A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach

When Lisbon's inhabitants want to go to the beach, their preferred spot is the Costa da Caparica, a 20-km (12-mi) stretch of sand on the northwestern coast of the Setúbal Peninsula. The coastal strip centers on the lively resort of Caparica itself, at the northern end of the beach, less than an hour from the capital. Formerly a fishing village, it's now packed in summer with Portuguese tourists who come to enjoy the relatively unpolluted waters, eat grilled sardines, and stroll the seafront promenade. You may be able to avoid the crowds by heading south toward the less accessible dunes and coves at the end of the peninsula. From June through September, a small narrow-gauge train departs from Caparica and travels along an 8-km (5-mi) coastal route, making 20 stops at beaches along the way; a one-way ticket to the end of the line costs EUR 2.50. Each beach is different: the areas nearest Caparica are family oriented, whereas the more southerly resorts tend to attract a younger crowd (there are some nudist beaches as well).

Getting There

Buses to Caparica (45 minutes) depart from Praça de Espanha (Metro: Palhavã) in Lisbon, traveling over the Ponte 25 de Abril. Regular buses to Caparica also leave from the quayside bus terminal at Cacilhas, the suburb immediately across the Rio Tejo from Lisbon, which you can reach by ferry from the Fluvial terminal, adjacent to Praça do Comércio. Bus departures on both routes are as frequent as every 15 minutes in summer, and services run from 7 AM until well after midnight, but can be very crowded. There's also a special beach bus (No. 75) that runs to Caparica every 15-30 minutes from the beginning of June to the beginning of September; pick it up in Lisbon at Campo Grande, Saldanha, or Marquês de Pombal metro stations, or outside the Amoreiras shopping center.