The sleepy seaside village of Zambujeira do Mar is set within the Costa Vicentina and Sudoeste Alentejano Nature Park towards the southern end of the Alentejo coast. A huddle of whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs overlook this fantastic beach from the cliff top.
This is a good-sized sandy beach with a Blue Flag award so you can be assured that there are plenty of facilities, clean bathing water and a seasonal lifeguard service. Zambujeira is also a good surf spot and attracts many travelling surfers who stop off en-route to Vila Nova de Milfontes up the coast.
Perched on the cliffs at the northern end of the beach is the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Mar from which there are great views. At the opposite end are the rocks known as the Palheirão. The beach is divided up into two sections by a low rocky outcrop. The northern section is backed by high basalt cliffs and all but disappears as the tide comes in. The southern end is backed by a shallow valley with a small car park and there is still a decent sized area of sand here at high tide.
Zambujeira Do Mar is a popular beach in the summer with a mainly Portuguese crowd. It can get crowded in which case it may be worth exploring the beaches to the north and south via clifftop paths.
