8 Best Best Beaches in Vilamoura

Unlike many of the Algarve's resorts which grew around existing coastal towns and villages, Vilamoura was purpose built with on thing in mind - holidays. Set in the middle of the Algarve coast, upmarket Vilamoura sprung up around some of the region's finest beaches. In either direction there are virtually endless stretches of golden sand offering all the facilities you could ask for. With not a bad beach in area the choice comes down to how far you are willing to travel and whether you want to head east or west from the marina.

As a beach holiday destination Vilamoura is pretty hard to beat. Of course this means the beaches within easy walking distance of the town centre (Praia da Marina / Praia da Rocha Baixinha) tend to get very busy during the summer. They are however great beaches offering plenty of activities, in and out of the water, beach bars and cafes for meals and refreshments, seasonal lifeguard patrols and the usual parasol / sun-lounger rental. With easy parking and level access they are also a good option for those with limited mobility.

If you want to escape the crowds a little then the best advice is to head a few kilometres west to the vast expanse of beach that is Praia da Falésia. Here you should be able to find plenty of room to throw your towel down whatever the season.

What are the Best and Closest Beaches to Vilamoura?

Praia de Vilamoura

Vilamoura beach

Valter Jacinto CC BY-SA

Vilamoura beach is a decent sized strip of golden sand set between the Marina to the west and Quarteira harbour to the east. It is relatively developed although nothing like the scale of Quarteira next door. In fact it has a much more open feeling with plenty of space between the nearest apartment blocks.
Praia de Quarteira

Quarteira

Photogal CC BY-SA

Given the long stretch of golden sand that lies in front of Quarteira it is little surprise that the resort was one of the earliest to be developed on the Algarve coast.
Praia do Almargem

Praia do Almargem

Val Thoermer

Despite being located within an easy walk of the resort of Quarteira the beach at Praia do Almargem is surprisingly unspoiled. Here, instead of high-rise seafront apartments you will find a backdrop of sand dunes and pine trees.
Praia da Falesia

Praia da Falésia

Karl Egger

Boasting more than six kilometres of golden sand, stretching from Vilamoura in the west to Olhos do Agua in the east, Praia da Falesia is home to one of the longest beaches in Portugal.

This sleepy residential town is known by the locals as 'beach town' and has managed to preserve something of its traditional Portuguese lifestyle. Backed by cliffs (falesia is Portuguese for cliff) decorated with pine trees the beach is accessed by steps that lead down from a clifftop car park.
Praia de Vale do Lobo

Vale do Lobo beach

The Vale do Lobo is one of the Algarve's premier and exclusive resorts. Located within the so-called 'Golden Triangle' it is known for its upmarket hotels, high end golf courses and pristine beaches.

Directly in front of the Vale do Lobo resort is the long sandy beach. Stretching for just over a kilometre the beach is backed by the typical Algarve ochre-coloured cliffs.
Praia de Garrao

Praia do Garrão Poente

Sven Grüne All rights reserved

Praia de Garrao is one of the principal beaches that serve a collection of high-end resorts known as the 'Golden Triangle'. Originally consisting of little more than sandy beach and pine forest, the Vale do Lobo was developed for tourism in the 1960s, closely followed by the neighbouring Quinta do Lago. The Vale do Lobo boasts a riding school, which offers fantastic rides along the beach, and the most famous tennis academy in the country, patronised by Tim Henman.
Praia do Ancão

Praia do Ancão

Natalia CC BY-SA

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.
Praia de Santa Eulália

Praia de Santa Eulália

stavros1 CC BY-SA

The Praia de Santa Eulália is located a little over 4 km to the east of Albufeira. It is something of an upmarket resort beach as the meticulously landscaped gardens to the rear of the beach will tell you. You will find rows of palm trees interspersed with aloes and other exotic plants along with areas of neatly trimmed grassy lawn.

The beach itself is a good-sized stretch of golden Algarvian sand flanked by low, pine-covered ochre cliffs at either end. The water is the typical clear azure you would expect on this coast making it ideal for swimming and snorkelling.