The Alentejo coast is magical and wild. We want to share some of the many beaches we discovered along the Alentejo.

1. Galapinhos Beach

 

Looking for beaches near Lisbon?

Less than 50 km from Lisbon you will find Galapinhos Beach - an  absolute beauty and recently named one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.

Stumbling over our hand-drawn map, it looked like a hidden beach. Not a person on the white sands or swimming in crystal clear water is a paradise spot on the citys doorstep.

We set up camp and enjoyed hiking trails.

2. Samoqueira Beach, Porto Côvo

 

The hidden beach of Samoqueira is just before the city of Porto Covo.

Porto Covo is a pretty village where buildings are whitewashed and the streets are paved.

Be sure to go to town first and visit the local bakeries. We tried Gods Bread, a brioche roll with a slightly sweetened and toasted coconut topping and also received the Bow Tie, which is a caramel topped puff pastry bow.

Samoqueira is like nothing we have seen before. A small stretch of rock and sand runs parallel to the beach, creating an intimate cove.

The beach is also surrounded by wonderful caves that you can explore at low tide. Expect to see just a few people here, it was us and another family all afternoon - one  of the best hidden beaches in Portugal.

3. Zambujeira do Mar Beach

 

Zambuijeria do Mar is another charming little seaside town.

It is a jumble of whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs that are perched on the edge of the cliffs. The town overlooks the local beach which was stunning, this was not our hidden beach, however.

A few miles from the city, an unnamed beach will steal your heart.

We mounted the van in the empty parking lot, with views directly from the sand to the turquoise waters. The beach was lined with high cliffs on either side and a small café overlooking everything.

However, the best part of this beach was Thai women offering hour-long massages. She was placed in the sand under a white gazebo with transparent fabric floating in the breeze.

This woman was a lifeguard, for our tight campervan bodies and only charged € 10 for the hour!

4. Tile Source

Tile Fountain is the dream of any campervaner.

You can park by the sand with that indescribable view of the beach from your bed.

Tel Hau Fort is a small beach community with some restaurants scattered along the beach, built in the sand. Perfect for an afternoon drink on the porch as we watch the sun dip below the horizon.

Along the dirt road we saw only a dozen other caravans and cars parked near the sand. It is reminiscent of an Australian beach, golden sand as far as the eye can see.

5. Arrifana Beach, Aljezur

 

At the northwest end of the Algarve, we discover Arrifana Beach. It is hidden in the charming village of Alzejur.

Alzejur is another small market town with whitewashed houses and cobblestone streets.

This beautiful beach is protected by large orange sandstone cliffs and a popular spot for surfers. We lay on the soft white sand and watched summer waves come in.

 

6. Amado Beach

 

Further down the coast was Praia do Amado.

This is a beautiful sweeping beach backed by dunes and surrounded by cliffs.

At low tide we explored the exposed rock pools and headed down the north end of the beach. Here we discover the most beautiful colored stones.

You can see shades ranging from pink to black, ocher and green. Later we enjoyed the sight of surfers riding the endless waves while cooking our dinner from our beloved home on wheels.

7. Secret Beach (Barranco Beach)

 

Being further south in the Algarve, we were advised that you could be asked to change or be fined for camping in most areas. So we set off on some country lanes to see which beaches we could discover.

We think this, the point of your dreams, was similar to the point in "The Beach" by Leonardo Di Carpios.

This beach was perfect, a protected cove that half a dozen others found and seemed to establish a small community.

We got to spot dolphins from the soft white sand one morning, the only place we got to see them. It seemed that even dolphins knew how enchanted these places were.

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