São Martinho do Porto

São Martinho do Porto is a typical Portuguese holiday resort in that everyone in Portugal knows about it but no one in the rest of the world has even heard of it. This is somewhat of a shame as São Martinho do Porto is a fantastic and unique spot.

Set in an an almost perfectly scallop shaped bay, with twin headlands guarding the entrance to the Atlantic Ocean, the crescent of beach stretches from the mouth of the Tornada river to the town at the northern end. At the far end the beach is backed by extensive dunes becoming increasingly built up as you near the other.

The sea here is virtually always calm as the bay is very sheltered (the polar opposite to the neighbouring rival resort of Nazare). This makes it a popular haven for sailing and there are always plenty of boats of all sizes bobbing around in the lee of the headland. It also makes it a great choice for families and the beach is sometimes referred to as "Praia das Crianças" - children's beach.

If visiting it is well worth a stroll along the raised wooden boardwalk which runs around the bay, through the dunes and across the river to Praia de Salir with its huge dunes.