The beaches of Portugal are one of the busiest destinations in the European summer. The Atlantic coast is full of tourists who come from the coldest countries in Europe and the offer is numerous. Many travelers stop at Porto, Portuguese historical city, which although it does not have the best beaches in the country, still has a handful that makes the trip worthwhile.
All the Porto beaches they know how to combine the natural beauty of the Portuguese coast with the history and culture of this city like no other, Porto, which is World Heritage. As the cold and the pandemic push us back into lockdown, we can take advantage of the time to plan the next summer vacation.
Porto
Is the second most populous city after the capital, Lisbon, and it's on the coast. It has centuries of history and so its historic center has been declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. In the valuable ensemble the Episcopal Palace, the City Hall building, the bridges that cross the Duero, the Cathedral, the Clérigos Tower or the Stock Exchange Palace stand out.
The climate is Mediterranean and in summer the temperature can rise to 35 ºC. The green CoastIts location lends itself to enjoying beautiful summer seasons, and this is where some of the most popular Atlantic beaches are located. Not that the best of all are close to Porto, but the city offers some that complement the visit to the city very well.
Porto's beaches
One of the closest beaches to Porto, at the mouth of the Douro River, is the Praia do Carneiro. It has an old breakwater and a lighthouse, the Ferlgueiras Lantern, at the southern end of the beach, at the entrance of the river. You can see behind the Fortress of Sao Joao da Foz, an elegant XNUMXth century building.
Carneiro's sand is thick and the water is not clear sea either, perhaps in these terms the most remote beaches are the best, but the postcard of the lighthouse and the fortress make it quite attractive. Both sunny and stormy days.
La Ingleses Beach It is a long sandy beach with some rocky headlands. It is in the district of Foz do Duero, very central, with cafeteriaThey are open long hours. Has status of Blue flagIt has the mouth of the river nearby, something if you want a little dirty, and a few kilometers away there is a refinery ... Is it really Blue Flag? But anyway, it is a popular beach, central, with a lot of life.
La Molhe Beach It is also in this area of the city. The beach itself is a mix of coarse sand and rocks, with cafes that look out over the horizon and a stone jetty that protects beachgoers from the currents. Also there is a boardwalk and gardens that border the Avenida do Brasil, and the beautiful Pergola da Foz, with its yellow pillars and its 30s style.
La Castelo do Queijo Beach, the beach of the cheese castle, has a fort that protects it: the Fort of San Francisco Javier, Similar to a cheese last? Perhaps. The beach itself is short, with sand and rocks that wrap around the boardwalk and quite popular in the summer months. But perhaps more popular is its neighbor Matonsinhos beach, the main beach of Porto.
Matonsinhos Beach is lined with apartment buildings, a street and many cafes, so in summer it is a beach with a lot of activity. Today the quality of the water is much better than previous years, but it has not yet achieved its Blue Flag. And it is understood, close is the port, huge, and the refinery, but still, as we said above Matosinhos it is super popular.
Here surfing, because there are not so many rocks in sight and the harbor wall, to the north, gives it some shelter from the wind. If you want to see surfing, or practice it whatever your level, enjoy the view and the best fish and seafood, because Matosinhos Beach is for you.
It is followed by Leça da Palmeira beach, in the extreme north of the city, on the other side of the port from Matonsinhos. It has fine white sand, and an imposing stone pier that protects the port of Leixoes, one of the largest maritime ports in the country.
Here is the beautiful Farol da Boa Nova, the Porto lighthouse, with its 46 meters high and built in 1926. There are also the two Marés marine pools, built in the very rocks of silver and ideal for the little ones. It is also considered a good beach for surfing.
Miramar is a beach 10 kilometers from Porto, in a small coastal town famous for its XNUMXth century chapel, the Chapel of Our Lady of Stone. It would be a kind of posh Porto suburb, with a nine-hole golf course and several mansions. The water is usually calm, in winter there are surfers, there are cafes, AerialHe is the most popular, and there are never many international tourists, he is rather local.
La Fuzelhas Beach is passing the marine pools of Marés. Around here there are many rocks and golden sands and when the tide goes out there are rocky pools that become the best destination for children. It is a beach Blue flag and has several coffee shops. The Granja Beach it's a little further, 45 minutes from Porto. Sand and rocks mix according to the tides in this picturesque Blue Flag beach that was able to attract, at some point in the XNUMXth century, the wealthiest.
Espinho, horn, is 20 kilometers south. Dirty waters, tall and not very picturesque buildings, beach overcrowded in summer and deserted in winter, but with a casino, the Casina Solverde. It does have excellent sea food, a pool at the north end of the boardwalk, with seawater, and hotels around. They say that the water in the pool is cleaner than that of the beach.
Other nearby beaches are Aguda Beach, which you can walk to from La Granja or Miramar, Moreiró beach, Leçca Beach, Gondarém, Labruge beach, Al Sereias, Pedra do Corgo, Canide Sul, San Pedro da Maceda, San Jacinto, Memória beach, Ofir, Mindelo beach or Homem do Leme.