Hot day. Walking around the area of central Algarve I realized that the public transport system…read more wasn't as reliable as in Lisbon. A cab from the area of Oura to this beach takes about 10-15 mins and costs about 10€, well worth it!
I had seen this beach while browsing online and thought to myself "I really need to check this place out no matter what!", and it really paid off!
As soon as you reach the area of São Rafael, all the houses become white and you can see several nice hotels in a hill that goes down all the way, reaching a tent which sells beach wear (hats, sunglasses and so on). From that point, walk and you will be amazed by the view! This place absolutely rocks and I was impressed by such stunning beach very close to town, as usually the very best ones are hidden gems and might even require a boat trip to a far away island.
There are cliffs and rock formations everywhere and you can walk around slowly with no fear to explore the area. I saw a few fisherman trying their luck and many people enjoying the day. The beach's size is perfect, about 4 kms long and the more you walk through the limestone rock formations, you can find smaller inlets, magical hidden and quiet places (the ultimate romantic spot!). Also in this tiny areas the ocean is more calm so it's easier to swim, but beware if you don't know that in Portugal, Atlantic waters tend to be very cold.
I saw toilets and public showers and a restaurant with loungers, which cost 10€ each (lots of soft sandy areas around so don't bother).
This place probably gets extremely crowded in the peak of the summer but I went in April and it was stress free and fabulous.