The world’s best and most beautiful beaches are found at Portugal’s dramatic Atlantic coastline, in the Algarve. Along its 200-kilometre coastline you can admire the variety of beaches: from small secret coves to endless sandy spots, wild and untouched, romantic and hidden postcard-worthy beaches. A typical holiday break doesn’t have enough time to discover all of them, so we offer you our list Top 10 beaches in Algarve.
1. Praia da Marinha
Online portal ‘European Best Destinations’ entitles Lagoa’s Praia da Marinha beach as one of the “best beaches in Europe”. Praia da Marinha is regarded to be the most glorious and beautiful beach in Portugal with wonderful cliffs and high-quality water. Visiting Praia da Marinha you will enjoy not only swimming and sunbathing but diving and boating. Moreover, you can taste drinks and snacks, provided by the small snack bars.
Directions: From Portimao you should take the EN 125 to Porches and once you have passed the International School in Lagoa, take the next right. Head towards South following the sings to Praia da Marinha.
2. Praia do Martinhal
Praia do Martinhal, or Martinhal beach, is one of the charming beaches situated at the Eastern end of the town of Sagres in Algarve. Having a rest on this beach You can be sure of your safety: this beach has a blue flag, which proves the high standard of tidiness and safety in the area, moreover, there’re several lifeguards, which can assist and help you. Praia do Martinhal offers it`s visitors a lot of fun, swimming, excellent sunbathing, windsurfing and exploring the Costa Vicentina Natural Park. After beach recreation you can enjoy sea-food suggested by the restaurant located on this beach.
Directions: You should take the EN125 to Vila do Bispo and continue out of town on the EN268 to Sagres. Martinhal is situated left off the main road a few miles before Sagres.
3. Praia do Barril
The Praia do Barril is a marvellous Algarve beach, situated on the island Ilha de Tavira, close to the village of Pedras D’el Rei. Earlier Praia do Barril was a small tuna fishing community and now fishing houses have been transformed into restaurants, cafes and shops where the visitors can taste a variety of delicious fish. Nowadays, this blue-flag beach forms part of the Ria Formosa Natural Park and offers the holidaymakers a great choice of activities: windsurfing, sailing and so on. Moreover there’s one of Algarve’s few nudist spots nearby.
Directions: You should go to the tourist village of Pedras d’el Rei and a miniature train brings you across the marshy land or you can use a narrow wooden bridge.
4. Praia de São Rafael
Praia de São Rafael is located on the Atlantic South coast of the Algarve, next to the village of Sesmarias next to Albufeira, a municipality in the Faro District. This beach is another blue flag beach in the Algarve and wonderfully equipped with good facilities for the disabled. This small beach provides the visitors with fine golden sand, crystal water and gorgeous limestone cliffs. Restaurants situated right on the beach of Praia de São Rafael invite you to enjoy the choices of the Algarve cuisine.
Directions: In the Marina of Albufeira you find buses going to Praia de Sao Rafael.
5. Praia da Falesia
Praia da Falesia is one of the most impressive and beautiful beaches in Algarve. White sandy coastline set close to red cliffs stretching for 3 km. This beach is ideai to enjoy the wonders of nature and long walks. You can rent water sports equipment. Next to the beach there’s a car park.
Directions:At the Albufeira bus station you can take a bus going to Praia da Falesia.
6. Meia Praia
Meia Praia is a blue-flag beach and one of the longest beaches in the Algarve, stretching for 4, 5 km. Perfect quality of the water and the fascinating views make Meia Praia an attractive spot to visit. It meets all demands: Western part of the beach offers a good selection of water sports, but on the Eastern part you can enjoy a peaceful atmosphere and the beauty of nature. This beach offers snack bars and restaurants, that are open all day long.
Directions: Meia Praia stretches 4 km up to the delta of the rivers Odiáxere and Arão and there are numerous car parks along its length. Walking from the marina, past the train station takes 5 minutes in order to reach the Western end.
7. Praia Três Irmãos
Praia Três Irmãos is situated along the wide sandy coastline protected from the Ocean, allowing an inland lagoon and channels of calm water to exist. This blue-flag beach is very popular and adored by locals and visitors. Here you can enjoy kite-surfing, rent pedalos or kayaks, enjoy sand dunes, watch different species of birds and fishes and admirable cliffs. Also, you have an opportunity to try fresh fish, steak baguettes and a good selection of wines in the restaurant, located on the beach.
Directions: Going to Alvor turn left down the hill, where You can find a sign “praia”. At the roundabout there’s a chemist, go straight over and then turn second right. At the next roundabout go straight over. At the T-junction turn left and you will find the car park for the beach.
8. Praia do Amado
Praia do Amado is a paradise for surfing fans. It’s known as one of the iconic surfing spots in Europe. There is a surf camp suggesting vacation programs, organized by the beach’s own surf school. The picturesque nature of Praia do Amado delights with its magnificent cliffs, sandy coasts. There you can visit shops, selling beach gear and surfing outfits.
Directions: You should leave Aljezur on the EN120 to the South and turn right after about four miles to Sagres. Three miles after Bordeira, you will reach Carrapateira and at the Southern exit of Carrapateira turn right and here’s Praia do Amado.
9. Ilha de Tavira
Ilha de Tavira is the closest beach to Tavira town. The long sandy blue flag beach offers holidaymakers excellent restaurants, bars and a variety of activities for people of all ages. On Ilha de Tavira beach there’s also the only Tavira beach resort where you can stay overnight. There’s the camping park equipped with surveillance cameras and security guards.
Directions: You can go by your car, taxi, on foot, bike down to Quatro Aquas about 2 km out of Tavira town. There are regular water taxis and ferry boats departing from here to the Ria Formosa. Then you should take the short walk across the island to the resort.
10. Praia da Arrifana
Praia da Arrifana is a beach within the Municipality of Aljezur. The sand on Praia da Arrifana is golden and fine and the beach stretches approximately 500 meters. The blue-flag beach is backed by tall cliffs, protect from winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Very attractive for surfers but also for those who long for serenity: it is part of the Vicentine Coast Natural Park, a place of splendid nature. In several restaurants and bars you can satisfy your thirst and hunger.
Directions: In Lagos take the EN 120 road North towards Sines, before the town of Aljezur turn left, signposted Vale da Telha, Praia do Monte Clerigo and a brown sign pointed Praia da Arrifana. At the top of the hill turn left and follow the road round to the Praia da Arrifana.
