The best beaches in Portugal

Along the 200 kilometres of Alentejo coastline, you'll find some of Portugal's finest beaches, with rugged cliffs, small coastal villages and vast, stunningly beautiful sandy stretches.

This is the name of one of the most charming fishing villages in the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park. A white village, with Portuguese pavement streets, its Pombaline style main square, its fortress and its famous seafood restaurants, where life runs at a calm and steady pace. At the foot of the village, nestled between the cliffs, we find Praia Grande de Porto Covo, Praia do Banho and Praia dos Buizinhos.

Facing the island of Pessegueiro is the beach of the same name. A deserted spot with traces of a Roman-era fish salting factory, which can be reached in the summer via boats that cross the channel. Windsurfers, canoeists and divers have found their place in this environment.

The mouth of the Ribeira da Zambujeira river divides this beautiful beach, located between high cliffs, and which is one of the most popular on the Alentejo coast. The dance and music festival MEO Sudoeste, which takes place in August in this locality, attracts young people, who take the opportunity to practise their favourite sports and admire unforgettable panoramic sunset views. Nearby are some of the most beautiful beaches, namely: Praia do Cavaleiro, Praia do Carvalhal, Praia do Odeceixe and the wild Praia do Tonel.

This long beach has become popular with celebrities for its privacy and natural surroundings, which has led to a resurgence of bohemian-style villas and designer homes. Melides is also known for its freshwater lagoon that connects to the sea, irrigates the adjoining rice paddies, and boasts unique flora and fauna. At dusk, this spot offers one of the best photo opportunities.

A vast area bordered by sand dunes, rice paddies, and the ocean stretches for tens of kilometres along the southern tip of the Tróia peninsula. It's called Comporta and is part of the Sado Estuary Natural Reserve, where international celebrities have found their refuge. It's an excellent location for horse riding and for catching waves on a surfboard. Between Comporta and Melides, we find other beaches with the distinctive Blue Flag: Praia do Pego and Praia do Carvalhal.

In front of the Sado estuary lies the Tróia peninsula, surrounded by an endless 15-kilometre beach of dunes, which ends at Comporta. Bathed by a calm and tranquil sea, one can see the Arrábida Natural Park from the other side of the strait.

Next to the peaceful village of Almograve, in the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, and in contrast to this rugged, craggy coast, you'll find the wide, shell-shaped sandy beach surrounded by imposing dunes. After taking in the sights of Cabo Sardão, which is to the south, you should stay to eat fresh fish and seafood at one of the local restaurants.