Lisbon Beaches

One of the things that makes Lisbon such a special city is its proximity to so many truly amazing beaches. This is something no other European capital can offer and in fact very few cities worldwide come close.

Within half an hour of the city centre you can be lying on golden sand soaking up the sun or even surfing world class waves. A little further afield and you could be on the dramatic and wild Atlantic coast. 

Lisbon's nearest beaches are located along the coast that stretches westwards from the city towards the popular resort town of Cascais. These tend to increase in quality (and cleanliness) the further out of Lisbon you head with Carcavelos beach being the first beach where you would want to consider heading into the sea. The beaches beyond here include those of Estoril and Cascais, all of which have their own individual characters. What makes this stretch of coast so fantastic though is the train service that runs between Lisbon and Cascais - the "Linha". Cheap and reliable the trains stop within minutes of virtually every beach along the coast, taking less than an hour to go from one end of the line to the other.

For those happy to travel a little further there are a range of options, all of which are well within day trip territory. The choice basically boils down to whether to head south, across the river from Lisbon or north and west towards Sintra. But whichever you choose the beaches are very different.

Across the Tejo river, just minutes from the huge 25 Abril suspension bridge are the beaches of Costa da Caparica. This gently curving coastline is made up of 15 km of virtually unbroken golden sand backed by dunes which becomes increasingly wild the further south you head.

Further south still and you will reach the stunning coastline of Sesimbra and Arrabida.

The coastline to the north and west of Lisbon starts once you round the corner from Cascais. A few minutes drive out of the town and you will arrive at Guincho beach, a wild, beautiful and often windswept beach. Popular with surfers and kitesurfers this beach takes the full force of the Atlantic Ocean and the waves will be significantly bigger than along the Lisbon-Cascais coast.

Beyond here is Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point in mainland Europe. As you can imagine the coastline here is quite rugged, but it is dotted with some spectacular coves, although some of these are rather challenging to get to. A little north and this becomes the Sintra coast where there are a number of very good, easily accessible beaches. The biggest of these is the aptly named Praia Grande which is a wonderful, wide beach only a few kilometres west of Sintra itself. Also not to be missed is Praia das Maçãs (Apple beach); this charming, family friendly beach is equally close to Sintra but can be reached by tram from the nearby village of Colares.

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Guide Lisbon's closest and best beaches

Beaches near Lisbon (in order of distance)

  • Estoril - Tamariz beach
    kirilart / 123RF

    Tamariz beach is located in the popular and long established resort of Estoril at the Cascais end of the Lisbon - Cascais line. It's a lovely little stretch of sandy beach with plenty to do for all ages. There are rockpools for the kids and a host of bars, cafes and even a nightclub for everybody else. Running along the beachfront is a promenade which runs from just down the coast to Cascais - ideal for a gentle stroll and popular with joggers.

    The beach is particularly easy to get to...

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  • Costa da Caparica beach

    Caparica itself is a lively if not particularly pretty town whose overwhelming popularity with holidaying locals from Lisbon and the surrounding area rests largely on the access she offers to some ten kilometres of sandy beach.

    The beach, known as Costa da Caparica, is backed by acacia and eucalyptus trees and home to a string of campsites, packed out during the summer months.

    The first five kilometres of...

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  • Praia das Moitas

    Set between the resort towns of Cascais and Estoril is the little strip of sand known as Praia das Moitas. The beach is actually located closer to Cascais but is very easily reached from Estoril train station by walking along the promenade that links the two resorts.

    The main beach here is a triangle of sand which gathers just to the east of a long stone jetty, similar to that at neighbouring...

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  • Praia de Duquesa - Cascais
    Can Stock Photo Inc

    This popular beach gets its name from the Palace of the Dukes of Palmela (Palacio do Duque de Palmela) which overlooks it. Along with adjoining Praia de Conceição, this is the most easily accessed beach from Cascais town and the train station. As such it can get pretty busy in the summer months.

    At lower tides Praia de Duquesa and Conceição beaches join together to form one sandy stretch. As the tide comes in they are separated by the Faial Chalet the former Court of Justice for...

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  • Praia da Conceição - Cascais

    The first thing to know about Praia da Conceição is how to say it. The 'Praia' part is easy - just say as 'pry-a'. However, the Conceição is a little more of a challenge to those not familiar with Portuguese. Probably the best approximation for an English speaker would be along the lines of 'con-say-shown', with the last part rhyming with 'clown'.In case you were wondering the name comes from a nearby chapel - the Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Inocentes....

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  • Praia da Rainha
    Ruth Salvadinho

    Located not far from the centre of the old part of Cascais is the little cove of Praia da Rainha. Literally translated as "The Queen's beach" the name is in honour of the last queen of Portugal, Queen Amélia, who frequented this beach.

    Praia da Rainha is a pretty little beach which differs from other beaches in the area in that it is quite enclosed by small cliffs and the town above. As well as providing ample shelter this serves to add a...

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  • Ribeira beach - Cascais
    Can Stock Photo Inc

    Praia da Ribeira is the beach located closest to the square and old part of Cascais. Also known as Praia do Pescador (Fishersman’s Beach) there is often plenty of activity with small boats being launched and landed into the shallow waters of Cascais Bay. The waters here are calm as the beach lies within the shelter of a large breakwater. There is also a seasonal lifeguard service so this is a safe family beach. The water quality isn't perfect though as there are quite a few boats and fishing...

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  • Santa Marta Beach, Cascais
    Becks | BY-SA

    This cove with a small sandy beach is located just behind the Marina in Cascais at the western end of the town. It is part of the Parque Marechal Carmona and whilst not the best beach in Cascais by any stretch, it is perhaps the most interesting.

    The cove at Santa Marta is formed by a deep inlet, carved by the river Mochos as it flows to the ocean. The sandy area to the back of the beach that is revealed at low tide nestles under the trees of the park behind. But all this is...

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  • Costa da Caparica
    Beach 19 - Lisbon - Costa da Caparica

    Beach 19 lies between the more traditionally named Praia da Bela Vista and Praia Fonte da Telha in Costa da Caparica. Just across the bridge from Lisbon this massive stretch of sandy coast is widely regarded as a beachgoer's paradise. 

    Before we go on it is worth explaining the name of this beach. The beaches of Costa Caparica are served by a miniature train known as the "Transpraia" which runs from the town at the northern end, all the way to Fonte da Telha about 10 km to the south....

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  • Cascais
    Guincho beach
    Can Stock Photo Inc. / StevanZZ

    Located just around the corner from Cascais is one of the regions best known beaches. Unlike the beaches of Cascais and Estoril, Praia do Guincho faces directly into the Atlantic Ocean making it a very different place. The large stretch of golden sand is backed by dunes leading towards high cliffs in the north with not much between here and Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point in mainland Europe.

    As you can imagine Guincho is exposed to the full force of the Atlantic making it a...

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