Praia do Magoito

Tourist Guide

Praia do Magoito Beach, Sintra

Praia do Magoito hasn't yet been discovered by tourists

Accessed through a ramp, this beach is a destination for those living in the Sintra region, and has yet to be discovered by tourists. It’s way off the beaten path, but offers a scenery of consolidated dunes from 10,000 years ago and classified as geomonuments, as they were found to contain archaeological traces of human activity from the Paleolithic era. The almost-vertical cliffs also reveal sedimentary rock formed millions of years ago, when the sea level was much higher than today.

Magoito Beach, Sintra

Praia do Magoito is popular with young local surfers

Its waves invite surfers and bodyboarders, but it’s mostly families that you’ll see on the sand. There’s a restaurant overlooking the beach (on a clear day you can see as far as Cabo da Roca), which remains open outside the official bathing season.

Praia do Magoito, Sintra

Walking over the rocks to the south, you reach the nearly-deserted Praia da Aguda.

The beach is also known for its iodine-rich waters, and for an annual Good Friday tradition, when locals come looking for mussels.

Consolidated dunes in Praia do Magoito, Sintra

The consolidated dunes in Praia do Magoito

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

How to Get to Praia do Magoito


Praia do Magoito Beach, Sintra

Praia do Magoito seen from the top of the ramp that leads down to the sand

Bus 444 departs from the Portela de Sintra terminal close to the center of Sintra, and ends at Praia do Magoito in 25 minutes. It’s a rather infrequent service, departing around every 60 to 90 minutes.
If you’re driving, there’s a parking lot right above the beach, behind the bus stop.
You can also walk from Azenhas do Mar and Praia da Aguda (see below).


Attractions by Praia do Magoito


Walk south over the rocks (at low tide) for about 15 minutes, and you reach Praia da Aguda, a wild beach mostly frequented by fishermen and naturists. From there, take the steps up to the road, which leads to the picturesque village of Azenhas do Mar (another 15-minute walk away).


Hotel by Praia do Magoito


Casa das Arribas, Sintra

Outpost - Casa das Arribas

This beautifully-renovated home from the 1940s is within walking distance of Praia do Magoito. It stands above Praia da Aguda, which, as mentioned above, can be reached over the rocks from Magoito. It was designed by Raul Lino, who was the leading architect in Portugal at the time. The original architecture has been preserved, and it’s now divided into seven 1- or 2-bedroom apartments. The exterior, with ocean views, has a swimming pool and tennis and basketball courts.

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