Portugal is well-known for its long expanses of sand and untamed waters, making it a popular destination for surfers.
Lisbon, the Portuguese capital, is a unique city for many reasons. One of the reasons is the abundance of beautiful beaches in the area. No other capital in Europe can match this, and few cities globally even come close.
Are you bored with your day-to-day life? Do you want to escape from the boring routine? Beaches are the perfect idea for escape. Just plan your beach holidays. Here are the top 10 Lisbon beaches which you must visit this year.
10 Lisbon Beaches You Must Visit
The Oeiras-Estoril-Cascais coastline, the Serra de Sintra coastline, the Costa da Caparica coastline, and the Serra da Arrábid coastline are the four coastlines in the Lisbon region.
Each Lisbon coastline has its distinct colors. The famous and best beaches along or nearby the Lisbon coast are mentioned below.
1. Praia da Conceição
Praia da Conceiçãois one of the biggest and busiest beaches in Cascais. It is joined by nearby beach Praia da Duquesa by a small headland. The two are almost considered the same beaches. The two beaches consecutively make up the largest beach in the Cascais region.
Both beaches have beautiful golden sands, clear water, and the best waves for water sports. Along with wide opportunities for water sports, there are various facilities available like bars, restaurants, and stores.
These beaches along the coast of Lisbon are well-known and provide a great setting for a day at the beach. These sandy beaches attract a lot of tourists every year.
The Praia da Duquesa has calm waters, so it is a family-friendly beach where your children can paddle on the golden sand. Both these Lisbon beaches are often crowded in the summer season.
How To Reach?
The beaches are within walking distance from Cascais town or the train station.
2. Praia de Carcavelos
Praia de Carcavelos beach is the widest stretch of sand on the Estoril coast. It is dominated at one end by the So Julio da Barra Fort. The beach is lively and frequently organizes beach volleyball and football events. It is a perfect beach for your relaxing or chilly beach day.
It should not be discounted for its beauty. It’s normal to see groups of friends and family enjoying water sports in Carcavelos throughout the busy summer months.
Carcavelos beach has world-class surf. It is one of Portugal’s most reliable sites for surfing in the winter, and the waves are quick, strong, and frequently hollow.
How To Reach?
This commercial beach is easily accessible by train from the sodré train station which lies to the west of central Lisbon or you can just take a car or taxi which will only take 20 minutes to drop you at your beach destination.
3. Praia da Rainha
The tiny bay of Praia da Rainha is close to the heart of the historic district of Cascais. The name, which is translated as “The Queen’s Beach,” was given in honor of Queen Amélia, the final monarch of Portugal, who frequently visited this beach.
This charming tiny beach stands out from other beaches nearby since it is largely encircled by green hills and the town above. There are numerous apartment complexes and opulent houses beside the shore.
Additionally, the Largo da Praia da Rainha is a square with a view of the beach where you may sit and eat while taking in the scenery.
How to Reach?
This is one of those stunning Lisbon beaches which are easily accessible from the Cascais train station, and the main disadvantage is that the beach may get quite crowded during the summer.
4. Praia do Tamariz
This beautiful beach is located in the popular resort town Estoril. The beach is just within walking distance from Estoril.
The beach has beautiful golden sand, and calm waters and the beach is usually crowded in the summer months being close to the town of Estoril. This is one of the best Lisbon beaches where all age groups have something to do.
Kids can play in the rockpools, while adults can enjoy the many pubs, cafes, and even a nightclub. There is a promenade that follows the seaside and extends to Cascais. It is great for a stroll and is quite popular with joggers.
There are numerous cafés and eateries along the beach, Reverse has a lounge pool, and a beautiful coastal promenade connects it to Cascais. The Estoril Casino and Jardim do Estoril Park is located behind the train station and the beach.
5. Praia de São Pedro
The Sao Pedro do Estoril beach is a brief stretch of sand bordered on either end by cliffs or rocks. A raised concrete esplanade extends alongside the beach’s western end, passing a few beachside businesses and cafes.
On a nice day, Praia de São Pedro is an excellent place to go surfing. When Carcavelos is destroyed, one common alternative is to take advantage of the protection provided by the cliffs that make up point Sao Pedro.
