This breathtaking, 3 kilometre long beach can be found on the west coast of the Algarve in the sleepy little village of Carrapateira, Aljezur. Through this mostly deserted stretch of sand runs a river that ends in the ocean and sometimes creates small lagoons that are occasionally home to wild sea otters.

Surfers, beach lovers and travellers are all drawn to this scenic beach, which also has a bar right on the sand and a restaurant nearby that is very popular with locals. Along the cliff tops you can find plenty of parking and wooden walkways that lead you down the rocky landscape and onto the beach. Visitors are asked to stick to the wooden paths in order to preserve the natural fauna in this area.

For anyone that does not want to walk up and down a cliff, there is another parking lot on beach level, although the view from the top is something you should not miss out on if you plan on visiting.