DominguesMany people visit Sintra for its stunning palaces and gardens, often overlooking its impressive coastline, which stretches from the most western point of Continental Europe, Roca Cape, almost to Ericeira. This coastline offers a range of beaches perfect for surfing and other water sports.
During a recent visit to Lisbon area, I had the chance to explore Sintra’s entire coastline. I can confidently state that it’s home to some of Portugal’s finest beaches.
You might have seen captivating images of the rock formations at Ursa Beach already, but did you know that it’s part of Sintra’s coast? And what about the enchanting Apples Beach and Azenhas do Mar?
Sintra’s coastline is full of breathtaking landscapes and impressive ocean viewpoints. Sintra-Cascais Natural Park extends from the mountain top to the sea, where it hosts some of the region’s main tourist attractions.
Ready to discover the best beaches in Sintra?
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When to visit the best beaches in Sintra?
For a complete beach experience, the ideal time to visit Sintra’s best beaches is during the summer when you can enjoy refreshing swims in the ocean.
However, these beaches boast stunning landscapes, making them appealing to visit in other seasons as well. Even during the off-season, you can admire the majestic cliffs, unique rock formations, explore the various viewpoints, and also go surfing.
Avoid visiting the beaches on rainy days, as the experience may be less enjoyable, of course. Additionally, after periods with rain, it’s best to refrain from hiking along the cliffs as the ground might be slippery or unstable.
Accommodation tips to visit the best beaches in Sintra?
If you haven’t yet booked your accommodation in Sintra Coast region, consider doing so now. You can follow my suggestions below or click on the blue button to conduct your own search for available accommodations for your travel dates. As this area is particularly popular in the summer, it’s wise to make your reservations early. For instance, the area around Azenhas do Mar and Apples Beach is centrally located and highly appealing.
| Alojamento | Pontuação | Localização |
|---|---|---|
| Charm Nature | 8.9 | Azóia |
| Quinta de Santo António | 8.6 | Almoçageme |
| Quinta Pedra Firme | 8.8 | Colares |
| O Meu Canto | 9.0 | Colares |
| Chalet Vitorino | 9.6 | Colares |
| Dream Guincho | 9.2 | Guincho |
| Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho | 9.0 | Guincho |
| Casal Santa Virginia | 8.7 | Azenhas do Mar |
| Azenhas do Mar Surf Villas | 9.4 | Azenhas do Mar |
| Azen Cool House | 9.3 | Azenhas do Mar |
| Arribas Sintra Hotel | 8.6 | Praia Grande |
Best Beaches in Sintra
In relation to the topic that prompted this article, I’ll introduce you to 15 enticing Beaches in Sintra. While some are easily accessible, others may pose a bit of a challenge. In the following sections, I’ll provide relevant details about these beaches to assist you in planning your visit. For organization, I’ve categorized the beaches under two coastal parishes in Sintra municipality: Colares and São João das Lampas.
Sintra Beaches at Cabo da Roca and Colares
1. Assentiz and Louriçal Beaches
Located slightly south of Cabo da Roca, Assentiz and Louriçal beaches add some charm to the landscape. However, accessing these small coves by land is extremely challenging and not recommended for anyone, even for seasoned hikers. My advice is to enjoy the cliff-top viewpoints, which you can easily reach from Azóia by following the route suggested on this wikiloc link. Avoid the path leading from Cabo da Roca, as it’s quite rugged and requires some technical skills. These two beaches rank among the wildest on Sintra’s coast.
2. Aroeira Beach
Aroeira Beach, too, is situated close to Cabo da Roca but to its north. Access is also complex and not recommended. Instead, consider taking the trail to Ursa Beach, which I’ll present in the following section.
3. Ursa Beach
I’ve already dedicated an article on this blog to Ursa Beach; refer to it for more detailed information. The article provides useful advice on reaching it via a trail from Cabo da Roca and recommends a particular route passing through it and then onto Adraga Beach.
Ursa Beach, without doubt, ranks among the best beaches in Sintra and is even considered one of Portugal’s finest. However, bear in mind it lacks facilities and there’s a risk of cliff falls in the surrounding areas. While its rock formations are impressive, in my opinion, it’s not the ideal beach for a full day of summer relaxation due to the challenging descent to the sands. That said, reaching the viewpoint overlooking the beach is quite straightforward and relatively easy for everybody.
Aside from suggestions in my other article, visit this wikiloc page, where you’ll find an option for a route linking Cabo da Roca to Adraga Beach, encompassing descents to both Ursa Beach and Aroeira Beach.
4. Caneiro Beach
Caneiro Beach, located at these coordinates, is incorporated into the previously suggested trail, from Cabo da Roca to Adraga Beach. I’m not aware of a land access route; if it exists, it’s probably challenging. This beach greatly impressed me when I captured it with a drone, and I think you’ll share my sentiment upon viewing the upcoming photos.
5. Adraga Beach
In the vicinity of Cabo da Roca, I’d most recommend Adraga Beach for swimming and relaxing on summer days. It boasts stunning rock formations similar to the previous beaches and simultaneously provides easy car access right up to the sand, along with excellent facilities.
When the tide starts to recede, you can explore Cavalo Beach, even more beautiful from a landscape perspective, and investigate various caves. Don’t miss the viewpoints at the top of the cliff south of the beach, where you’ll also discover Fojo dos Morcegos, a natural well about 90 meters deep with a sea connection at its base. Intriguingly, it’s said that the Romans believed the sound of the waves crashing there was actually a Triton playing a conch shell at the bottom of this well. 😉
6. Cavalo Beach (Horse Beach)
7. Praia Grande (Big Beach)
The expansive and aptly named Big Beach and its companion, the Small Beach, are up next. The Big Beach, known in Portuguese as Praia Grande, is one of the largest along Sintra’s coast, hosting the highly sought-after Arribas Sintra Hotel, famed for its vast pool and stunning sea views. This beach also serves as a prime spot for surfers and bodyboarders, regularly staging international competitions.
