I think compared to the rest of the eastern Algarve cities, yes, it is. Pandemic Pause #193 — Just the sound of it... Pandemic Pause #192 — Large Building Going By. Not far from Sintra is Azenhas do Mar is a great place to escape the bustle of the city. The 10 best beaches in Portugal. Praia Forte do Paço, Viana do Castelo, Porto. The countryside of West Coast is closely connected with the Order of the Templars and of Cister. Finally around one wide curve, you see it. How to get there? Looks a lot like Padre Island, Texas. The southern flank of the Algarve is much mellower, with more protected south-facing coastlines as the continent skinnies down to Gibraltar. Never been this side before so are looking for advice. The Other Algarve in the NYTimes. Cabo de São Vicente is the western most cape of the Algarve. Have you ever seen so many reds? A small village creeping up the sheer cliffs. The sandbar beaches around Faro, Olhão and Tavira are the least spoiled because they’re only reachable by ferry. List, Pandemic Pause #213 — Deep Dead End. Steep cliffs overlooking a broad beach, perfect waves breaking. flight) away is one of Portugal’s best. You can match up the towns on a map for greater details, but I’ll essentially show pictures from the west to east. 4. I loved the cool hotel I stayed in outside of Lagos, Casa Arte hotel, which I detail in a previous post and think you should stay there as your centrally-located base to hit all these beaches. The eastern Algarve to me is like Fort Lauderdale or Punta del Este, beautiful beaches ruined by hi-rises and massive retirement developments, centered around the “capital of Algarve”, Faro, all up to the border with Spain. And it truly isn’t for the beaches that people usually visit this region. Read on for all about the Silver Coast in Portugal and why you should visit. Average water temperature in July: 59 degrees The rough-hewn beauty of the Pacific Coast is on full display at Rialto Beach, with its massive sea stacks just offshore, piles of driftwood … Is this it? Your email address will not be published. Flat ones. The beach is so spectacular that it was elected as the best European beach in 2017. Spain sits to the east and north, sharing the Iberian Peninsula, while Portugal’s southern and western borders make one long scenic string of Atlantic coastline. Praia dos Galapinhos in Setúbal is one of the best beaches in Portugal, and probably the most crowd-affected on this list. Marinha Beach. Aveiro. Pandemic Pause #215 — Here’s something whaarm. Up near the border where the Algarve bumps into Alentejo, Arrifana is one of the most dramatic beaches on the West Coast. Pandemic Pause #207 — washing it all away. This is Portugal’s tourist epicentre for good reason: the region has some of the safest and most beautiful beaches in the country. 1. Answer 1 of 8: We usually go to the Rio formoso area (Tavira /Fuzeta etc) on holiday but this year are planning on going to the west coast. You caYou can’t swing a cat without hitting a cool beach around here…. Pandemic Pause #204 — Happy Christmas everyone! This Blue Flag beach is over 4 miles (almost 7 kilometres) long and characterized by its dramatic red and ochre colored sandstone cliffs. The climate here is agreeable for most of the year with over 300 days of sunshine – so it's not just for summer holidays – even Christmas can be sunny and warm! I’d always seen these dramatic beaches in the Algarve have always wanted to come here. Your email address will not be published. Tavira is known for these distinctive rooftops to drain the rain. There’s no shortage of beaches along this ocean-facing edge, yet it’s the same few that get swamped summer after summer. Best way to see the Algarve beaches and coastline, Pena Palace Sintra (Portugal) – Photos + visit tips, Praia de Albandeira beach (Algarve, Portugal) – Tips + Photos, Lisbon Castle of Sao Jorge – Visit tips + photos, The stunning village of MERTOLA (Portugal) – Photos + Visit tips, Some people might be shocked not to find beaches like Rocha, Cascais or Tavira island but I think that flat boring sand beaches surrounded or not by buildings are not that scenic. Here's our pick of the country's best beaches. Praia do Guincho. Praia da Marinha and Benagil, The Algarve. So here’s my recap of the best beaches I’ve found in the Algarve. Pandemic Pause #203 — This’ll have to do for n, Completely forgot I even had this feature on my ph, Pandemic Pause #202 — Sunny Souk Shopping, Pandemic Pause #201 — Hotel de Ville, exactly tw, Pandemic Pause #200 — Heading to an underground*, Pandemic Pause #199 — Brunch on the other side o. Pandemic Pause #197 — I like summer better. Porto Covo Beaches. Tavira. Mind-blowing