Beaches of Sintra
Golden soft sand beaches bathed by the pure Atlantic waters offering exceptional conditions for sunbathing, water sports such as all kinds of surf, fishing and paragliding
Besides bathing and the radiant summer sun, the Sintra beaches also afford superb conditions for water sports, while the cliffs provide paragliding lovers with excellent jumping ramps.
Fishing, surfing and body-board are among sports most commonly practiced along the Sintra coastline.
The Atlantic coast is rich in marine species.
Among the molluscs are octopus, cuttlefish and squid, mussels, limpets and clams among others.
The crustaceans include various kinds of crab, including rock and spider crabs, lobster and rock lobster, the last two in zones further from the coast.
Grey mullet, bass, parrotfish, sole and, in deeper water, moray eel, electric ray, anglerfish and others are to be found in this coastal area.
Adraga Beach P
The access to the Praia da Adraga is made by a winding road and can only be done by car, descending mountains which make you doubt there is a beach below.
However, some minutes away from the village of Almoçageme, the puzzeld visitor discovers, between two enormous hills, the deep blue of the sea.
Despite all this, it is extremely popular, and it might be difficult to find a place to park your car, especially during the weekends.
The site is beautiful, with both mountain and beach sceneries.
The northern part of the beach is attended by nudists.
There is a restaurant , public showers and toilets , parking P and the beach is watched by lifeguards during the summer season (May to mid-October).
Aguda Beach P
The beach is roughly 500 meters long sided by step cliffs close to the village of Fontanelas, northwest of Sintra.
Accessible by steep set of stairs which are quite nerve racking for those who suffer from vertigo .
On the northern side there are numerous small stretches of sea in between the rocks constituting a great place for fishing seabass .
The beach borders the Magoito Beach on its North.
It is quite popular amongst nudists.
The beach is not watched by lifeguards and does not have any facilities such as public showers, toilets, bar-restaurant but has a 55 cars parking P on the top of the cliff.
Azenhas do Mar
Azenhas do Mar is located in a picturesque valley with white houses perched on the Northern Slope.
An ocean pool has been built as the sand was nearly completely submersed during the high tides.
It is a quite popular spot all year long due to the spectacular sceneries offered by the place.
There is a restaurant , public toilets and the beach is watched by lifeguards during the summer season (May to mid-October) but there is no parking and pets are not allowed.
Bus 440 Azenhas do Mar
Azenhas do Mar - Portela de Sintra Estação
Portela de Sintra Train Station - Azenhas do Mar
26 minutes to and from Sintra
Frequency:
Departures at 09:30, 11:00, 12:20, 13:40, 18:35 on week days
and 09:30, 11:00, 12:20, 16:50 on weekends
Detailed timetable
Bus 440 Itinerary Diagram
Itinerary:
Portela de Sintra Train Station <-26 min-> Azenhas do Mar
Route Calculator | Scotturb, Cascais Sintra Busses Website
Public transportation in Sintra
Bus 441 Three Beaches
Portela de Sintra Estação - Terrugem Escola
Portela de Sintra Train Station - Terrugem Escola
21 minutes to and from Sintra
Frequency:
Quite impossible to summarise, better to look at the Detailed timetable or use the Route Calculator
Bus 441 Itinerary Diagram
Itinerary:
Portela de Sintra Train Station <- 16 min -> Grande Beach <- 2 min -> Maças Beach <- 3 min -> Azenhas do Mar Beach <-> ...
Route Calculator | Scotturb, Cascais Sintra Busses Website
Public transportation in Sintra
Grande (Large) Beach P
The beach is easily accessible by car and offers vast parking spaces P.
Praia Grande is justifiably known as one of the best Portuguese spot for water sports, such as bodyboard and surf.
It hosts every year European and World Championships competitions of bodyboard and surf.
On the surrounding cliffs one can find dinosaurs footprints and pedestrian tracks enjoying beautiful sceneries.
There are many restaurants , public showers and toilets and the beach is watched by lifeguards during the summer season (May to mid-October).
One of the longuest swimming pool of Europe (100 metres) - see on Google Maps - of the Hotel Arribas , is located on the north of the beach.
Bus 439 Grande Beach
Portela de Sintra Estação - Praia Grande
Portela de Sintra Train Station - Grande Beach
34 minutes to and from Sintra
Frequency:
Every 90 to 120 minutes, from 08:10 until 21:20 during the week
Every 90 minutes, from 08:00 until 20:05 during the weekend and holidays
Stops at Almoçageme during the winter
Detailed timetable
Bus 439 Itinerary Diagram
Itinerary:
Portela de Sintra Train Station <-28 min-> Almoçageme Market <-6 min-> Grande Beach
Route Calculator | Scotturb, Cascais Sintra Busses Website
Public transportation in Sintra
Bus 441 Three Beaches
Portela de Sintra Estação - Terrugem Escola
Portela de Sintra Train Station - Terrugem Escola
16 minutes to and from Sintra
Frequency:
Quite impossible to summarise, better to look at the Detailed timetable or use the Route Calculator
Bus 441 Itinerary Diagram
Itinerary:
Portela de Sintra Train Station <- 16 min -> Grande Beach <- 2 min -> Maças Beach <- 3 min -> Azenhas do Mar Beach <-> ...
