Beaches in the Algarve

Praia do Carvoeiro is a smaller beach, but no less beautiful, bordered by cliffs and the small village of Carvoeiro. Dotted with colourful fishing boats and overlooked by white houses, this beach is perfect for those looking for a more relaxing Algarve break. Carvoeiro is a small village, but has a number of restaurants, bars and terraces providing a livelier atmosphere than you might expect.

Praia do Benagil is another small beach surrounded by golden coloured cliffs, naturally eroded into wonderful shapes. This is known as one of the prettiest stretches of the Algarve coastline and is still used regularly by the local fishermen so you may spot their boats coming back in with their catch of the day.

The Benagil Sea Caves are the highlight of this area and an extraordinary feature on the landscape. These cathedral-like caves have arched entrances and a small beach inside. There is a large opening in roof of the caves with sunlight streaming through and creating a spotlight on the sand, the effect is just magical. It is strongly recommended to take a boat trip to the caves to experience this wonderful sight.

Praia da Falésia is situated to the West of Faro and stretches for 6km between the resorts of Olhos de Agua and Vilamoura. It is a popular place to visit during the summer and is a good beach for families with children. This beach is known for its beauty and diversity with orange rocks contrasting with the green trees and blue skies creating a picturesque setting.

Another beach worth checking out is the Praia Grande located next to Ferragudo, a lovely little fishing village located opposite Portimão. Interestingly, this village once helped defend this stretch of the coastline from pirates during the 16th century using the fortress of São João do Arade which can still be spotted on the cliffs from the beach. The name of the beach (Big Beach) does not exaggerate and on arrival you will find a large expanse of sand. The size of the beach and favourable weather conditions are perfect for water sports such as surfing and windsurfing and there is water sports school located on the beach.

The Praia do Alvor and Praia dos Três Irmãos make up a stretch of beach nearly 7km long.

Praia dos Três Irmãos is an extraordinary beach known for the cove-like bay surrounding rocky outcrops and the rock pools on the beach itself. It is located at the Eastern end of the Alvor sands.

The Praia do Alvor seems to stretch indefinitely and offers a range of water sports including sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and snorkelling.

Many of the Pestana Algarve hotels are located on this stretch coastline by Alvor such as the Pestana Delfim, Pestana Dom João II, Pestana Alvor Praia and the Pestana Alvor South Beach.

Discover more about these hotels and how you can explore a truly beautiful region of Portugal.