One of the most popular places to visit in southern Europe, the Algarve is a lively coastal resort which is blessed with a sunny climate and fantastic beaches.  This article lists the top ten beaches in the Algarve. The beautiful beach of Praia da Dona Ana is blessed with crystal clear waters and surrounded by the contrasting colour of the mustard red sandstone. During the summertime you can take a beach bus here from Lagos every hour, but it is equally easy to reach by car and public transport.  For the more energetic a walk to Praia da Dona Ana will take about half-an-hour from Lagos’ centre. The beach is 200 m long and accessible via a stairway. Outside the tourist season, Praia Dona Ana is a real gem among the beaches of Algarve - the summer months and influx of tourists does not allow this beautiful beach to be witnessed at its best.  A nearby group of coves are perfect for expoloration by boat.

In Tavira, Praia da Ilha de Tavira (often locally referred to as Praia das Cascas) is a magnet for watersports enthusiasts. A short boat trip (taking 10 minutes) from Tavira, departing from the jetty at Quatro Aguas -just by the old market in the centre of Tavira, this elongated sandbar beach is a popular attraction and has a reserved section for naturists.  There are two sides to this island, the quiet side with a relaxed sandy beach looking out over the still water between the island and the mainland and a few minutes walk across the island you will come across a much larger beach which faces out to sea.

In Albufeira, Praia dos Barcos is a very popular beach renowned for the array of  fishermen’s colourful boats that line the one end of this rock-protected beach. Known as ‘Fisherman’s Beach’ because the fishermen still unload their boats and mend their nets here, and at night you can see the lanterns on the fishermen’s boats. The beach is reached through a tunnel next to the tourist information office.

Carrapateira is home to Praia do Armado beach - one of Portugal’s premier surfing venues and its surf school enjoys international patronage.  Off the beaten track, this west coast beach is also popular with families whose children are attracted to the many rock pools that become visible at low tide.

Travel to Portimao to experience Praia da Rocha (Rock Beach).  Known internationally as one of the most impressive beaches in the Algarve, the sweeping bay of golden sand can get extremely busy in the summer months due to its excellent conditions for water sports and boat-rides. A tunnel at the western end gives access to narrower stretches of sand.

Back in Albufeira you can find the family-friendly shallow waters and soft white sand on Praia da Sao Rafael.  With beautiful sandy beaches and clear blue seas, this pretty bay is ideal for snorkelling or investigating the surrounding caves.

One of the Algarve’s best kept secrets, Praia de Odeceixe is a crescent-shaped beach is just a short distance from the quaint village of Odeceixe. This excellent beach is sheltered by high cliffs and in a perfect location in northern Algarve.  It tends to be one of the less crowded beaches and for that reason alone, it is well worth a visit.

Surrounded by honey coloured cliffs and accessed by steep steps down the sides of the cliff, the golden sands of Praia da Marinha in Benagil has two wonderfully secluded beaches. The turquoise sea is a favourite with snorkellers, and the secluded beaches are popular with families and those seeking the privacy to relax in beautiful surroundings. 

Popular with youngsters and windsurfers, Praia de Figueria, Salema is one of the Algarve’s less well known beaches, and as such there are no facilities of any kind here.  Lying right in front of the village of Salema, you will need to arrive early to find parking space.

And last, but by no means least the list of top ten beaches in the Algarve would not be complete without mentioning the Meia Praia in Lagos. A 4km curve of sand stretching two miles in length, it is the longest beach in the Algarve.  Popular with watersports enthusiasts, jet-skiiers and surfers the contrasting side offers peace and tranquility for those wishing to unwind and watch the world go by.  In the Autumn, a walk along this stretch of beach is a recommended experience.

Click here for self-catering properties in the Algarve.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 31st, 2007 at 7:10 pm and is filed under Travel Information, Beaches, Portugal, Top Tens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.