The most beautiful beaches around Porto

Freshen up at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean

Porto is well known for its River, the Douro, but much less for its beaches and seafront. Many tourists even forget about the waterfront which should deserve more interest. Some places will remind you of Brittany while the long sandy beaches of Gaia and its beach bars will evoke California!

Discover the most beautiful beaches of the region of Porto and Gaia . Enjoy a drink or sunbath under the sun of Portugal.

In our opinion (see our article in the mini guide), Gaia has the most beautiful views of Porto. This time again Gaia wins the match! The city has the most beautiful beaches of northern Portugal.

 Let's start with Praia de Miramar where Capela do Senhor da Pedra is located; the chapel is nestled on a rock in the middle of the beach. It is one of the symbolic places of Gaia and the perfect place  to sunbathe or watch the sunset.

You can get there by car, by urban train (Linha Aveiro from General Torres railway station in Gaia) or by bike since a totally flat bike path runs along the seafront.

Go up along the Douro to Porto and enjoy Madalena Beach and its trendy Daikiri bar; the place is great for a bowl of Acai, a Brazilian fruit highly appreciated for its energetic properties!

Then reach the mouth of the Douro on the Atlantic Ocean, but just before you get to it we invite you to enjoy the Praia de Lavadores: the beach is beautiful with rocky chaos similar to the beaches of Britanny. In case of strong wind it can protect you from the northwest winds.

The beaches are full of charm around Porto. Few cities of the size of Porto can offer quality beaches in the city. The beaches of Porto are in the district of Foz; you can get there by using the old tram line or bus 500 ( cheaper) from the centre towards Matosinhos.

The beach of Molhe is very nice and surrounded with many bars and restaurants. In season small shelters are set up for more comfort. The pergola da Foz overlooking the Praia do Molhe was inspired by the English Promenade in Nice; this place is very romantic especially at sunset.

Our favourite beach on this side of Porto is the Praia da Luz and the esplanade of the restaurant bearing the same name; thanks to its lounge atmosphere and live music. The place is very successful as soon as the sun comes out.

Matosinhos, on the seafront is well known for its fishing restaurants; the city is also home to a large, beautiful and very popular sandy beach in summer. Surfing courses are possible on the beach.

There is a beautiful swimming pool (built in the rocks) of sea water in Leça da Palmeira: it is open seasonally, but not free of charge .