The slipway that leads to the beach makes São Pedro a well-liked location for jet ski and small boat launches. On a nice day, Praia de São Pedro is an excellent place to go surfing.
6. Praia da Poça
The small beach Praia da Poça often referred to as São João do Estoril, is located at the beginning of the Estoril-Cascais coast. Like all the Lisbon beaches around, this one has a wide promenade behind it that houses a few restaurants.
The majority of the shoreline is rocky, but the beach, with the exception of the middle, is sandy. Despite the less-than-ideal paddling conditions, there are still plenty of rock pools to explore while the tide is out.
The historic Forte de So Teódósio da Cadaveira, one of the castles constructed in the 17th century to control the entry to the river Tejo, looks out over the beach on the eastern headland.
How to Reach?
Praia da Poça has decent access. It’s also simple to get here—only it’s a short distance from the N6 “Marginal” road and halfway between the train stations in São João and Estoril.
7. Praia de São João
Azure waters, crashing waves and whitewashed beach bars are the hallmark of the Praia de São João. This beautiful beach is a favorite destination for residents as well as tourists. It is probably the best-known luxury beach in Caparica.
Lifeguards are on duty here throughout the summer, keeping an eye on the beach’s beautiful sands. It is another kid-friendly beach.
The winds and waves here draw surfers from all around, and the climate here makes surfing possible all year long like it is at most Atlantic coast beaches.
How to Reach?
You can go to the Cais do Sodré train station, and board a train to explore the entire coast of beaches.
8. Costa da Caparica
Caparica is a lively but not particularly picturesque town that attracts a lot of visitors from Lisbon. The nearby 10 kilometers of the area is surrounded by beautiful white sand beaches.
The beach, known as Costa da Caparica, is surrounded by eucalyptus and acacia trees, and it is the location of several campgrounds that are frequently crowded in the summer.
The first five kilometers of the beach are the most well-known. For further exploration, a mini railway is the best option.
Simply take the train to the last stop and walk if you enjoy solitude. One of thirty locations that are formally protected in the entirety of Portugal is the interesting Arriba region, a fossil cliff.
Unexpectedly, the water quality is excellent, but the undertow on the beach is hazardous. With waves for surfers of all skill levels and jetties separating the waves, Costa da Caparica is one of Lisbon’s most well-liked surfing beaches.
One of Lisbon’s premier family beaches, it also offers some of the calmest waters in the region. Buses leave towards Caparica from Areeiro and Praça de Espanha.
9. Beaches in Sintra
Sintra beaches are the most spectacular! There are several beaches which are located on the Sintra coast. They are all located within Sintra-Cascais National Park, so they’re virtually unspoiled.
9.1 Praia da Ursa
Praia da Ursa is a tiny hidden gem of a beach located on the Atlantic west coast just north of Cabo da Roca. This small beach, which is undeveloped and untamed, is frequently mentioned as one of the most beautiful Lisbon beaches in the region.
The “Rocha da Ursa” (bear rock), one of two enormous sea stacks at the northern end of the beach, is the reason behind the beach’s name. The dark rock is claimed to resemble a bear and its cub.
Praia da Ursa is rather off the usual path, and getting there is challenging to say the least. It requires a little bit of scrambling as you descend a valley with a steep incline and several loose pebbles.
9.2 Praia da Adraga
Another local favorite, Adraga beach, is located just around the corner from Praia Grande. This sandy cove is surrounded by tall cliffs, and a deep valley descends to the beach.
The beach here is primarily used by locals and is typically calmer than the more popular Lisbon beaches in the vicinity. On the other hand, weekends can be very crowded, and parking might be difficult to come by.
Adraga is a somewhat untamed area and lies only a few kilometers north of Cabo da Roca, which is where mainland Europe’s westernmost point on land is located.
There is much exploration to be had due to the offshore rock formations and the beach’s grottoes and tunnels. Despite its remote location, Adraga has amenities like a restaurant.
9.3 Praia Grande
Praia Grande, which means “Big Beach,” is the largest along the Sintra–Cascais coast, second only to Guincho in terms of length.
