Welcome to our guide to Praia do Amado beach in the Costa Vicentina in southern Portugal.
It’s one of the best beaches in the Algarve, and one of the most beautiful beaches Faye and I have seen anywhere in the world. It’s one of the best surfing beaches in Portugal, and also one of the most scenic in the country.
There’s something of the romantic, wind-lashed wilderness about Praia do Amado which strongly appealed to us. I’ve spent a lifetime exploring the western fringes of Europe, and Praia do Amado is one of the outstanding beaches I’ve found in decades seeking them out.
Our Praia do Amado guide shows you a host of images of the beach and surrounding area. We also give you all the information you’ll need before visiting, including how to get there and distances from other places to visit in the Algarve. We also suggest places to stay close to Praia do Amado and elsewhere in the Costa Vicentina.
Why Visit Praia do Amado
Praia do Amado is one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal. It’s a long, wild and windswept beach exposed to the white-tipped waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
It’s a beach that appeals to lovers of dramatic coastal scenery like us. It’s also one of the highlights of the long-distance Rota Vicentina network of footpaths.
Praia do Amado is also one of the best Algarve surfing beaches, with a local surf school offering lessons and budget accommodation.
Praia do Amado is also a great place for families to visit if you’re looking for plenty of space for running around.
Even at its busiest, Praia do Amado is nowhere near as busy as the popular Algarve beaches east of Lagos. The surrounding area – the Costa Vicentina – has hardly been developed at all, a far cry from much of the rest of the Algarve.
What To See And Do At Praia do Amado
1. Take a walk down to the beach
Several wooden walkways lead down the steep hill to Praia do Amado. Each one is like a pathway to paradise. We visited in springtime when the beach was deserted except for a few surfers. It’s over a kilometre long, and you can either find a spot to relax or take a walk along the shoreline and listen to the waves crashing in.
2. Go surfing – or take a surfing lesson
Praia do Amado is perhaps best known as one of the best beaches to surf in Portugal. The more devoted surfers head there throughout the year, but only experienced surfers should tackle the bigger waves common in winter.
There are some hidden rocks offshore so if you head out into the water it may be worth checking with fellow surfers where they are.
A few surf schools operate at Praia do Amado, including Amado Surf Camp (who also offer accommodation) and Fun Ride (who are based near Sagres).
3. Take a walk on the Rota Vicentina
The Rota Vicentina is one of the best long-distance trails in Europe. We rate it up there with the likes of the E4 Trail in Crete and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales.
The Rota consists of two main walks – the Fishermen’s Trail and the Historical Trail. The Fishermen’s Trail runs south and north of Praia do Amado, and I had a wonderful time exploring the latter section.
The coast path and road north of Praia do Amado lead to some of the best views of the beach. This area is where you’ll find some of the ochre rocks (which you also find at some other Algarve beaches). In springtime there are also carpets of wildflowers, which makes the view even more spectacular.
4. Visit the Muslim Fishing Village
As you continue north of Praia do Amado you reach the cove of Praia do Portinho do Forno. It’s another magnificent spot, with the added attraction of a clifftop settlement believed to date from the late 12th century.
This isolated place was home to a hamlet of Muslim fishermen. They would have lived here towards the end of Muslim rule in Portugal, which continued until the 1240s when the Almohads were pushed out of the nearby city of Silves.
The settlement would probably have existed for 50 or so years. As well as catching smaller fish, it may also have been an observation post for whalers.
5. Visit Praia da Bordeira
Praia da Bordeira is at the other end of the coastal track from Praia do Amado. It’s an enormous wide expanse of sand backed by dunes, and even early in the season is popular with motor-homers and camper-vanners.
It’s not difficult to see why – it’s a fantastic beach, completely wild.
See Also: Costa Vicentina Algarve Guide – exploring this stunning corner of south-west Portugal
Where Is Praia do Amado
Praia do Amado is in the Parque Natural da Costa Vicentina e Sudoeste Alentejano. This protected coastal area covers the south-western corner of the Algarve region, as well as the southern part of the Alentejo province to the north.
