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10 of the Best Beaches in Ribeira
Showing 1 - 10 of 10
- Espinho
Anibal TrejoJust 10 kilometres south of Porto, Miramar is a small seaside town famous for the Capela do Senhora Pedra, a 17th century chapel strikingly situated on a rocky, wave-beaten headland jutting out from the beach.
In many ways the town is an upmarket residential suburb of Porto, boasting a famous 9-hole golf course and a number of large houses and mansions.
The beach itself, the Praia de Miramar, is an exposed but pleasantly...
- Porto
Praia do Carneiro is the closest of Porto's beaches to the mouth of the River Douro. In fact the old breakwater and lighthouse (Farol de Felgueiras) here mark the southern end of the beach and the entrance to the river. Behind the beach is the impressive Fortaleza de São João da Foz, a 16th century fortress built to defend the mouth of the Douro.
I wouldn't really describe Praia do Carneiro as the kind of beach you would want to throw down your towel and spend the day on. The sand is...
- Porto
Praia dos Ingleses is a largely sandy beach with rocky outcrops around the shore line. Located in the upmarket Foz do Douro district of Porto this is cafe and promenading central. The cafes here stay open until late and Praia dos Ingleses is often still buzzing long after dark.
The beach itself isn't the greatest, but then you have to head out of Porto to find really nice beaches. I'm also a little skeptical of the Blue Flag status of this and some of the other beaches along this...
- Porto
Praia do Molhe is another of Porto's beaches along the Foz district of the city. Like neighbouring beaches, Molhe is a mixture of coarse sand and rocks with its own beachfront cafe. Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the beach (and where it gets its name) is the stone jetty which runs out from the beach. This was built to protect the bathing waters here from the northerly swells.
The beach here is backed by the promenade and gardens that line Avenida do Brasil. However this...
- Porto
Praia Castelo do Queijo translates to "Cheese castle beach"! The name actually comes from the Fort of São Francisco Xavier which overlooks the beach. It is said that the fort was built on a rock that resembled an enormous piece of cheese.
The beach itself is a short stretch of sand and rocks which backs onto a promenade. Not generally as popular as Matasinhos around the corner the beach still gets busy during the summer months
- Porto
Matosinhos is Porto's main beach. A long stretch of fine sand backed by apartment blocks, an esplanade and any number of small cafes it is pleasant enough. In the summer there's always some sort of activity on the beach and the lifeguard service makes for safe bathing.
The water quality has improved greatly over the years, although it still isn't up to Blue Flag standards. Given there is a large port and oil terminal at the northern end of the beach this isn't a huge surprise.
... - PortoLonEMedia | BY-SA
The beach at Leça da Palmeira is located on the northern edge of the city of Porto, just across the harbour from Matosinhos. It is a similar mix of the industrial, historic and residential.
The beach here is a good sized stretch of fine white sand. However, it is somewhat blighted by the huge stone pier at the southern end which protects the mouth of Leixões, one of Portugal's major sea ports. Beyond this are glimpses of cranes and to the north the tanks of the oil refinery.
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- Porto
Just along from the beach of Leça da Palmeira, past the Piscina das Marés tidal swimming pool is another stretch of sand - Praia de Fuzelhas.
Whilst much of the shoreline here is rocky, above the tide line is fine golden sand. When the tide does go out lots of rock pools are revealed making this a good spot for kids, with plenty of exploring to be done.
As a Blue Flag beach there are plenty of facilities and the water quality is good. There are a cafes at each end of the beach...
- EspinhoPortuguese Eyes / Vitor Oliveira | BY-SA
Although Praia da Granja is often described as being in Vila Nova de Gaia it is actually right next door to Espinho, in the town of São Félix da Marinha. From Porto it is about 45 minutes drive to Praia da Granja.
The beach here is a fine stretch of sand, although the foreshore becomes rocky as the tide goes out. During the summer months there is a lifeguard patrol at Granja. Also, being a Blue Flag beach there are plenty of facilities and good disabled access.
The name Granja...
- Espinho
With the name Espinho translating to 'thorn', it is perhaps no surprise that this crumbling beach resort less than 20km south of Porto features the ubiquitous ugly high-rise buildings and polluted water that are the less attractive side-effects of tourism.
There is a long stretch of golden sandy beach, but it tends to be hot and overcrowded in summer and deserted and exposed to the prevailing northerly winds in winter, with the cleanest section, the Praia da Baia...
Ribeira travel guide »
Porto's riverside quarter, known as the Ribeira, is one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods and certainly one of its highlights. The area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 and it does not disappoint.
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