The list presented is the author’s top pick, and all the beaches are accessible around 1h by public transportation depending on the traffic.
For places to see inside Lisbon, or the best day trips near Lisbon, there is a list at the end of the article.
Costa da Caparica (Caparica Coast)
Costa da Caparica, also written as Costa de Caparica, is both the name of a small seaside city located less than 10 km (6.2 miles) south from Lisbon as well as the name of the coastal area that spreads out for about 30 km (18.6 miles), most of it a very long stretch of a white sandy beach.
Costa da Caparica is a well known international surf spot. In summer, the gentle swells make the conditions perfect for the surf learners, and in winter, the strong swells make surf-pros delight. All good reasons for surf aficionados.
Beaches in Costa da Caparica
Urban beaches
These beaches benefit from having a direct bus connection to Lisbon, therefore it doesn’t require commuting, also due their proximity to the Costa da Caparica city, you will have direct access to restaurants and other amenities, on the other hand, these beaches are more crowded and tend to have less sand during the high tide.
Starting from the North side, Costa da Caparica beaches start at the Tejo (Tagus) river's mouth, with the small beach at Cova do Vapor, then the long beach of São João, followed by several urban beaches separated by artificial reefs.
These urban beaches are connected by a paved promenade dotted with beach bars and restaurants. This promenade ends at Nova Praia (New Beach), beyond that point the beach stretches out for kilometers until Lagoa da Albufeira.
Although they are urban beaches, Costa da Caparica is an environmentally protected area and there is no release of sewers to the beaches, therefore the water is safe to swim in.
All these beaches have lifeguards during summer.
The urban beaches
- At the center:
- In the north:
- Praia do CDS - popular for surf learners and surf championships.
- Praia de Santo António .
- Praia do Norte .
- In the south:
Southern beaches
This area starts at Nova Praia where the paved promenade ends and it stretches for several kilometers until Praia da Pipa when it’s closed the waterway at Praia da Lagoa da Albufeira, otherwise, the last walkable beach is Praia da Lagoa da Albufeira.
The further away you are from Costa da Caparica city the more empty patches of sand you will find especially during summer where the main urban beaches are overcrowded, on the other, it will have less accessibility.
Although there are many beaches in this area without any well defined limits, the ones listed here are the author’s pick due to popularity, beach bars and public transportation.
- Fonte da Telha - Beach with restaurants and popular for kitesurfing.
Things to do in Costa da Caparica
Learn to Surf
In recent years, Costa da Caparica boomed in the international scene as a surf learning spot.
Many beach bars have their own surfing school providing both surf lessons or just surf rental.
When you arrive for the first time in Costa da Caparica, you might feel overwhelmed with the number of surfers and surf learners lining up in the ocean. In that case, you can venture yourself on the beaches south of Costa da Caparica, where the beach bars also have surfing schools but there is plenty of space between surfers.
Stroll on the promenade
The beaches near Costa da Caparica city have a paved promenade dotted with beach bars and restaurants that stretches along several beaches. The promenade is popular among locals, skaters and surf spotters. It can be crowded around sunset on weekends.
Arte Xávega (Xávega Art)
Arte Xávega is the art of fishing by casting the fishing nets from boats near the shore and then pulling them on land by manpower.
In the XVIII century, already lived in Costa da Caparica fishermen who had emigrated from Ílhavo and Ovar, coastal places in the north of Portugal with centuries old tradition in fishing.
They brought the Xavega Art to Costa da Caparica as well as those wooden houses on sand dunes, mainly with white walls and single color slant wooden boards.
Today the pulling of the fishing nets has been done by tractors replacing the requirement of many men to pull the nets.
When the nets are being pulled, usually the flocks of seagulls hover in the area making a sight well worth seeing.
In summer you aren't allowed to fish on the urban beaches, therefore you will find them before sunset on the beaches south to the last artificial reef, such as Praia da Saúde (Health beach)
Cova do Vapor
Cova do Vapor is a small place at the junction with Tagus river mouth and the Atlantic Ocean. Cova do Vapor beach is the first beach of Costa da Caparica.
This place preserved its traditional fishing vibe and hasn't been affected by the tourism pressure. Some of its houses are quite picturesque and the entrance has a small bay.
Except for the main street, all the others are tiny alleys, one of which is called 5th Avenue.
Especially since the pandemic, hikers and cyclists make a stop in this place to refuel their bellies on the weekends.
Mata de São João (São João Woods)
Mata de São João , also known as Mata de Santo António, lies at the back of Praia de São João. Although they are privately owned, it has free access for walking and cycling, however, vehicles must pay an entrance fee to park inside the woods which gives access to the beach.
The woods are accessible on foot from Costa da Caparica.
Miradouro dos Capuchos (Capuchos Viewpoint)
Miradouro dos Capuchos lies near the edge of the cliff which gives you a bird's-eye view over all the coastal area.
This place is popular for sunset watching, you can also use it as the starting point for a hike of this area of the cliff.
Convento dos Capuchos (Capuchos Convent)
Convento dos Capuchos belongs to the Order of São Francisco and it was built in 1558. From the outside, you will see the convent's iconic facade, hedged by cypress and with a stone walkway in the middle.
What makes the Convent of major interest is its gardens. These, cost free, have sanctuaries with the walls covered with small shells.
Arriba fóssil (Fossil Cliff)
Arriba fóssil is the cliff that lies east of the Costa da Caparica coastal area.
It is accessible both by road and by trails from Costa da Caparica.
Arriba fóssil is split by a main road that enters Costa da Caparica city into two main areas.