Notably, the area showcases remnants from the Jurassic era. Right next to this beach, you’ll find dinosaur footprints dating back 170 million years, easily accessible via a wooden staircase built along the cliffs south of the beach.
8. Praia Pequena (Small Beach)
Praia Pequena, located immediately north of Praia Grande, is also a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts such as surfers and bodyboarders. Despite its name, meaning ‘Small Beach’, it boasts a surprisingly extensive sandy stretch, as depicted in the images below.
9. Praia das Maçãs (Apples Beach)
Finally, Apples Beach, a major highlight of Sintra coastline, awaits you. I suggest observing and photographing it from every possible angle – from the village, the sandy stretch, or even the surrounding cliffs.
Near this beach you’ll find one of the main urban areas on Sintra’s coast, established there since the late 19th century. However, remnants of prehistoric constructions at Alto da Vigia suggest it was once a site where a temple dedicated to the Sun and Moon stood.
Why not travel to this beach from Sintra’s historic center on a quaint old tram? Reach out to Vila Alda – Casa do Eléctrico de Sintra for more information. Although schedules are available online, there might be restrictions during your visit, and they can confirm whether the tram ride will be operational.
Fun Fact: the Macãs River, which flows into this beach, reportedly carried apples to the beach during autumn, sourced from farms it flowed through, hence the name 'Maçãs' (apples in Portuguese).
10. Azenhas do Mar Beach
Concluding the list of Colares parish beaches with one of the region’s most famed spots – Azenhas do Mar beach. Unique among the best beaches in Sintra, it boasts an oceanic pool, offering an opportunity to dive into calmer, yet still salty, waters. The beach lacks substantial sandy stretches, particularly during high tide.
The Azenhas do Mar viewpoint is among the most picturesque on Sintra coastline, renowned for its views of the old fishing village nestled atop the ocean-facing precipitous cliff.
Azenhas do Mar may be a great starting point for your itinerary through the best beaches in Sintra. Be sure to revisit the accommodation suggestions I left at the beginning of the article, namely, Casal Santa Virginia, Azenhas do Mar Surf Villas, and Azen Cool House
Sintra Beaches in São João das Lampas
11. Aguda Beach
Aguda Beach, the first one I’m highlighting from the São João das Lampas parish, is slightly north of Azenhas do Mar Beach. It’s in a more secluded area and tends to be less frequented by visitors. There is a cliff trail to access the beach, but it was partially destroyed due to a landslide during my visit. Hopefully, you’ll find Aguda Beach accessible. Otherwise, the only alternative is during low tide, via Magoito Beach.
12. Praia do Magoito
Magoito Beach is notable for its immense rock formations along the shoreline, particularly if you head towards Aguda Beach in the south. It’s truly a breathtaking sight at low tide, making it an ideal location for a seaside walk, preferably at sunset. Esplanada Duna Mar, a beach bar, is an excellent spot to enjoy a cocktail as you take in the impressive view of the distant rocks of Roca Cape.
I also suggest following the cliffs to the north of the beach, continuing along Santa Maria Road to the last parking lot. From there, you’ll find more outstanding viewpoints, this time offering views to even more north, around this area.
13. Samarra Beach
Samarra and Magoito beaches are approximately 15km apart by car, as there are no direct coastal roads. However, access to Samarra Beach is straightforward due to a ramp leading directly to the sand. This small beach, tucked away in a beautiful cove shielded by cliffs, typically experiences less crowding.
14. Vigia Beach
Vigia Beach is vast and striking, but the steepness of its cliffs makes it challenging to access. Typically, those who venture here seek a peaceful environment for naturism, so consider this if you plan to visit. The descent to the beach starts from a dirt parking lot located at these coordinates, but some visitors choose to walk from São Julião during low tide.
Regardless of whether you decide to head down to the sands, it’s worth stopping by the viewpoint near the parking lot. From there, you can see the town of Ericeira in the distance.
15. São Julião Beach
Finally, São Julião Beach, shared between the municipalities of Sintra and Mafra, marks the boundary between the two, drawn by the Falcão river. To the north of this river’s mouth, you’ll already be in the beautiful Ericeira, classified as a World Surf Reserve in Portugal. How about heading there and also exploring the best beaches of Ericeira? 😉 My suggestions for the coast of Sintra end here!
Map with the best beaches in Sintra
Tours and Activities to visit Sintra
If you’re interested in exploring the highlights of Sintra-Cascais but are short on time, consider taking guided tours to the key tourist attractions in the region. Roca Cape, for instance, is often included in many guided activities for visiting Sintra from Lisbon. Check out the tips I’ve provided below, and remember to do your own research using the blue buttons. 😉
Activities and Tours to visit Sintra: 1 - From Lisbon: Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais Full-Day Tour 2 - Lisbon: Pena Palace, Sintra, Cabo da Roca, & Cascais Daytrip 3 - From Lisbon: Sintra Highlights and Pena Palace Full-Day Tour 4 - Sintra 4x4 Jeep Safari 5 - Mountain & Ocean Wonders – Jeep & EBike Tour
Don’t forget Travel Insurance
Also, consider getting travel insurance when visiting Portugal, especially if you plan on engaging in hiking and more adventurous water sports in Sintra. Opt for prevention against any potential mishaps!
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