Beaches

[mysecondhome]

We have managed to book a car this holiday!!!(Lucky us!!) I was wondering if anyone knows of any good beaches away from CVO that are worth travelling to by car please.

[tricky]

Hi
Have a look on the home page of this website, at Beaches, you will be spoilt for choice, unless you are coming for month!

[laserblazer]

A word of warning, August is when the Portuguese holiday, so parking can be a nightmare. Praia Grande is our favourite and easiest to park. It's inside the harbour wall, so more sheltered. There are a few places to eat and you can walk along the beach to Ferragudo (although I think you need to watch the tide).

[Alison]

Our favourite beach west of cvo is Caneiros (any further west - eg Praia Grande, and you end up with the skyscraper view of Portimao) - a 5/10minute drive from cvo. It has a great (if pricey) restaurant on stilts over the beach, plus a cheaper snack bar, sun shades, pedalos etc and, a quieter 2nd beach just beyond the main beach (only accesible at low tide, unless you're prepared to swim/paddle round) - with a handy rock stack close to the shore which is great for snorkelling/swimming round. Depends on whether you want facilities (food, toilets, boats etc) and whether you are able/prepared to climb/walk down lots of steps. The beaches without these facilities are much quieter(eg Praia do Carvalho, east of cvo, just below Club Atlantico) and in some cases you can have the place to yourselves (eg, unamed beach two bays west of Paraiso beach - accessed by scrambling down slope and rocky bit before climbing down a very hairy ladder) - just depends on what you want. The Beaches info section should give you basic info on facilities and ease of access - I'm sure you'll enjoy exploring!

[tricky]

Just back from Canieros beach and if you take my advice, go around 12.30-1pm when everyone goes home for lunch.
as usual it was impossible to park at 10.30 but loads of empty spaces at lpm, get there before the afternoon rush.

[Phil]

If you fancy a longer drive try the beach near Carrapateira just up the West coast. The beaches are quite different here to the southern aspect and good if you like surf. The scenery is worth seeing too.

[Mike,Chislehurst]

One of our favorites is Senora da Rocha, twin beach with a headland in the middle. Normally take the country route via Benagil towards Lagoa then via Porches and onto the destination.

[blue]

We are going to one of our favourite beaches today, Praia do Castelo which is in Gale, Praia do Gale is another of our favourite beaches not the long stretch that goes all the way round to Armacao de Pera which is great if you want something a bit more lively but the covey beaches to the left as you look at the sea, absolutely beautiful. Alvor, Lagos, Sagres all have good beaches, the trouble is in August they get so busy.

[laserblazer]

Just got back from a morning in Praia Grande. Pretty busy.

[Mike,Chislehurst]

I'd put up with "busy" just to be out there

[Ellie]

Seeing Blue's post reminded me of a nice little cove I went to at Alvor... my friend Susana who owns the Magna Carta bookshop took me there. Can't recall exact directions but remember parking up and walking to the cove.......had rocks each side, looked rather like a lagoon? I was there with Su,her husband and mum and we had the place virtually to ourselves.Nice
I echo Mikes words...I too would put up with busy to be there right now...lying back listening to the waves and getting a tan, bliss

[laserblazer]

I'd put up with "busy" just to be out there

That was meant as a + not a -

[SandyB]

As many have said on this and other pages the area is surounded by great beaches to suit all. We try to stay away from the busier ones ie the main town one etc. To endorce some of the others the remote one with the rope ladder even though a bit hairy is a real find as is the one I mentioned to the East of Albandheira these are quite hard to get to and without being child predujice very few if any "little screamers" for total tranquility and also privacy to get that "all over" tan !!
We have also been upto Carrapiteria and Bordeira and the beaches are absoloutely stunning and well worth the drive (hour max).
All in all use the car to its full, the Atlantic coast beaches are so long even if they are busy you wont be on top of anyone else. Just check the weather forecast as the wind can be a bit stronger up that side. Happy sunning. Looks like the UK could do with some right now.

[blue]

That is a problem with the beaches further to the west, the wind, you can be sitting there getting absolutely sandblasted & the further west you are the windier it gets. Makes the beaches great for surfing but not so good for sunbathing & picnics, sand sandwiches not so nice.

[jkspoff]

We were on this beach yesterday and it really is huge with no overcrowding and plenty of parking, however it was a case of getting well and truelly sand blasted as it was quite windy there, the inflatable hoop travelled at least a mile along the beach with us all chasing after it !