The "use of sound equipment and development noise-generating activities that, under the terms of the law, may cause discomfort" can lead to fines of varying amounts, from €200 up to €36,000, however, there are many other rules you need to follow when you are on the beach in Portugal.


NM lists some of the banned activities, listed below:

  • Ball games or similar outside the areas allocated for these purposes;
  • Camping outside campsites;
  • Fishing, in bathing areas between sunrise and sunset;
  • Surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing and other sports activities that may pose a danger to the physical integrity of bathers, in areas reserved for bathers;
  • Carrying out activities likely to alter its morphology;
  • Use of sound equipment and development of noise-generating activities that, under the terms of the law, may cause discomfort;
  • Carrying out any actions or activities that compromise the public use of the beaches, except for those that prove necessary for environmental or safety reasons;
  • Carrying out any actions or activities that may jeopardise the safety or health of bathers or the biophysical integrity of the site, namely the destruction of vegetation and dunes;
  • Collection of geological material, animal species, vegetation and archaeological remains, unless integrated into duly authorised scientific activities;
  • Circulation and access to the shore and parking of vessels and nautical means for recreation and sports outside the defined spaces-channels and demarcated areas;
  • Circulation of boats, nautical scooters and jet-skis in areas defined for other purposes;
  • Overflight by aircraft with an engine below 1000 feet, with the exception of those intended for surveillance and rescue operations and other aerial means of sport and recreation, outside the authorized crossing channels."


There are also banned "economic activities":

  • Activities with economic purposes of collecting plants and shellfish outside the stipulated places and seasonal periods;
  • Carrying out street vending activities without prior licensing;
  • Advertising activities without prior licensing and outside the demarcated areas


And other activities:

  • Circulation and parking in forbidden zones;
  • Circulation and parking of motor vehicles outside the established access roads and beyond the defined limits of parks and parking areas, with the exception of vehicles related to prevention, rescue, maintenance and other authorized vehicles;
  • Circulation and permanence of animals outside the authorized areas, except trained assistance dogs or in the training phase, duly certified, to accompany, lead and assist people with disabilities;
  • Non-compliance with established information signs, such as flags, signs, buoys and instructions given by lifeguards regarding situations likely to endanger the safety of third parties;
  • The deposit or abandonment of any waste, glass objects or blunt material, outside the proper receptacles.
  • Making fires