Route Calculator | Scotturb, Cascais Sintra Busses Website
Public transportation in Sintra
Maçãs (Apples) Beach P
The beach takes its name from fallen apples which, in the old times, reached its sand coming from orchards which were boarding the river ending in the ocean on the south of the beach.
Praia das Maçãs is easily accessible by road and there is also a century old electric tram (Wikipedia ) that links the beach to Sintra going through the bucolic landscapes of the valley at a century old pace (13kms in 45 minutes).
There are three tennis courts, a football field and two salted water swimming pools on the beach.
There are many restaurants , shops , public showers and toilets and the beach is watched by lifeguards during the summer season (May to mid-October).
Location: 38.8247726; -9.4699305
Bus 441 Three Beaches
Portela de Sintra Estação - Terrugem Escola
Portela de Sintra Train Station - Terrugem Escola
18 minutes to and from Sintra
Frequency:
Quite impossible to summarise, better to look at the Detailed timetable or use the Route Calculator
Bus 441 Itinerary Diagram
Itinerary:
Portela de Sintra Train Station <- 16 min -> Grande Beach <- 2 min -> Maças Beach <- 3 min -> Azenhas do Mar Beach <-> ...
Route Calculator | Scotturb, Cascais Sintra Busses Website
Public transportation in Sintra
Sintra's Tram
Tram Stop in Sintra - Maçãs Beach
45 minutes to and from Sintra
Current Timetable & Prices
Summer Timetable
3rd week of June until 2nd week of September
Frequency weekends and holydays:
Departures from Sintra:
09:20, 10:10, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 18:00
Departures from Maçãs Beach:
10:10, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 19:00
Frequency week days:
Departures from Sintra:
10:10, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 18:00
Departures from Maçãs Beach:
11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 19:00
Detailed Timetable
Trams in Sintra - Wikipedia | Public transportation in Sintra
Magoito Beach P
Magoito Beach at low tide
Magoito beach is at the north of Aguda beach, at the mouth of the river Ribeira da Mata close to the village of Magoito northwest of Sintra.
It has good road accesses and is linked to Sintra by the Bus 444.
The ramp descending from the village to the beach features a 10,000 years old fossilised dune classified as national geological monument.
There are restaurants , public showers and toilets and the beach is watched by lifeguards during the summer season (May to mid-October).
Bus 444 Magoito Beach
Portela de Sintra Estação - Praia do Magoito
Portela de Sintra Train Station - Magoito Beach
25 minutes to and from Sintra
Frequency:
Departures at 08:20, 09:05, 14:20, 18:25, 18:55 on week days
and 08:40, 10:00, 12:40, 18:00 on weekends
Detailed timetable
Bus 444 Itinerary Diagram
Itinerary:
Portela de Sintra Train Station <-25 min-> Magoito Beach
Route Calculator | Scotturb, Cascais Sintra Busses Website
Public transportation in Sintra
Pequena (Small) Beach P
This beach is at the north of Grande Beach and is mostly attended by water sport fans such as surfers and bodyboarders.
Fishermen can catch seabass and octopus .
Alongside the cliff there is a pedestrian walk with 3 main areas for contemplating the view.
This beach doesn’t have lifeguards and no facilities can be found there.
São Julião Beach P
A river, mostly dry during the summer, crosses the middle of the beach.
It is easily reached by car and there is a 28 slots free parking on the side of the beach plus another 118 slots 160 metres away.
There are restaurants and bars in the vicinities, public showers and toilets and the beach is watched by lifeguards during the summer season (May to mid-October). Pets are not allowed.
Location: 38.9318560; -9.4198000
Samara Beach
The small beach is roughly 50 meters wide.
Remains of human occupation, 4,000 years ago, were found on top of its southern cliff.
Due to its difficult access, one has to walk a steep dangerous dirt road, it has sporadic visitors (scuba divers and fishermen) and is therefore an ecological sanctuary for flora and fauna.
Obviously there is no kind of facilities.
Ursa Beach
Approaching Ursa Beach from the cliff
Ursa is a little beach many consider to be the most beautiful beach in Portugal.
Unpolluted and clean, nudists and textiles share its sand stretches among rocks in a friendly way.
Sharp escarpment between cliffs, waterfalls and numerous rocks supply an almost unlimited source of breathtaking pictures.
According to the legend, the name Ursa (Bear) comes from the ancient times, many thousands of years ago, when a mother bear and its cubs leaved on the beach. When the ice covering the mountains started to melt the gods warned all animals to abandon low sea areas. However the stubborn mother bear that has lived there for her entire life refused to leave. The gods infuriated transformed the mother bear into a massive rock and the cubs into the small rocks formations around her.
There is no easy access, allow more than an hour to climb back up to your car. No facilities.
Location: 38.7903775; -9.4922670
Vigia Beach
The Vigia or Assafora Beach is located south São Julião Beach, close to the Assafora village.
It is a beautiful beach with golden sands and sharp cliffs but with difficult accesses.
The sandy beach spreads throughout a generous 2 km and on the low tide it connects and gives passage to its neighbour beach of São Julião.
This beach does not have any kind of facilities or lifeguard service.
Location: 38.9198244; -9.4259289