Best Beaches with Free Parking in Portugal

We rank the 30 beaches with free parking in Portugal. Praia da Falésia (Portugal) comes first with 4.7 / 5, followed by Praia da Senhora da Rocha, Porches, Praia do Camilo.

The sea reaches about 21 degrees C in season, and most of these beaches are at their best from June to September. 24 of the 30 have easy access, and 8 are hidden gems.

Save on Pinterest

1Praia da Falésia

Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal · 4.7 / 5 · Moderate access · about 21 °C

A long golden beach backed by red and ochre cliffs and pine trees, stretching toward Vilamoura.

2Praia da Senhora da Rocha, Porches

Senhora da Rocha, Porches, Algarve · 4.7 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °C

Praia da Senhora da Rocha is a golden cove in the central Algarve, with a small white chapel on the headland above the sand.

3Praia do Camilo

Lagos, Algarve, Portugal · 4.7 / 5 · Moderate access · about 20 °C

A small golden cove framed by honey coloured cliffs and rock stacks near Lagos, reached by a long wooden staircase of around 200 steps.

4Porto Santo Beach

Porto Santo, Madeira · 4.6 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °C

A nine-kilometre golden beach on the island of Porto Santo, with calm, shallow, clear water.

5Praia da Albandeira

Lagoa, Algarve · 4.6 / 5 · Moderate access · about 22 °C

A small, sheltered cove at the foot of golden limestone cliffs in the Algarve, with a natural rock arch and clear water.

6Praia da Marinha

Algarve, Portugal · 4.6 / 5 · Moderate access · about 22 °C

Dramatic golden limestone arches frame this hidden gem on the Algarve coast — one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Portugal.

7Praia de Cacela Velha

Cacela Velha, Algarve · 4.6 / 5 · Moderate access · about 23 °C

Cacela Velha is a tiny whitewashed village on a bluff in the eastern Algarve, with a beach on a sandbar facing the Ria Formosa lagoon.

8Praia Dona Ana

Lagos, Algarve, Portugal · 4.6 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °C

Golden cliffs, sea stacks and a sheltered turquoise cove, a short walk from Lagos town.

9Praia da Adraga

Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, Portugal · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 17 °C

A golden Atlantic beach below eroded cliffs and rock arches on the Sintra coast, with strong surf and a beach restaurant.

10Praia da Foz do Arelho

Foz do Arelho, Silver Coast · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

A wide sandy beach on the Silver Coast where the calm Obidos lagoon meets the open Atlantic, so you can pick between gentle lagoon water and ocean waves.

11Praia de Melides, Alentejo

Melides, Grandola, Alentejo · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °C

Praia de Melides is a wide, wild beach of pale sand on the Alentejo coast, with a freshwater lagoon behind the dunes and almost no development.

12Praia do Martinhal, Sagres

Sagres, Algarve · 4.5 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °C

Praia do Martinhal is a sheltered bay of fine sand near Sagres on the far west of the Algarve, with rock pools at low tide and calmer water than the Atlantic coast.

13Praia da Costa Nova

Aveiro · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

A long Atlantic beach beside the colourful striped houses of Costa Nova near Aveiro, with wide golden sand and dunes.

14Praia da Manta Rota

Manta Rota, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Algarve · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °C

Manta Rota is a long, wide beach on the eastern Algarve, with fine pale sand, dunes behind and shallow water that is warmer than on the west coast.

15Praia de Armacao de Pera

Armacao de Pera, Algarve · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 20 °C

Armacao de Pera has one of the longest sandy beaches in the Algarve, stretching for several kilometres below a small resort town.

16Praia de Supertubos, Peniche

Peniche, Oeste · 4.4 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

Supertubos is a wide beach of golden sand beside Peniche, known worldwide for its barrelling waves and an annual surf contest.

17Praia do Castelejo

Vila do Bispo, Algarve · 4.4 / 5 · Moderate access · about 19 °C

A wide Atlantic beach on the wild western Algarve, set below tilted dark schist cliffs and rolling hills.

18Praia da Gale, Albufeira

Gale, Albufeira, Algarve · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °C

Praia da Gale is a long beach of golden sand in the Algarve, west of Albufeira, backed by low sandy cliffs and with calm water.

19Praia de Caminha, Minho

Caminha, Viana do Castelo, Minho · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

Praia de Caminha lies at the mouth of the Minho river on the northern coast of Portugal, facing Spain across the water.

20Praia de Carcavelos

Carcavelos, Cascais, Lisbon coast · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

A wide sandy beach on the Lisbon-Cascais coast, backed by a promenade.

21Praia de Moledo

Moledo, Caminha, Minho · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 18 °C

Praia de Moledo is a long beach of fine sand in the north of Portugal, near Caminha, with pine woods behind and the Minho river and the Spanish coast in view.

22Praia de Monte Gordo

Monte Gordo, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Algarve · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °C

A broad, gently sloping beach on the eastern Algarve with shallow water, long sand and a Blue Flag.

23Praia de Ofir

Esposende, Minho · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

A long Atlantic beach in the Esposende area of northern Portugal, backed by dunes and pine woods.

24Praia de Sao Torpes, Sines

Sao Torpes, Sines, Alentejo · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °C

Praia de Sao Torpes is a sandy beach on the Alentejo coast near Sines, sheltered by a long breakwater that keeps the water calmer than on neighbouring beaches.

25Praia Formosa, Santa Maria

Santa Maria, Azores · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °C

Praia Formosa is the main sandy beach on Santa Maria, the only Azores island with real golden sand.

26Praia Verde, Castro Marim

Praia Verde, Castro Marim, Algarve · 4.3 / 5 · Easy access · about 23 °C

Praia Verde is a quiet beach on the eastern Algarve, with fine sand and a pine forest behind the shore, between Monte Gordo and Manta Rota.

27Praia da Povoa de Varzim

Povoa de Varzim, Porto · 4.2 / 5 · Easy access · about 20 °C

Povoa de Varzim has a wide, flat beach of golden sand on the Atlantic coast north of Porto, with a casino, promenade and fishing quarter behind.

28Praia de Porto Pim, Horta

Horta, Faial, Azores · 4.2 / 5 · Easy access · about 22 °C

Porto Pim is a sheltered curved bay on Faial next to Horta, with grey-gold sand, calm water and a view of Monte da Guia.

29Praia do Furadouro

Furadouro, Ovar, Centro Region · 4.2 / 5 · Easy access · about 21 °C

Praia do Furadouro is a long, wide beach of golden sand in Ovar, Aveiro district, known for its traditional painted fishing boats on the sand.

30Praia do Tamariz, Estoril

Estoril, Cascais, Lisbon coast · 4.2 / 5 · Easy access · about 19 °C

Praia do Tamariz is the main beach of Estoril on the Lisbon coast, a curve of golden sand sheltered by a breakwater, with the casino gardens and a seafront promenade behind.

Quick comparison

How we picked these beaches

Included when our practical info reports free parking at or near the beach, then ranked by editorial score. Lots can fill early in summer. See how we rate beaches for the full method.

Frequently asked questions

More lists

• Best Beaches in Portugal in May
• Best Beaches in Portugal in June
• Best Beaches in Portugal in October
• Best Beaches with Sunbeds in Portugal
• Unspoiled Beaches Without Sunbeds in Portugal
• Best Sandy Beaches in Portugal
• Best Family Beaches in Portugal
• Easiest Beaches to Reach in Portugal

All beaches in Portugal · Beach finder · Map of all beaches · All lists