Sintra Beaches

Tourist Guide

Praia da Ursa, Sintra

Praia da Ursa in Sintra is Europe's westernmost beach

Sintra is better known for its fairytale palaces, but its rugged coastline (which partly lies within the protected Sintra-Cascais Natural Park) also has extraordinarily beautiful beaches. Unlike Cascais, whose beaches face south, Sintra faces west, so its beaches tend to be windier, and the average water temperature is just over 15 degrees celsius (59F), but they’re very clean and with good surfing waves.

Their main attraction, however, is the wild and dramatic natural scenery, formed by precipitous cliffs, jagged rocks, and crescent-shaped bays. The most stunning examples are the beaches of Ursa and Adraga, which remain nearly devoid of crowds.
For a preview of Sintra’s beaches, take a look at the video of the dance hit “Amazing” by Inna, which almost looks like a tourism ad for the region.

Beaches in Sintra


  • Praia da Adraga
  • Praia da Adraga, Sintra

    This very scenic beach is wedged between tall cliffs and its wild beauty has placed it on lists of Europe’s best beaches. It’s not easy to reach by public transportation, so its growing number of visitors are the people of Sintra and Lisbon, and only a few tourists. Many come just to eat at the restaurant at the entrance, facing the sea. Others sunbathe between the different dark rock formations, and explore the different caves at low tide.

    Beach for: Couples, Instagram
    Lifeguards: Yes
    Bathrooms: Yes
    Showers: Yes
    Rentals: No
    Bar or Restaurant: Yes
    Accessible: Yes
    Parking: Yes
    Transportation: Bus from Sintra

    See the complete Praia da Adraga Guide.


  • Praia da Ursa
  • Praia da Ursa, Sintra

    Europe’s westernmost beach is one of Portugal’s most beautiful. The stunning views of its colossal sea stacks and the unspoiled atmosphere are the reward for the careful hike required to reach it. Once a secret, it has grown in popularity, due to photos on social media. Many tourists who visit Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point in mainland Europe) now venture down the cliff to the sand. Unfortunately, the water is usually too rough for swimming, but most people spend their time taking photos and admiring the views as they sunbathe (many of them nude).

    Beach for: Naturism, Couples, Instagram
    Lifeguards: No
    Bathrooms: No
    Showers: No
    Rentals: No
    Bar or Restaurant: No
    Accessible: No
    Parking: Nearby
    Transportation: Bus from Cascais or Sintra
    Visit Nearby: Cabo da Roca

    See the complete Praia da Ursa Guide.


  • Praia das Maçãs
  • Praia das Maçãs, Sintra

    The favorite beach of local families also gets its share of tourists, as it’s connected to the center of Sintra by a charming tourist tram from the early 20th century. It’s faced by restaurants and a playground, so it’s a year-round destination for a day by the sea with the kids. There are also two popular seawater pools behind it.

    Beach for: Families/Children
    Lifeguards: Yes
    Bathrooms: Yes
    Showers: Yes
    Rentals: Yes
    Bar or Restaurant: Yes
    Accessible: Yes
    Parking: Yes
    Transportation: Bus or tram from Sintra

    See the complete Praia das Maçãs Guide.


  • Praia Grande
  • Praia Grande, Sintra

    As the name indicates, this is a big beach. In fact, it’s the largest in Sintra, stretching for two kilometers. It’s overlooked by a huge seawater swimming pool, and known for surfing and bodyboarding (it has hosted European surfing competitions and world bodyboarding championships). For this reason, it attracts a young, sporty crowd in addition to families from Sintra. Apparently this was also a popular spot in prehistory -- dozens of dinosaur footprints, dating from 170 million years ago, can be seen on the cliffs.

    Beach for: Surfers
    Lifeguards: Yes
    Bathrooms: Yes
    Showers: Yes
    Rentals: Yes
    Bar or Restaurant: Yes
    Accessible: Yes
    Parking: Yes
    Transportation: Bus from Sintra

    See the complete Praia Grande Guide.