beaches dotting the coastline, every half a mile. The car weaves in and out of clumps of wooly cypress trees, their wide trunks like the fuzzy legs of a herd of mammoths, crossing small bridges and dodging farm trucks heaving from the local fields. Lagos isn’t the prettiest towns, although it has its charming pockets. Half of Portugal’s outline is defined by the ocean. From tiny coves to remote, rugged coastline, Portugal has a stretch of sand to suit every traveller. While many Britons stick to the Algarve, Portugal's west coast is … Signs indicate this is the “End of the World” — or so they thought in Olden Times because they knew of nothing on the other side. There’s a decent little restaurant shack serving simple food overlooking the beach. With clear blue water, golden-white sand, and dense vegetation sheltering it, this pristine beach is hard to beat. The Cala Macarella beach is a very exciting place mainly because of the calm turquoise water and the white sand that is smooth beneath your feet. I’d read it gets really crowded, but the day I was there, hardly anyone. This beautiful cliffside destination boasts a sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean, where you can kick back and admire the sleepy fishing town and admire the spectacular vistas while you indulge in fresh seafood platters. This list is not for doing the pancake on the sand but to admire the beauty of Portugal. You can take the putt-putt ferry for the 15 minute ride out to the Tavira Islands. Most of the beaches along Portugal’s west coast are pounded relentlessly by Atlantic Ocean waves and the Altentejo is no exception. And then between the farms and small houses, a brown road sign appears from the shadows at the fork in the road: ” ↖️ Praia”. Yep, you’re really spoiled for choice in Portugal. THIS IS THE COOLEST HOTEL IN THE UNITED STATES. Wait for it, Pandemic Pause #212 — The sound is better than t, Pandemic Pause #211 — More plains-spotting yeste, Pandemic Pause #210 — This is when I discovered, Pandemic Pause #208 — from today. I didn’t get to hit them all as I was only there for four days of exploring. I’d seen pictures of Tavira’s distinctive angled roofs and heard it was a beautiful little town. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The little island of Porto Santo boasts a 10km (6 mile) stretch of golden sand stretching around a bay of still blue water with views across the mountains of … The sun is bright as can be, yet you’re in shadows most of the time in the early afternoon. Can’t wait to come back and discover the rest. Best Beaches in Alentejo, Portugal Praia do Brejão. Not only are the white sands perfect for leisurely tanning on, but this beach is one of the best beaches in Lagos for surfing. Totally undeveloped. The easiest way to reach Praia de Benagil is by boat, so it’s one of the quieter beaches in … It is also home to the medieval fort of São João de Arade, which used to be the area's watchtower. The road slices between two folds of hills, making curves around the lush green mounds, the trees thinning to nothing. You probably didn’t expect to find the region of Alentejo in a selection of best beaches in Portugal. Hard. Pandemic Pause #196 — Everything feels better to. (, Pandemic Pause #191 — this morning was like this, This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, THE PERFECT ADVENTURE HOTEL TO EXPLORE THE ATACAMA DESERT, THE PERFECT LONG WEEKEND IN CASCAIS, LISBON’S BEACHY SUBURB. They are seriously spectacular stretches of sand: the climate and atmosphere are Mediterranean, but this is the Atlantic so good waves and watersports are available alongside more sedate, family-oriented paddling zones. Log in. Look for the name of this little surfshack restaurant, right off the single path that leads to the beach. Portugal’s best beaches in The Guardian. TripAdvisor’s best beaches in Portugal. 5. Renowned for its towering limestone cliffs and high water quality, the beach lies about twenty miles west of the popular resort town of Albufeira, in the Algarve region of the country.. …but I put this here because the sign made me laugh. To get there, you park about 15 mins away and walk along a beautiful wooden path the rides along the cliff, with stunning views and bright wildflowers on all sides. Pandemic Pause #217 — The Flying Fridge. Pandemic Pause #214 — The Sound of Morocco. The Wild Southwest of Portugal – long sandy beaches, world class surfing, great seafood and wonderful wines – all of these in an area of outstanding natural beauty and a region of great historical interest. The Algarve Guide in Travel & Leisure. Good lord. Colorful ones. A lot of people wrongly think Portugal is on the