The ultimate Algarve beach guide

Without a doubt, the most beautiful beaches in Portugal can be found in the Algarve. But where exactly do you need to be? There are over 150 beaches to choose from! Of course, my advice is to try as many different places as possible. But if you don’t have the time for that, this beach guide might be able to lend you a hand.

A safe day at the beach

First of all, a word about safety. Unfortunately, drownings in the Algarve still occur every year, even on beaches that are not dangerous at first glance. In addition to a treacherous sea, the difficult accessibility of some beaches is also a risk. You can easily slip on the sharp, wet rocks and help cannot always reach the place of incident. A beach that is called ‘dangerous’ in that respect is, for example, Praia de Dona Ana near Lagos, which happens to also be one of the most beautiful in the country.

In the Algarve, more than half of the beaches are supervised during the swimming season, but keep in mind that out of season there is no lifeguard on hand to assist you. There is only one beach in the Algarve that is now supervised all year round and that is the beach of Albufeira. Do you prefer to go to the safest beaches? Then check for a blue flag with a white circle on it.

Beach flags

What’s the deal with those flags anyway? So, first of all this blue flag. In Portugal they call it the ‘bandeira azul’. Beaches with this flag have been approved on the basis of 32 criteria, such as safety, comfort and sustainability. Blue flag beaches have good water quality, are clean, equipped with trash cans and toilets, have a lifeguard during the high season and are easily accessible. At the time of writing this (2024) there are 86 beaches in the Algarve with a bandeira azul.

In addition, you may come across a number of other flags:

• Green flag: the sea is calm, so you can enter the water
• Orange flag: be careful, you can paddle, but you are not allowed to swim
• Red flag: it’s dangerous, no one is allowed in the water
• Black and white checkered flag: this beach is not supervised

Accessibility

Finally, there is one other flag that indicates whether a beach is wheelchair friendly. There is a wheelchair on it and the words ‘praia accesível’. The Algarve has 45 beaches that are wheelchair accessible. This means that there are wooden decks so that you do not have to cross the sand. Some also have accessible slopes, adapted sanitary facilities, handicap parking and extra spacious places in restaurants. Not all of these facilities are available everywhere. Do you want to be sure where to go? Check the Visit Algarve website.

When is the best time for the beach in the Algarve?

Although the climate is wonderful in the south of Portugal, in winter it is generally not the time to lie on the beach in your bikini. Although it’s sunny lots of times, the temperatures are still a bit too low. From April/May and in autumn you have a good chance of beach weather, but there are still no guarantees. So it’s a gamble. This is a wonderful time for taking hikes along the coastline though. From June to September you will find the weather you are looking for, except for maybe one day with a crazy exception. In any case, remember that August is the busiest time in the Algarve. That is the month that the Portuguese themselves are on holiday and want to cool off by the sea. It will be difficult to find a quiet beach spot anywhere and the roads to the beaches will be super busy as well!

More than 150 beaches

Now let’s get to the actual beaches. How do you know where to go? For the record: you can’t really make a wrong choice, because all the beaches of the Algarve are beautiful. It mostly depends on what you’re in the mood for. Are you going for a small beach between the rocks or do you want a long and wide beach? Do you think it’s okay to make an effort to get there or do you want to walk as little as possible? There are very busy beaches with many facilities, but also beaches where you will only find sea and sand. To make it all a bit clearer, you can roughly divide the beaches of the Algarve into three different zones: Sotavento, Barlavento and Costa Vicentina.

Sotavento: from Quarteira to Vila Real de Santo António

The beaches of the Sotavento (east coast of the Algarve) are mostly long, flat sandy beaches with dune area behind them. The famous rocks and cliffs that you always see in the photos of the Algarve, you won’t find here at all. Along the cities of Faro and Tavira there is the Ria Formosa, a nature reserve full of separate islands. Here you can often only reach the beach by boat. From Manta Rota to Vila Real de Santo António there are no more islands, so you can enjoy one long and wide sandy beach.

Barlavento: from Burgau to Quarteira

This part of the Algarve is home to the busiest beaches. Rocks and cliffs predominate here, making the beaches very beautiful, but often small and difficult to reach. Most beaches can be reached by first descending a flight of stairs. Some parts of the coast are not accessible at all, unless you take a boat to get there. The famous photos of caves and rock formations in the sea are taken in this part of the Algarve.

Costa Vicentina: from Odeceixe to Burgau

The west coast of the Algarve is a lot rougher than the south coast. Especially the area around Cabo de São Vicente is full of high cliffs, with a beach in between here and there. Further north, the beaches are also interrupted by high rocks, so long walks on the beach are out of the question. What you can do here is walk high over the cliffs on the trails of the Rota Vicentina. From there you will get fantastic views of the beaches. The area of the Costa Vicentina is also a paradise for surfers.

Water sports

Name any water sport and I’m sure you can do it somewhere in the Algarve: paddleboarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, water skiing, jet skiing, snorkelling, parasailing, kinds of inflatable boats, diving, surfing or sailing; everything is possible. On a number of beaches, in season, all activities are directly waiting for you, such as in Albufeira and Praia da Rocha. For some other things like diving and parasailing, it’s important to book in advance. There are a lot of companies that offer water sports throughout the Algarve, so be sure to look around where you are staying. You can also check the Algarve Fun website for all kinds of water activities.

