Beaches of Carvoeiro

The beaches around Carvoeiro and Alvor are characterized primarily by their bizarre and romantic rock formations. Here you will find a large number of small beach coves, which you can access via stairs.

City beach of Carvoeiro

Algar Seco

From the road on the cliff, a staircase leads down to these magnificent rock formations and grottos, where you can climb around to your heart's content.
Wind and weather have shaped this landscape of rock pillars, plateaus and caves over the centuries. The tides do their part to make this place appear ghostly; a small "mountain lake" rises and falls with the ebb and flow, the sea gurgles from winding caves and crevices; the color of the limestone changes with sunlight and the position of the sun.

After this exciting and somewhat strenuous climbing walk, treat yourself to a refreshment in the rest stop in the middle of the cave world - which looks somewhat out of place from the parking lot.

Praia do Centianes

The house beach of Carvoeiro. It is located about 2km outside the town center in an easterly direction. Take the Estrada do Farol to the Colina Sol apartment complex. Once at the bottom, you first go down a slowly sloping staircase past the cozy restaurant "O Stop", which is run by a large Portuguese family. The path to the beach then leads down the steep rocky coast until you finally reach the beach via another small staircase.

The approximately 500m long bay is framed by high rocks. At the western end, the restaurant mentioned above operated a typical "beach shack" with refreshments and a lounger, parasol and boat rental until 1999 (very popular with children on the so-called "banana ride", the loud gasoline-powered so-called "jetstreams" were annoying).

At high tide the beach is correspondingly narrow, but swimming is then possible without any problems - unlike at low tide; Then you have to be careful because of the numerous rocks in the water. The beach is therefore only partially suitable for small children - it is also not guarded. The swimming area is marked out with buoys in summer - as is the entrance lane for the boats. Experienced swimmers can let off steam here even in rough weather.

Praia da Marinha

Praia da Marinha Another beautiful beach near Carvoeiro is Praia da Marinha.

It is located east of Carvoeiro, halfway to Armacao de Pera. It can be reached by car in about 20 minutes

Praia da Marinha has been awarded several times as one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe and regularly appears in the top 10 lists of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal.

There is a car park with a picnic area on the cliffs above the beach. To the west and east, trails lead through pine groves to the neighboring beaches. If it's not too hot, it's worth taking a walk west to Praia de Benagil. Waves and wind have created a magnificent landscape. The view over the steep cliffs and the rock formations in the sea is incredible! You can find further information about the walk here.

The sandy beach itself is about 1 kilometer long and lies at the foot of a cliff about 30 meters high. A wooden staircase leads down to the beach from the parking lot. At the entrance to the beach is the Snack Bar Encarnação. Among other things, cool drinks and snacks are sold here at rather high prices. One can sit on the covered terrace and enjoy the view of the beach and the sea. There are toilets.

The Praia da Marinha is divided into 4 sections: A large area is directly in front of the snack bar. The next section is a little narrower and lies directly under the bright yellow cliff. This is where most visitors gather. But be careful: you shouldn't stay too close to the rock face, as rocks can fall. The 3rd section is a little wider and less visited. There are particularly cozy spots to be found between the large boulders on the beach. To get to the 4th section of Praia da Marinha you have to climb over some rocks. A rock collapsed here in 1998.

The backdrop is a feast for the eyes. The fine, light sand. The shining, steep rock face. Rocks pile up in the blue waves of the Atlantic. Large and small pieces of rock lie in the sand and water. The beach is undeveloped. There are no houses above the beach either. The western sections are a small adventure playground made of rocks and pools of water. Snorkeling between the rocks and in the caves is particularly exciting. Divers also get their money's worth at Praia da Marinha.
There are no water sports providers here, as there are on many other beaches in the Algarve. The rocky area in front of the beach is not suitable for this.

The beach is protected from the north winds by the cliffs, but it can still be windy on the beach. The sun's rays should not be underestimated. There is no natural shade as Praia Marinha faces south.
You can find out more about vacations in the Algarve on my travel blog Algarve pur.