The best beaches in Albufeira
Albufeira's town beaches run along the coast below the cliffs, from Praia do Peneco under the Old Town east to Praia da Oura below the Strip and Santa Eulália beyond it. You can walk to all of them from our apartments, and the table shows how long it takes. The times are walks along the streets; at low tide some neighbouring beaches can be reached along the sand. Further down are the best beaches a short drive away.
Walking times from our apartments
| Beach | Clube do Monaco | Quinta da Barracuda | Parque da Corcovada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Praia do Peneco (Tunnel Beach) | 15 min | 40 min | 50 min |
| Praia dos Pescadores (Fisherman's Beach) | 2 min | 35 min | 45 min |
| Praia do Inatel | 5 min | 25 min | 35 min |
| Praia dos Alemães | 20 min | Its own gate | 35 min |
| Praia dos Aveiros | 35 min | 10 min | 30 min |
| Praia da Oura | 40 min | 20 min | 25 min |
| Praia de Santa Eulália | 50 min | 30 min | 30 min |
Praia do Peneco (Tunnel Beach)
The beach right below the Old Town, reached on foot through a tunnel in the cliff, which gives it its English name. It runs straight on into Fisherman's Beach, so in practice the two are one long stretch of sand with the town above it.
Praia dos Pescadores (Fisherman's Beach)
Albufeira's best-known beach, where the fishing boats still pull up on the sand. The escalators at Pau da Bandeira take you straight down to it from the clifftop. It joins Tunnel Beach to the west and Inatel and Praia dos Alemães to the east, so even in August there is room to spread out. It is the closest beach to Clube do Monaco, about two minutes' walk.
Praia do Inatel
The next stretch east, below the Inatel hotel: the same wide sand, a little calmer than Fisherman's Beach, and about five minutes' walk from Clube do Monaco.
Praia dos Alemães
A long, quieter beach under the cliffs between the Old Town and Praia da Oura. Quinta da Barracuda has its own private gate down to it, so guests there are on the sand in a couple of minutes.
Praia dos Aveiros
A small cove between Praia dos Alemães and Praia da Oura, sheltered by rocks at either end, and a short walk from Quinta da Barracuda.
Praia da Oura
The beach at the bottom of the Strip, with cafés and bars behind the sand: a good place to end a walk that starts at the Jardim Municipal. The last stretch down is known as Cardiac Hill, so save some energy for the climb back.
Praia de Santa Eulália
East of Praia da Oura, below pine-topped cliffs: wider and calmer, and worth the extra walk on a busy day.
The best beaches a short drive away
West and east of town are some of the best-known beaches in the Algarve. None of them is a walk from our apartments, but each is 10 to 20 minutes from the Old Town by car, taxi or Uber.
- Praia de São Rafael. About 10 minutes west: golden sand between tall rock stacks, and one of the most photographed beaches on this coast.
- Praia da Coelha. Next to São Rafael, about 10 minutes away: a small cove sheltered by cliffs, quieter than the town beaches.
- Praia do Castelo. A little further west, about 15 minutes: another cove, with rocks at either end.
- Praia da Galé. About 15 minutes west: a long, open beach, one of the finest on this stretch of coast.
- Praia de Olhos de Água. About 10 minutes east: the beach of a small fishing village, named after the freshwater springs that bubble up through the sand at low tide. The village has some of the best Portuguese restaurants for an evening out.
- Praia da Falésia. About 20 minutes east: kilometres of sand below red and white cliffs, running on towards Vilamoura, and room for a long walk on any day.
In July and August, allow longer for the drive, and go early: the car parks near these beaches fill up by mid-morning.
On the beach
In the bathing season, lifeguards fly a flag on each beach: green means you can swim, yellow that you can paddle but not swim, and red that you should stay out of the water. The cliffs are soft sandstone, so keep a few metres from their foot and from their edges.
For things to do and where to eat, see our Albufeira guide, and for which part of town suits you, where to stay in Albufeira.