Beach walks

Although most people go to the beach to sunbathe, the beaches of the Algarve are also great for long walks. Strawl along the water with your feet in the sand, or try one of the beautiful wooden paths (passadiços) that have been built along the coast in recent years. A few tips:

• Rota Vicentina: hiking network along the west coast of the Algarve and the Alentejo. The so-called fisherman’s trail has beautiful routes that follow the Atlantic coast
• Seven Hanging Valleys Walk: six kilometre (one-way) walking trail between Praia do Vale de Centianes (Carvoeiro) and Praia da Marinha (Lagoa)
• Passadiços de Alvor: six kilometre (one-way) walking trail between Praia dos Três Irmãos and Ria de Alvor
• Passadiço de Manta Rota: two kilometre (one-way) walking trail between Praia da Manta Rota and Praia da Lota

Beaches for a romantic sunset

Praia da Falesia / Praia da Rocha Baixinha
The Praia da Falesia is my personal favourite in the Algarve. Not only for the beach itself, but also because of the beautiful red cliffs that you can walk on. In the evening, you will only cross a few lost guests from the all-inclusive hotel in the area here. If you’re not staying in the area yourself, you’ll have to go out with a car to get there. Navigate to the Adriana Beach Club. Opposite the entrance is a large parking lot where you can park your car. Walk through the pine forest to the cliffs and find a nice spot to watch the sun go down.

Praia Nova / Praia da Nossa Senhora da Rocha
Between Armação de Pêra and Carvoeiro is a beautiful chapel by the sea in honour of Senhora da Rocha. The beach to the west of the chapel bears the same name. On the other hand, the beach is called Praia Nova. What a place to gaze at the setting sun together.

Praia da Cordoama
If you don’t mind driving your car on an unpaved road, set your navigation to the Miradouro da Cordoama. This viewpoint on the Costa Vicentina gives a breathtaking view over the Praia da Cordoama and the sunset at the end of the day.

Lively beaches

If you want a lot of activity around you and want to easily walk to shops and restaurants, choose a beach that is located in the middle of a village centre. The most famous example is Albufeira. Here you can choose between the Praia dos Pescadores which is located on the old village, the Praia da Oura in the newer district or a little further down the Praia dos Olhos de Água, which has expanded tremendously in recent years. More to the west, the village of Carvoeiro is very nice and lively, with the beautiful, small Praia do Carvoeiro in the heart of the centre. Busier and larger is the beach of Praia da Rocha, on which a busy shopping and bar street runs parallel to the beach. In the far east of the Algarve there is the Praia de Monte Gordo right at the centre of the equally named village. Along the Costa Vicentina, the beaches are rarely located directly along a village centre, but an exception is the Praia de Odeceixe.

Fancier beaches

For lovers of more luxury and comfort, there are a number of beaches especially recommended. The obvious beaches are close to golf courses, such as the Praia da Quinta do Lago and the Praia de Vale do Lobo. There is also a slightly more chic vibe around Vilamoura’s marina. To the east, you’ll find the Praia Verde enjoyable.

Surfing beaches

For surfing beaches, head to the Costa Vicentina. Here you will find the best waves for experienced surfers, but also plenty of opportunities for beginners. The Praia da Bordeira is the largest beach on the Costa Vicentina, but the smaller Praia da Arrifana, Praia do Amado and Praia do Castelejo are also great choices. At Sagres you can go for the Praia do Tonel and more on the south coast, for example the Praia do Zavial.

Beaches for children

In general, the beaches of the Sotavento are calm and rock-free and therefore by definition more child-friendly than the beaches of the Barlavento. The beaches of the Costa Vicentina are not really suitable for children, except for the Praia de Odeceixe, especially since there is also a beach on the much calmer river Seixe. In the Barlavento, the Praia de Alvor or the Praia de Armação de Pêra are a good choice with children.

Beaches that you can only reach by boat

As said before, in the Sotavento there are several beaches that you can only reach by boat, as they are located on islands off the coast. Ferry boats are available for this purpose, which sail back and forth from the mainland. In the Barlavento, however, you will find a number of beaches that, due to the high cliffs, are only accessible by private boats. Although commercial boats can pass by to show the caves to tourists, with a private boat you can stop and stay on the beach for a while. Examples are the Praia do Mato and the Praia da Corredoura.

Nudist beaches

The Algarve also has a number of official nudist beaches, but mainly in the less crowded places. On the Costa Vicentina you can go to the Praia das Adegas, just below Odeceixe. In the Sotavento, there is a part of the beach reserved for naturists on the Ilha Deserta (also called Praia de Barreta). You can reach this island by ferry from Faro. The Praia do Homem Nu literally translates to ‘beach of the naked man’. This naturist beach is located on the island Ilha de Tavira. Once you have reached the island, you need to walk for another twenty minutes to finally get there.

In addition to official nude beaches, there are also beaches that are so secluded that they are often used as nudist beaches. Examples of this are the beaches of Praia de João de Arens and the Praia do Submarino (both near Alvor). Near Lagos there are the Praia do Canavial and the Praia dos Pinheiros. On the Costa Vicentina, naturists and surfers often use the beaches together.

Dogs on the beach

Taking your dog to the beaches in the Algarve is no problem out of season. But if the beach is full of people, it is rarely allowed to take your four-legged friend with you. The strictest rules apply between Vilamoura and Vila Real de Santo António, In this area pets are prohibited on all beaches in the months of June to September. On beaches on the Barlavento and the Costa Vicentina it is sometimes possible to take your dog to beaches where there are no facilities. The Portuguese call this ‘praias não concessionadas’.  To avoid fines, take a good look at the rules at the entrance to the beach.

Tip: take your dog on cliff walks, for example high above the Praia da Falésia.

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