What is your Favorite Beach in Portugal?
 

Can anyone recommend the nicest beach in Portugal from Lisbon down to Faro? Nicest meaning, clear water, no rocks, white sand, and waves?

I thought I should reply to this message because I saw it sinking off the Board like the last three I have posted about Sintra ! Are there ho Lisbon fanatics about ? Where is ThinGorjus? I too would be greatly appreciative of Beach information - early September three days up on the hill in Sintra at the Tivoli Palacio de Seteais Hotel - just a short distance down to the beaches. Where I come from we need beaches !

After looking at the beach pictures on the (Portugal) Sintra tourism website I'd say those beaches look awfully good!

Praia de Rocha

ttt

Bob - I just did a search for the beach you recommended. It's looks very nice. I know nothing about Portugal, so if this sounds like a stupid question to some, I apologize=== can you tell me where this beach is in the Algarve?

Not a stupid question. Praia da Rocha is in Portimão area.

We went to a beach a kilometer or two east of Sagres while at the Pousada du Infante on our honeymoon in 1987.

We simply turned off the road at the "playa" sign. Pure white sand, very tranquil, a great place to spend the day. The little beach side restaurant served the freshest grilled fish imaginable and the coldest beer ever (especially in Europe!)

There were dozens of tiny alcove beaches in this region. Faro was a touristy town but the surrounding little towns and beaches were great. Sorry no waves. If you want waves go to Guincho outside Caiscais. Supposedly some of the greatest windsurfing in Europe as well.

Good luck.

Brian

Amee,

As lobo mau says, Praia Da Rocha is, in effect, the coastal "suburb" of Portimao.

I was there about 10 years ago (gosh! doesn't time fly!) & I agree with bobthenavigator that the beach is spectacular. Unfortunately, however, my recollection is that the town itself was less than charming. There was a lot of high rise building going on & although, of course, it will have changed since then, I think I have seen reports which suggest that it is still not particularly attractive. Portimao itself is an interesting town to visit.

We liked Albufeira very much & it has 2 nice, but small(ish) beaches. We were there in winter, however & I believe it can get very busy in high season.

I haven't been there myself, but I hear that the beaches further west in the Algarve, around Lagos, are also wonderful.

Jim

BDM, if you saw a "playa" sign, you were most likely in Spain.

Thanks everyone!

BDM - we are thinking of staying at the Pousada du Infante. How was it? How long of a drive was it from Sagres to Faro?

Hi Lobo-what about Cascais? I thought the beach was great there-to me, it was like a mini-French Riviera, with great nightlife to boot-then again, what's not to like about this area? Lisbon-Estoril-Cascais-Sintra- I love it all! (esp. the Port Wine Institute in Lisbon)

Amee, That Pousada is very nice but too isolated for my tastes. You want to stay in the Lagos area--more centro and much more to see and do. The beaches there are excellent.

Given that Praia Da Rocha means "Beach of the Rocks", wouldn't that eliminate it given your criteria?

Ryan, a small correction, Praia da Rocha, means Beach of the Rock (meaning one particular rock), otherwise it would be Praia das Rochas