Mediterranean, as I did, but it’s not. Although it’s set back eight kilometres from the coast, Aljezur is undoubtedly deserving of a place on Portugal’s best coastal town list. It’s like the Costco of beach selection. Pandemic Pause #194 — If you’re stressed, just. It’s a good steep walk down the zigzag road. This beach is a true jewel in the Algarve Coast and is located in an exquisite nature reserve. (Although as you’ll see below, the eastern town of Tavira was a cool exception). Unlike many of the resort-filled towns in the Algarve, Tavira is a bit more reminiscent of the country’s rural side, characterized by a slower ... Azeitão. Feels eerily like Malibu, or the coast just north of Los Angeles, without any houses or city marring the vista. 2. There are chairs you can rent in beach areas, some restaurants or you can wild it with your own stuff. Peniche. 15 Best Beaches in Portugal. Walking streets lined with modest restaurants, nothing too fancy. Few are safe for … Cala Macarella, Menorca, Spain – One of the most beautiful beaches in Spain is located on the south-west coast of Menorca. As you’ll see, these are only the best beaches I could find in a few short days. Pristine clean beaches, water sport activities, and world-class golf courses make this a prime destination for holidaymakers to discover. There’s a crazy astronomy attraction that’s in an old water tower if you want to kill time, mostly for the views from the top of the tower…. 12 Best Beaches in Portugal (in stunning photos) – Algarve + Atlantic Coast. Locals often refer to the Silver Coast as the Algarve of the north, and it certainly earns the title. Foz de Minho, Minho. Great tips and reinforcement of my recommendations above. A small village creeping up the sheer cliffs. The most beautiful beach in Portugal is probably Praia de Benagil, in the Algarve. There’s a nice church and main square you can hike up to, overlooking the whole city. 12. Dunas de São Jacinto, Aveiro, Porto. Praia Forte Do Paço. Praia do Baleal, Peniche, Lisbon. All perfect. 3. To get your bearings, here’s a YSGH Picto-Map (TM) of all my favorite places in Portugal so you can match up the picture to the map. This is another perfect beach for surfing, as it is located in the western coast of the Algarve and not on the south coast of the region as with most beaches on this list. The ferry only takes about 15 mins. However, the captivating fishing village enjoys a more laidback vibe, with its white-washed homes and boat adorned shores. People raved about this beach, I though it was just okay. Just unbelievable colors of every shade of red, at the end of a national park. The food is awesome and you look directly over the crashing surf. If you surf, this is your place, as it seems like the whole town is. The coastline north of Porto is one ... 2. With more than 800km of Atlantic coastline, there’s a wide range of beaches in Portugal to suit every travel style. It’s more like the chin of Europe, with the slight overbite of Lisbon and Cascais. 5. Praia da Miramar, Arcozelo. It’s kind of weird, actually. Praia de Tavira, The Algarve. These orders, were allies of the first kings during the Christian reconquest of Portugal. Here’s a great new article from the UK Conde Nast Traveller on the Costa Vicentina of Portugal. cool hotel I stayed in outside of Lagos, Casa Arte hotel, best beaches in Portugal and Spain in Conde Nast Traveler, The Top 5 Beach Holidays in The Telegraph, Portugal’s best beaches in Travel in Portugal, The UK Conde Nast Traveller’s Guide to the Algarve. 3. Just can’t get any better. The Ihla de Tavira is long and skinny, all sand. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Falesia Beach. 4. Falling for Portugal's wild side: For rugged scenery, try a road-trip along the country's dramatic western coast. You can feel the salty ocean breeze but that long forehead of low hills casts long shadows across the road, it’s hard to even get a view of the beaches you’ve read so much about. But its a great base to explore all of the western Algarve. So muc, Pandemic Pause #216 — So many waterfalls. The best beaches in Portugal and Spain in Conde Nast Traveler. About Praia da Falesia. Lifeguards, VWs, longboards and long hair the same, just the accents are difference. Perfect to escape the crowds of the mainland beaches. The Top 5 Beach Holidays in The Telegraph. Heard it was elected as the Algarve beach around here…, Although it has charming! We assume you agree with the slight overbite of Lisbon and Cascais lovely and easy to come back discover. In shadows most of the Algarve bumps into Alentejo, Arrifana is one of… the World ) – Algarve Atlantic! 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