The 11 best beaches in Portugal

Home to some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches, Portugal provides seaside escapes of every variety. You can look forward to sandy islands lapped by cerulean seas, peaceful coves tucked near edge-of-the-earth sea cliffs, and dune-backed expanses facing some of the world’s most dramatic surfing spots. The challenge is deciding where to begin.

Although a list of Portugal’s best beaches could easily run into triple digits, we've narrowed it down to 11 of our absolute favorites. It's time to start planning your Portugal trip, leaving plenty of time to enjoy these incredible beaches.

1. Praia dos Galapinhos, Parque Natural da Arrábida

Best beach for a quiet break from the city

Less than an hour’s drive from Lisbon, you can find yourself amid the coastal wilderness of the Parque Natural da Arrábida. Here, forest-covered hillsides descend steeply to the shoreline, which is dotted with hidden coves and sparkling beaches. The most lovely is the Praia dos Galapinhos, which offers white sand and crystal-clear waters. The calm seas make it a great swimming spot.

Planning tip: If you're on a strict budget, it is possible to get here via public transportation from Lisbon, but it'll take twice as long (2 hours). Take a coach from Faro Central Bus Station to Setúbal, then switch to a local bus.

2. Praia de Odeceixe, Odeceixe

Best beach for families with little kids

Amid the wilder shores of the western Algarve, Praia de Odeceixe hits all the right notes, and the scenic headland-backed beach draws both families and surfers. Its unique location gives it surprising versatility. Lying at the mouth of the Rio Odeceixe, the beach has a sandy riverside section that’s perfect for splashing about without worrying about the pounding surf – it's ideal if you're traveling with small kids. If it’s waves you seek, you’ll find them by strolling over to the ocean where rideable breaks arrive year-round (though conditions are best in winter).

Planning tip: Various surf academies – including Odeceixe Surf School – can help you ride your first wave, or teach you some new skills. Book ahead and take to the waves with the help of one of their guides.

3. Praia Baleal, near Peniche

Best beach for a surfing getaway

About 5km (3 miles) northeast of Peniche on Portugal’s west coast, Praia Baleal is a real showstopper of a beach. This stretch of sand is actually a causeway, linking the mainland to the scenic, island-like village of Baleal, which stands atop a craggy headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean. The fantastic sweep of sandy beach here is good for swimming both to the north and south of Baleal, as well as surfing and kitesurfing.

Planning tip: Baleal is known for having challenging but, above all, consistent waves that make it an ideal learners’ beach. Surf schools, as well as several restaurants, are located along the beach.

4. Praia da Ilha de Tavira, Tavira

Best beach for low-season solitude

This huge beach at the eastern end of Ilha de Tavira – a long barrier island just off the country’s southern coast – boasts golden sands and inviting, clear waters, plus a sprinkling of beach bars, a windsurf school and a campground in summer (the only accommodation on the island). Outside the peak months of July and August, it feels wonderfully remote and empty.

Planning tip: Ferries make the 10-minute hop to the island from Quatro Águas, 2km (1.25 miles) southeast of Tavira, one of the Algarve’s most charming towns.

5. Praia da Falésia, near Albufeira

Best beach for space and facilities

The Algarve has more than its fair share of breathtaking beaches, and this 6km-long (3.7 miles) strip of sand backed by stunning ochre-hued cliffs has to be one of its most impressive. Starting 8km (5 miles) east of Albufeira, this strand gets very crowded in summer, especially when the tide is in.

Planning tip: Head here in low season – November to March – with average highs of around 16°C (61°F), and the beach will be all yours.

6. Praia de São Jacinto, near Aveiro

Best beach for nature lovers

Sandwiched between crashing Atlantic breakers and endless sand dunes, this magnificent beach forms the western flank of the São Jacinto nature reserve. It's a bit of a trek to get here, but the toil will be worth every second for those who like their beaches sandy, remote and rugged.

Planning tip: To get to Praia de São Jacinto, take a 20-minute bus journey from Aveiro to Forte da Barra, a ferry to São Jacinto, and then it's a brisk walk to the beach. Aveiro is only 50 minutes from Porto by train, so a visit to the beach can easily be done as a day trip from the city.

7. Praia do Cabedelo, Viana do Castelo

Best urban beach

Near the country’s northern border with Spain, Viana do Castelo is blessed with an appealing medieval center, an attractive riverfront and lovely beaches just outside the city. The pick of the lot is Praia do Cabedelo, a 1km-long (0.6 mile) arc of powdery pale-golden sand that folds into grassy dunes backed by a grove of wind-blown pines.

Planning tip: It’s across the river from town, best reached on a five-minute ferry trip from the pier south of the Praça da Liberdade.

8. Praia das Furnas, Vila Nova de Milfontes

Best beach for shallow waters

On the left bank of the Rio Mira on the coast of Portugal’s southern Alentejo region, Praia das Furnas is a long stretch of fine sand backed by small rocky cliffs. The sandbars in the area make for some relaxing frolicking in the waves – perfect for tiny travelers taking their first dip in the sea.

Planning tip: You can arrive here by car or take the small ferry from Vila Nova de Milfontes, a low-key resort town with lots of charm.

9. Praia do Camilo, Lagos

Best beach to save for the off-season

Praia do Camilo is a prime example of the small sandy coves that dot the coastline of the Algarve region. The small, dramatically set beach is located on the outskirts of Lagos, a pretty resort town with cobbled lanes and picturesque squares enclosed by 16th-century walls.

Planning tip: Some 200 wooden steps help beachgoers descend to the golden strip of sand that’s lapped by shallow turquoise waters and encased by wind-gnarled cliffs. Arrive early (or visit out of peak season) to secure towel space.

10. Costa da Caparica, near Lisbon

Best beach near the capital

One of the easiest beach escapes near Lisbon, the Costa da Caparica on the Setúbal Peninsula has a seemingly never-ending beach that attracts sun-worshiping lisboêtas craving all-over tans, surfers keen to ride Atlantic waves and day-tripping families seeking clean water and soft sand. It hasn’t escaped development, yet a short distance to the south, high-rises soon give way to pine forests and mellow beach-shack cafes.

Planning tip: You can take the bus, but the best way to get here is by ferry to Cacilhas from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré, then hop on a bus to Costa da Caparica. You can also do a bike-ferry-bike combo from Lisbon. Take the bike path along the Tejo out to Belém, board the ferry to Trafaria, and continue another 3km by bike from there along a bike path to Costa da Caparica.

11. Praia do Norte, Nazaré

Best beach for monumental waves

An underwater canyon off the coast of northern Portugal creates ideal conditions for some of the biggest swells on Earth. You can watch these monsters roll in at Praia do Norte, a wild beach backed by dunes located a few kilometers north of the seaside town of Nazaré. The Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo has a roof terrace for taking in the oceanic drama, and it also contains a small museum about the big waves and some of the surfers who’ve ridden them – like German surfer Sebastian Steudtner, who rode a world record-breaking 26.2m (86ft) behemoth back in October 2020.