There are a number of great beaches near Vila Real de Santo António.The beaches at this end of the Algarve are known for their soft white sand and you may also notice the water is a little warmer than much of the rest of the Algarve - up to a couple of degrees in fact.
The beaches close to Vila Real de Santo António tend to attract a mix of locals and visitors from both sides of the Portuguese / Spanish border.
The list below has all the best beaches in order of distance from the town itself.
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...
Monte Gordo is the Algarve's closest resort to the Spanish border. As such it attracts a mix of Portuguese, Spanish and international visitors drawn by the expansive golden sand beaches and the casino.
The beach of Monte Gordo itself is a huge stretch of powdery, almost white sand that extends for around 1.5km (1 mile), almost to the border with Spain. The central strip of beach in front of the resort is backed by a wide, flat promenade lined with tall palm trees along with a number...
This lovely stretch of fine golden sand is located on a slightly quieter section of the Algarve coast between Tavira and the Spanish border (less than 2km away). That is not to say the beach isn't popular and has somehow managed to escape the tourist radar. You will still find straw parasols and sun loungers a-plenty here but the beach does still retain something of an unspoilt, if not a little upmarket air to it.
Unlike many of the algarve's beaches further west there is very little...
Manta Rota is part of a long sweep of fine sand that arches from the frontier town of Vila Real de Santo António, on the Spanish border, to Praia de Cabanas in Tavira. The beach at Manta Rota sits on the edge of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, an important wetland where a host of migratory birds, and other wildlife, are found in abundance.
You'll find plenty of space at Praia da Manta Rota even though it is a popular beach, especially amongst locals. The beach is backed by low sand...
The beach of Cacela Velha is located at the eastern end of the Ria Formosa Natural Park and could be considered an extension of neighbouring Manta Rota beach. What marks the start of the beach at Cacela Velha is the wide lagoon behind the spit of sand here.
To reach the beach requires a boat trip across the lagoon from Sítio da Fábrica, near the village of Cacela Velha. It is...
The border town of Vila Real de Santo António sits just across the Guadiana river from the Spanish town of Ayamonte. In years gone by this was on the main route from the Algarve to Spain with the only the 20 minute ferry ride shuttling visitors...
