Headed to Southern Portugal and want to know The Algarve’s Best Beaches? Well look no further!
As a Pisces and general mermaid, I have an ocean obsession.
Wherever I go, I’m drawn to beaches and water more than anything else and my week in The Algarve was no exception. Throughout my time in the south of Portugal, I visited countless of The Algarve’s best beaches bordering The Mediterranean Sea.
Each had its own quirks, accessibility and levels of crowds.
Most were golden sand, but some softer than others. The majority of them were either in or around the town of Lagos where I spent the first half of my trip. While this list is not exhaustive, here is a roundup of the Algarve’s best beaches that I explored during my time on the coast, ranked in order of closest to Lagos town centre.
Praia Da Batata
This is the closest beach to Lagos town centre (depending on your hotel location, Meia Praia may be just as close). The beach itself is a decent size, but also fairly crowded. This is the perfect spot to come if you want to split your day between the town and beach, or don’t fancy walking to any of the spots further along the coast. There are plenty amenities nearby and you are not required to descent any stairs to access the sand.
Accessibility: Level with the road and wooden ramp onto beach
Distance from Lagos centre: 0.8km
Praia Do Pinhao
One of the many cove-style beaches around the Lagos coastline. This small beach doesn’t have anything by way of amenities, but the picturesque landscape and sheltered nature makes it worth a visit.
Accessibility: Steep stair access only.
Distance from Lagos centre: 1.2km
Praia Da Dona Ana
This is one of Lagos’ most popular beaches and its easy to see why. Balancing dramatic cliff surroundings with a big enough area to avoid it appearing too crowded, you get the authentic Algarve vibes without having to travel too far from town. Be aware that as the tide comes in, the furthest away stretch of sand is cut off from the steps, so take care not to get stuck!
Accessibility: Steep stair access only.
Distance from Lagos centre: 1.8km
Praia Da Meia Praia
The translation of ‘half beach’ could not be more misleading. This is by far Lagos’s biggest beach with numerous café’s life guard huts and some water sport rental spots too (unfortunately not SUP boards or Surf boards as I had hoped). I was discouraged from visiting Meia Praia, but I loved it.
While there are no dramatic backdrops or caves to explore, there is so much space in comparison to the small cove beaches. I felt truly chilled. Something incredibly rare on any beach in the height of European summers.
Accessibility: Level with the road and a car park nearby, no steps.
Distance from Lagos centre: 2km
Praia Do Camillo
A comfortable 30 minute walk from Lagos town, this small secluded beach cove is reached via steep steps built into the cliff. If you have the time & energy, walk past Praia da Dona Ana to get here and enjoy less crowds.
Accessibility: Steep stair access only.
Distance from Lagos centre: 2.2km
Praia Da Mareta (Sagres)
I didn’t spend any time on this beach during my day trip to Sagres as I ran out of time. But this stretch of sand is less than 10 minutes walk from the main town and had a good amount of space. In addition to the stores and restaurants in Sagres there appeared to also be a beach hut café on the sand.
There were many surfers in the water, making it an ideal spot to take a board if you’re renting from one of the shops in town and don’t have a car.
Accessibility: Lower than road level, but concrete/gravel paths from road to sand, no steps
Distance from Lagos centre: 33km
Praia Do Beliche (Sagres)
This a perfect spot to stop at if you’re exploring Cabo Sao Vincente for the day. This beach is accessed by steep steps, even by Algarve standards. However, once you are there, there are far fewer people than the beaches closer to Lagos. The golden sand is soft and the high cliffs provide shelter from the breeze. There is a shack for water sport equipment rental and a simple café/ bar for cold drinks or lunch.
Accessibility: Steep stair access only.
Distance from Lagos centre: 35km
Bonus Beach:
If you have longer to explore the Algarve and want to travel beyond Lagos, head East to the town of Olhao. From here, you can catch a boat across to Ilha Deserta. The literal translation: Desert Island, and for good reason. This was the most peaceful day I spent in Portugal, with miles of sand and barely any humans, even in peak season. well worth the extra mile.