The area of glistening sand is large enough to accommodate the summer crowds who swarm here, many of whom arrive on trams from Sintra that stop in Praia Grande before continuing to Praia das Maçãs.
As one might anticipate for a well-known beach, there are many amenities available, including cafes, bars, restrooms, and plenty of parking. It is a popular surfing location, and the waves may get good there.
This beach is part of the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, and to the south, where enormous cliffs rise from the shore, it has a wilder character. There are some intriguing dinosaur footprints preserved on these cliffs. It is most likely the beach that can be reached from Sintra the easiest and nearest.
9.4 Praia das Maçãs.
One of the best beaches in Lisbon is Praia das Maçãs (Apple Beach). The name was given because, in the past, apples used to fall from trees upstream of the river (Ribeira de Colares), which runs along the southern edge of the beach.
Thus, the name, as these would eventually wash up on the shore.
The tram line that runs between Praia das Maçãs and Sintra in the summer is one factor in the beach’s attractiveness.
Given that this area is on the Atlantic coast, the waves can be strong. This is not a problem, though, as there is a sizable outdoor swimming pool next to the beach that is furnished with slides, diving boards, and a pool.
10. Praia da Figueirinha
The beach in Figueirinha is the largest in the breathtaking Arrábida Natural Park, located approximately an hour’s drive from Lisbon. Due to the convenient bus route and the fact that it is the simplest to access from the surrounding city of Setúbal, this beach is one of the popular Lisbon beaches.
It also has some of the calmest waters in the area, making it one of Lisbon’s top family beaches. A protected lagoon offers a secure location for swimming and shallow areas for kids to play in.
Some Other Options Which You Can Consider
These are some stunning Lisbon beaches which you can consider but will take a little more time to reach there from the city center.
Praia das Avencas
The cliffs at Praia das Avencas, a little beach, offer excellent wind protection. The beach is entirely sandy above the tide line, but as the tide recedes, the sea bed gets stonier.
The beach has been designated a “Zone of Biophysical Interest” because of its biological significance, which is fantastic news for snorkelers. Additionally, because the beach has received a Blue Flag designation, you may be sure that the water is pure.
The waves here can be pretty strong because the beach is relatively exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately, lifeguards are on duty at the beach during the summer, making swimming safe. A beach bar/restaurant selling everything from snacks to full meals is located at the base of the cliffs.
Praia do Guincho
It is windy, making it the ideal beach for windsurfers but it will also please anyone looking for a less crowded beach surrounded by natural beauty. It is a portion of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and is popular for its seafood restaurants and golden dunes.
How to Reach?
It will take nearly one hour from the center of Lisbon. You can get Train from Lisbon and Bus from Cascais
Praia do Ribeiro do Cavalo
This beach was previously a closely kept secret and is now a well-liked excursion for Lisbon residents and visitors. This is because it requires following a trail down a cliff, even though it is one of Portugal’s most picturesque beaches.
It often only draws youthful groups due to the challenging access, and they spend their time shooting photographs on the tranquil seas in a setting that seems more like Thailand than Europe.
How to Reach?
It’s 50 minutes from central Lisbon by car followed by a 20-minute hike, but if you’re relying on public transportation, it’s 1 hour and 15 minutes by bus + 30-minute walk + 20-minute hike.
Praia dos Galapinhos
It was previously regarded as Europe’s most beautiful beach. Voters were undoubtedly struck by the sight of its immaculate surroundings and postcard-perfect views of its crystal-clear seas.
It’s the perfect location for a leisurely day by the sea because it’s never too busy and the water is always quiet.
How to Reach?
If you’re traveling from Lisbon, you must first travel to Setúbal (which can be reached by train or bus), from whence buses run to the beaches.
Final Words
There are various beautiful beaches that lie in close proximity to Lisbon. If you want a city break you must consider Lisbon beaches. The beaches near the Lisbon coast have world-class waves and are perfect for surfing.
The Lisbon beaches are kid friendly and are perfect for swimming, surfing, walking on the soft sand, or just lying down by the beach side to enjoy the scenic views of Lisbon beaches.