The north part of Arriba Fóssil is popular for hiking, cycling and sunset watching.
It has two abandoned forts as described below.
This cliff has no safeguards at the edge, so it's advisable not to wander at the edge since it's a massive drop and people have already fallen from it.
Watching the sunset from the top of the cliff has become a popular activity, especially after covid. However, the area is located in an unpopulated area near less safe neighborhoods. It’s not advisable to wander off alone at night in this area.
Fortes Abandonados (Abandoned Fortresses)
Fortes Abandonados are inside the belly of Arriba fóssil, there are two abandoned forts that once served as a line of defense against invasion by sea. The forts aren’t well preserved and in some areas the weeds have made it difficult to explore due to its thorns.
Much like the rest of Arriba fóssil, the forts are in unpopulated areas with nearby less safe neighborhoods. It’s not safe to stay at night alone or in small groups.
Fonte da Telha
Fonte da Telha , in contrast with Cova do Vapor, is the last coastal place, beyond this point to the south there are only wild beaches edged by the cliff without road access or bars.
Fonte da Telha is also popular for surfing but not so much for surf learners. It's also common for locals to drive here to avoid the crowds of the Costa da Caparica center. It has a few restaurants and beach bars, and it's accessible by bus.
If you walk along the beach from Fonte da Telha to the north, you will pass a large sand strip that is by nudists to be in touch with nature.
Mata dos Medos (Woods of Fear)
Mata dos Medos are the woods near Fonte da Telha in the southern area of Costa da Caparica. A good part of the soil in these woods is sandy, dotted with trees, making it hard to walk, however, it has a complex elevated boardwalk system inside the woods with a few viewpoints to the beach.
Lisbon’s north river bank
The beaches on Lisbon’s north river bank are urban beaches and much smaller than their cousins in the Costa da Caparica coastal area.
Also, their proximity to the river makes their water with less quality, especially the ones closer to Lisbon.
Nevertheless, they have several advantages to the ones in south side:
- Easy access. The train “Linha de Cascais” departs from Cais do Sodré in Lisbon and it stops very close to each of these beaches.
- They are close to urban areas providing easy access to amenities.
- Several of these beaches have nearby palaces, parks, shopping streets and cultural events.
The list below is the author’s top pick of the best beaches in the north river bank starting from the ones further away from Lisbon:
- Cascais:
- Baía de Cascais (Cascais Bay) . - Small bay surrounded by a palace and upscale houses.
- Praia da Ribeira de Cascais (Ribeira de Cascais Beach) - linked to Praia da Duquesa.
- Praia da Rata - smaller beach, quite often without sand, flanked by a pier. With decent swells shoving the beach, it’s a popular choice among surfers.
- Estoril:
- Praia do Tamariz - the biggest beach in Estoril, most central, and the most popular when it comes to surfing, beach parties, and show off your sunglasses. The beach has a restaurant with outdoor seating.
On the east side, there is an enclosed area forming a natural swimming pool. - Praia da Poça - The beach is shaped into a small bay, offering good protection against the swells.
- Praia de São Pedro do Estoril - The beach shore is mostly covered with rocks.
- Carcavelos:
Are the beaches near Lisbon safe
The beaches near Lisbon much like Lisbon are peaceful and in general safe when it comes to crime, however, it’s fundamental to take into account:
- Never leave your values unattended on the beach, even on the more remote beaches in the south of Costa da Caparica coastal area. Petty theft is common.
- Avoid wandering off on the woods or remote beaches during the night in the Costa da Caparica coastal area. Couples are easy prey.
- All the beaches listed in this article have rip currents, stronger near the reefs. Always follow the lifeguard instructions and don’t venture off alone on unguarded beaches. Unfortunately, death by drowning is common every year.
- Except for a few days during summer, most of the time, the water is cold and even more during winter. Don’t enter the water after heavy meals.
- Costa da Caparica main urban beaches can be plagued by those carrying loudspeakers.
- During high tide many of the beaches lose their sand even during summer, and the tide can rise fast. It’s quite common for sunbathers to see their values soaked in salt water.
- Many of the beaches on the north river bank are flanked by rocks and also many have rocks on the water near the shore. It’s easy to get cut.
- Seldomly you might be stung by a peixe-aranha (Weever). This fish dwells under sand underwater and it has venomous spines. Its venom it’s not deadly, but it’s very painful, and after a while the pain will fade away. Usually, the fire department and lifeguards have an anesthesia spray that will reduce the pain. The most common place to get stung is on the foot since the fish reacts to pressure.
Are there nude beaches near Lisbon
Praia naturista 19 in the south of Costa da Caparica is an easy access nude beach.
To reach this beach from Lisbon (stops at Alcantara bus stop ), there is a direct bus to Costa da Caparica, and from there, take another bus to Fonte da Telha, from Fonte da Telha beach, walk north.
The most popular nude beach near Lisbon is Praia do Meco in the Costa da Caparica area, however, this one requires a longer journey.
Best time of the year to go to the beaches near Lisbon
For sunbathing the best time is between Spring and the beginning of Autumn. Summer can be hot and crowded, but there are more events and the bars and restaurants are open daily.
The urban beaches have bars and restaurants open all year round, especially on weekends, making a lovely stopover for a winter day.
For surfing, if you are a beginner, summer could be the best, otherwise, it’s more advisable to surf outside summer since you will have lesser crowds on the water. In winter, big swells hit the shore and swimming and surfing can be banned in the urban beaches.
Kitesurfing can be done all year, however, Autumn could be the best time for it, before the rains and the beaches become less crowded.
