The beaches of Porto
The beaches of Porto will surprise you with their quality, many of which are easily reached by public transport.
The city is rarely thought of as a beach destination, but it sits at the heart of the Costa Verde, a rugged coastline of golden beaches, rocky headlands and dramatic natural scenery. Porto's proximity to these wonderful beaches is not widely advertised, and many visitors do not realise that a trip to Porto in summer can also include day trips to the beaches.
Overview of the beaches of Porto
If you are planning a trip to Porto, you should keep in mind this overview of the best beaches in Porto:
- The best small beach within the Porto city limits — Praia do Homem do Leme (6 km)
- The largest and most popular beach near Porto — Praia de Matosinhos (8 km)
- The best beach to the north of Porto — Póvoa de Varzim (30 km)
- The best beach to the south of Porto — Praia do Senhor da Pedra (14 km from Porto)
- Only beach town — Costa Nova with its striped beach houses
The 10 best beaches of Porto are:
1) Praia do Senhor da Pedra (Miramar)
2) Praia Redonda (Póvoa de Varzim)
3) Praia da Azurara (Vila do Conde)
4) Praia das Sereias (Espinho)
5) Praia da Ladeira Norte (Vila do Conde)
6) Praia das Pedras do Corgo (Lavra)
7) Praia da Aguda (Aguda)
8) Praia de Matosinhos
9) Praia do Homem do Leme (Porto)
10) Praia do Carneiro (Porto)
Where do we go for a beach trip?
For a simple day at the beach we head to the Praia do Senhor da Pedra or to Praia da Aguda.
These two beaches sit side by side, and offer golden sands, clean sea waters and a pleasant low-key Portuguese feel. Both beaches are reached by the train to Aveiro, which leaves from São Bento station.
For a day trip to Porto's beaches, we can combine a beach and a pretty town, and for that we will head to Vila do Conde and to Praia da Azurara.
For a half day at the beach, which is near Porto, we head to Praia do Homem do Leme or Praia de Matosinhos. Matosinhos is a great beach with a very lively atmosphere and lots of bars and restaurants, but it overlooks the cruise terminal and the fishing docks, so it is not the most picturesque of spots.
When we are with families and children, we take them to Praia de Leça da Palmeira, as there is a fine beach and the Piscina das Marés.
The weather at the beach
The weather is suitable for spending time at the beaches of Porto from May to mid-September. Bear in mind that the sea water is always cold, reaching a maximum of 19°C in midsummer.
If you plan to spend long periods in the sea you will want a wetsuit. The region can experience strong sea breezes blowing from the Atlantic Ocean.
Main areas of the beaches of Porto
Beaches close to Porto (Foz do Douro beaches)
The beaches closest to Porto line up along the Foz do Douro and Nevogilde districts of the city. These are smaller beaches, set between rocky outcrops and steep headlands, and all tend to be very similar.
The Foz do Douro beaches
The Praia do Carneiro is the southernmost of the Foz beaches and the closest to the mouth of the Douro river. The Fortaleza de São João da Foz dominates the beach, and a long groyne stretches from the Douro estuary.
North of Praia do Carneiro lie the beaches of Praia do Ourigo, Praia dos Ingleses and Praia da Luz. These three are a continuation of Praia do Carneiro and are therefore very similar.
The next stretch of sand are the beaches of Praia de Gondarém and Praia do Molhe. On the north side of the Molhe de Carreiros sea defence is the last beach, the Praia do Homem do Leme.
The most notable feature near Praia do Molhe is the Pérgola da Foz, a Neoclassical pergola inspired by the Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
The Pérgola da Foz is regarded as one of the most romantic spots in Porto and a beautiful setting to watch the sunset over the ocean.
The Matosinhos beaches
Matosinhos is a town famous for its fresh fish and its busy fishing port.
The larger beach, Praia de Matosinhos, lies south of the docks, while Praia de Leça da Palmeira lies north of the port. During summer these two beaches are the most popular in Porto, and there is a real buzz to them. For a guide to Matosinhos.
The only drawback of the Matosinhos beaches is that the fishing port and the docks dominate the landscape. These beaches are excellent for a day at the beach, but they do not have the idyllic setting or the wow factor that some tourists may wish for on their holidays.
We recommend that, if you are new to Porto and looking for a pretty beach, you travel further afield, to Aguda, Espinho or Vila do Conde. Alternatively, if you just want a good beach close to Porto, then Praia de Matosinhos would be a sensible choice. This view is shared by most of Porto, since on summer weekends most of the city descends on the Matosinhos beaches.
Beaches a little further from Porto
The coastline south of Porto is a continuous sandy beach stretching for over 17 km and including the towns of Miramar, Aguda, Granja, Francelos and Espinho. This coastline is characteristic of the Costa Verde, with vast sandy beaches and huge Atlantic waves that make them ideal for surfing. Espinho is the largest resort of this stretch of coast and is connected by the Porto-Aveiro railway.
To the north of Porto are the towns of Vila do Conde and Póvoa de Varzim. Vila do Conde is a charming town that has preserved its historic centre and lies on a 6 km strip of sand, while Póvoa de Varzim is a much more modern town with an equally fine beach.
