Blue Flag beach

At Vila do Conde you get the best of both worlds; the fascinating historic old town and a long stretch of beautiful sandy beach. While it is a good 20 minute walk from the town centre to the seafront it is more than worth it, and quite a contrast.

Named after the border town behind, the Praia de Santo António is the most easterly beach on the Algarve, or all of Portugal for that matter. To get to the beach you can take the pleasant 10 minute stroll along the bank of the river Guadiana or alternatively take the path through the pine woods that grow on the dunes behind the beach - known as the "Caminho dos Três Pauzinhos". This is the best route as there is a wealth of wildlife including chameleons, although they do live up to their reputation of being camouflaged so may be difficult to spot!

Praia Vasco da Gama is Sines' town beach. Given most people only think of the town here as something of an industrial port you may well be very pleasantly surprised by this crescent of golden sand.

Sitting within the shelter of Sines' many breakwaters the sea here is perfectly calm making it a great spot to take a dip. In addition there is a seasonal lifeguard service and a host of amenities on and around the beach. This only furthers Praia Vasco da Gama's family friendly credentials.

Located just on the outskirts of Sines, the Praia de São Torpes is a Blue Flag award winning beach. It is easy to understand why, or not, depending on which way you look.

Looking south, the sandy beach stretches off into the Southwest Alentejo Natural Park with a backdrop of grassy dunes and the rolling waves of the Atlantic. However, turn the other way and you will struggle not to be a little overwhelmed by the twin towering chimneys of an enormous power plant. And beyond that is the industrial landscape of the petrol refineries and port.

The small cove that forms Praia dos Aveiros sits between the bustling main beaches of Albufeira and Praia da Oura. By local standards this is something of a hidden gem which rarely gets as crowded as neighbouring beaches.

Despite this Praia dos Aveiros has the same golden sand and Blue Flag status of the beaches either side and is arguably somewhat prettier. To either side are high sandstone cliffs and various rock formations which separate the beach from its neighbours.

Praia dos Alemães (German beach) is part of the long stretch of golden sand that takes in all of Albufeira's main town beaches. Don't read too much into the name as you are equally likely to see British or Dutch beachgoers as you are German. The name actually comes from an old fish canning factory located nearby which was owned by a German family.

The seemingly endless stretch of golden sands that form the Praia do Ancão sits roughly halfway between Faro and Quarteira. It is also lies within the so-called "Golden Triangle" which is an area containing the Algarve's most affluent resorts; Vale do Lobo, Vale do Garrão and Quinta do Lago.

Set in the Serra da Arrábida National Park, just beyond the mouth of the Rio Sado estuary, is Praia da Figueirinha. This is one of the best known and most popular beaches in the Arrábida area and is one of the closest to the town of Setubal.

Figueirinha has a stunning backdrop of the Arrábida Hills along with a fine stretch of golden sand which forms a narrow sandbank extending out into the calm, clean waters of the Sado at low tide. You can walk out along this sandbar which also forms a safe, sheltered lagoon in front of the main beach.

Located just to the east of Albufeira old town is Praia do Inatel - a lovely, wide stretch of golden sand. This is the next beach along after the town's main beach (Praia dos Pescadores) and is around a 10 minute walk from Albufeira. Whilst not quite as busy, Praia do Inatel is rather popular during the summer months. 

Praia do Martinhal is a wide sandy beach just outside Sagres. It is around 2km from the town and takes about 25 minutes to walk here meaning it is usually relatively quiet. 

The beach at Martinhal is set in the shallow and relatively sheltered east-facing Bay of Baleeira which is also home to the town's harbour. This means the water here is nearly always calmer than the Atlantic-facing beaches around Sagres' mighty headland. With a lifeguard service running during the summer months Praia do Martinhal is a great family beach.