - Tavira guide

7. Alvor
A delightful and low-key resort town that has retained the authentic character of its fishing village origins. Alvor enjoys a picturesque setting, where its historic, cobbled streets lead down to a tranquil river estuary. The town is perfectly positioned between the calm lagoon of the Ria de Alvor and a vast, golden sand beach that stretches for kilometres - Alvor guide

8. Albufeira
The most famous and energetic resort town in the Algarve, renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and extensive tourist amenities. Albufeira offers two distinct experiences: a charming, historic Old Town with whitewashed houses leading to a sheltered beach, and the famously lively "Strip," a bustling promenade of bars and restaurants that is the epicentre of the region's nightlife - Albufeira guide

9. São Martinho do Porto
A resort town renowned for its unique, perfectly shell-shaped bay that is connected to the ocean by a narrow inlet. This remarkable natural harbour creates a vast expanse of exceptionally calm, shallow waters, making it one of Portugal's safest and most popular beach destinations for families with young children. A wide promenade follows the curve of the bay, lined with cafes and restaurants that contribute to the town's relaxed holiday atmosphere - São Martinho do Porto

10. Nazaré
A town of dramatic contrasts, Nazaré is both a traditional fishing community and the epicentre of giant wave surfing. The main town is set along a vast, sheltered beach where local women still wear the iconic seven skirts, and the vibrant promenade is filled with superb seafood restaurants. To the north, the towering Sítio headland provides a spectacular viewpoint over Praia do Norte, where colossal winter waves have made Nazaré world-famous - Nazaré guide

1) Praia do Creiro (Sesimbra)
Set at the foot of the lush Serra da Arrábida hills, this picturesque location shelters the beach from the full force of the Atlantic. This protection creates a bay of tranquil calmness, with clear, turquoise waters lapping a shoreline of soft, pale sand. It is a scene of serene perfection, and in my view the closest thing to a paradise beach that mainland Europe can offer.

2) Praia do Almograve (Alentejo)
Almograve is a magnificent display of nature's raw beauty, where fine golden sands run between dark, layered cliffs and wild, sea-sprayed dunes. Part of the untamed Vicentine Coast, it is a place where you truly appreciate the grand scale of Portugal's Atlantic shoreline.

3) Praia da Marinha (Algarve)
Praia da Marinha presents the definitive image of the Algarve coast, instantly recognised by its monumental golden cliffs and iconic double sea arch. Access is via a cliffside path that opens onto a spectacular shoreline of hidden coves, sea caves and towering pillars of limestone standing in calm, turquoise waters.

4) Tróia Peninsula (Setúbal)
A magnificent sandbar of powder-soft white sand stretching for 15 kilometres, creating an exclusive and secluded coastal escape. Reached by ferry from Setúbal, Tróia's western shore offers an almost endless horizon of serene blue water, with pods of resident dolphins regularly spotted offshore.

5) Praia das Maçãs (Sintra)
A seaside town of delightful traditional character, Praia das Maçãs is best known for the vintage red tram that still makes the scenic journey from Sintra. The broad golden bay is the heart of the village, and on a summer evening it offers one of the most authentic slices of Portuguese coastal life you will find anywhere.

6) Praia do Camilo (Lagos)
Set within the dramatic Ponta da Piedade headland, this small cove is surrounded by the region's famed golden limestone cliffs. This spectacular natural enclosure provides perfect shelter from the Atlantic's swells, creating a bay of exceptionally clear and tranquil water ideal for swimming and snorkelling.

7) Foz do Arelho (Óbidos)
A beach of spectacular natural design, formed by a massive sandbar that creates two distinct coastal experiences. One side faces the full power of the Atlantic Ocean, while the other offers the sheltered, serene expanse of the Óbidos Lagoon, whose calm waters are ideal for families and watersports. This is the beach I always recommend to friends visiting with young children. I brought a close friend here with his two and four year old and it was, quite simply, perfect for them.

8) Praia de Cacela Velha (Tavira)
An enchanting corner of the Algarve shaped by the rhythm of the tide. At low water, the sea recedes to reveal a vast sandbar island, creating a network of warm, shallow lagoons that invite hours of exploration. A magical, peaceful setting that is genuinely hard to believe sits within the otherwise hectic Algarve.

9) Praia da Costa Nova (Aveiro)
Instantly recognised by the vibrant candy-striped palheiros, the traditional fishermen's houses that line its promenade. This unique architectural charm provides a colourful contrast to the raw, windswept beauty of the vast beach and its protected dune system. If you are visiting for the Instagram photos, this is your beach.

10) Praia da Rocha (Portimão)
The grand resort beach of the Algarve, Praia da Rocha is an immense expanse of golden sand that buzzes with summer activity. A favourite of my 18-year-old cousin, who loves the beach and the cocktail atmosphere that comes with it. Framed by imposing red cliffs and a lively promenade, it offers a vibrant, sun-drenched atmosphere with every amenity close at hand.