  • Praia das Azenhas do Mar
  • Praia das Azenhas do Mar, Sintra

    This tiny beach is in one of Portugal’s most picturesque villages, right outside Sintra. The village’s whitewashed houses cascade down a cliff towards the sea, which completely covers the beach at high tide. It’s therefore only possible to sunbathe when the tide is low, but many people come here for the restaurant known for serving the freshest fish. Between the restaurant and the sand is a pool, filled with water by the tides.

    Beach for: Instagram
    Lifeguards: Yes
    Bathrooms: No
    Showers: No
    Rentals: No
    Bar or Restaurant: Yes
    Accessible: No
    Parking: Yes
    Transportation: Bus from Sintra

    See the complete Praia das Azenhas do Mar Guide.


  • Praia da Aguda
  • Praia da Aguda, Sintra

    A short walk up the road from Azenhas do Mar is this wild beach, reached via a long staircase from the top of a cliff. Only a few locals and fishermen come here, so the relative isolation has made it become an unofficial nude beach. Tidal pools are often formed between the rocks, and it’s a place to relax in peace, to the sound of the ocean.

    Beach for: Naturism
    Lifeguards: No
    Bathrooms: No
    Showers: No
    Rentals: No
    Bar or Restaurant: No
    Accessible: No
    Parking: Yes
    Transportation: Bus from Sintra

    See the complete Praia da Aguda Guide.


  • Praia do Magoito
  • Praia do Magoito, Sintra

    Walking north over the rocks (to the right when facing the sea) from Praia da Aguda, takes you to this much more popular beach. You won’t likely find any tourists -- this is the beach of local families and surfers. Many also visit outside the bathing season just to see the ocean, get their feet wet in the iodine-rich waters, and dine at the restaurant above it. The scenery of consolidated dunes is classified as a geomonument.

    Beach for: Surfers
    Lifeguards: Yes
    Bathrooms: Yes
    Showers: Yes
    Rentals: No
    Bar or Restaurant: Yes
    Accessible: Yes
    Parking: Yes
    Transportation: Bus from Sintra

    See the complete Praia do Magoito Guide.



How to Get to the Beaches in Sintra


If you’re staying in Lisbon, it’s better to rent a car, as most beaches are served by rather infrequent buses departing from Sintra. To know how to reach them, and for more details (and photos), see the beach guides above (if you have purchased the Lisboa Card, you may ride the train from Lisbon to Sintra for free).


Sintra Beach Hotels


Charm Nature, Sintra

Charm Nature

If you want to spend a day or more at the stunning Praia da Ursa, stay at this romantic hotel located about a 5-minute drive or 30-minute walk away. In addition to a breathtaking view of the sunset and the sea, it offers a swimming pool and different accommodation options -- double rooms, a 1-bedroom apartment or a mobile home.

More Details and Prices

Arribas Sintra Hotel

Arribas Sintra Hotel

The large seawater pool in this hotel attracts many people to Praia Grande. You can swim and sunbathe around it with magnificent views over the beach. The 59 rooms with balconies also offer sea views, as does the restaurant. It’s often fully booked for the summer early in the year, so make sure to book well ahead.

More Details and Prices

Outpost - Casa das Arribas, Sintra

Outpost - Casa das Arribas

Perfectly located above Praia da Aguda and within walking distance of Azenhas do Mar, this is a property built in the 1940s for a wealthy family and designed by Raul Lino, one of Portugal’s most influential architects at the time. The all-white building has been completely refurbished and now features a contemporary interior, while respecting the original architecture. It’s divided into seven apartments with one and two bedrooms. Outside is a swimming pool and a tennis court.

More Details and Prices

Hotel Oceano, Sintra

Hotel Oceano

This hotel looks stuck in the 1980s but is an excellent budget option, conveniently-located in Praia das Maçãs. Here you can wake up to ocean views (book a room with a frontal sea view), and are also close to Praia Grande and Azenhas do Mar.

More Details and Prices

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Sintra Beaches Map


Below is a map showing the beaches on the Sintra coast. The most accessible ones from the center of town are Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs. Praia de Azenhas do Mar, Aguda and Magoito are within walking distance of each other, following the coastal road.

Sintra Beaches Map