Praia do Amado beach is close to the village of Carrapateira, and is on the Atlantic west coast of the Algarve region.
Here are some sample distances from local towns and cities further afield:
Aljezur to Praia do Amado: 23 km (14 miles)
Sagres to Praia do Amado: 23 km (14 miles)
Lagos to Praia do Amado: 37 km (23 miles)
Albufeira to Praia do Amado: 81 km (50 miles)
Faro to Praia do Amado: 112 km (70 miles)
Lisbon to Praia do Amado: 278 km (173 miles -via A2 motorway and N263 via Messejana)
How To Get To Praia do Amado
The only way to reach Praia do Amado is by car.
Public transport is a non-starter – the 22 bus between Vila do Bispo and Aljezur passes through Carrapateira twice a week.
Carrapateira is on the N268 road between the N120 and Sagres on the south coast of the Costa Vicentina. If you’re exploring the area you’ll probably use the road numerous times. Minor roads lead from the N268 and Praia do Amado and the other Carrapateira beaches to the north.
One of the best places to hire a car is Lagos, which is as far as most public transport will get you. Take a look at discover cars for car hire options there.
Places To Stay Near Praia do Amado – Costa Vicentina Hotels
One of the joys of staying in Costa Vicentina is that you step back in time to somewhere with very little development. So many of the places to stay in the Costa Vicentina tend to be small hotels, pensions and guest houses. It’s so different from the popular south coast of the Algarve, where hotels and resorts dominate.
If you opt to stay very close to Praia do Amado, Pensão das Dunas is just off the main N268 road in Carrapateira. It’s a beautiful traditional house with a shady patio where you can relax, and superb breakfasts.
Casa Fajara Boutique House and Hotel is a great 3-star option a little further away from Praia do Amado. They offer en suite rooms or apartments, and also run yoga retreats.
A few miles north in the town of Aljezur, the 4-star Vicentina Hotel is one of the larger places in the area. They have a selection of double and twin rooms as well as studios and apartments.
There are also to wonderful apartments in Dream View House, overlooking Praia da Arrifana beach.
Places To Visit Near Praia do Amado
Praia do Amado and Carrapateira are ideally located for exploring the Costa Vicentina, and the more mainstream (for want of a better word) parts of the Algarve are close by. The hills of the Algarve hinterland – another very different Algarve experience – are also a short drive away.
Heading north from Carrapateira, the town of Aljezur is worth a few hours’ stop. It has a fine Moorish castle and some pleasant restaurants in the old town below. It’s very close to Praia da Amoreira, one of the best Costa Vicentina beaches.
Aljezur is one of the gateways to the Serra de Monchique, the range of mountains around 10 miles inland from the coast. The town of Monchique makes a pleasant stop for a few hours, as does the tiny spa town of Caldas de Monchique, a few miles to the south.
The southern part of the Costa Vicentina is the most popular and developed. The best of the villages in the area is Sagres, from which some of the early Portuguese Voyages of Discovery departed.
The Fortaleza (Fortress) on the clifftop outside the village was used by Prince Henry the Navigator, possibly to train future sailors. The Fortaleza overlooks Praia do Tonel, another of the best Algarve beaches. This superb beach gets a constant loud lashing from the Atlantic, and is also very popular with surfers.
You can see the lighthouse of Cape St Vincent from either the Fortaleza or beach. This marks the south-westernmost point on the European mainland, and in ancient times the horizon visible from there was believed to be the end of the world.
The nearest of the main Algarve beach resort is Lagos. It’s quite a party town, with a few very good restaurants hidden among the busy late-night bars. We can’t recommend the Lagos Portugal beaches enough, especially Praia Dona Ana and Praia do Camilo, to the south of the town.
These beaches are part of the Ponta da Piedade headland. One of the best things to do in Lagos is a boat trip around some of the magical rock formations around the coastline. They take you into sea caves and below rock arches – it’s an amazing experience.
Praia do Amado – Final Thoughts
Praia do Amado is an astonishing beach, and we rate it one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. Some of you may visit for the surf, which is among the best in the Algarve. We went for the coastal scenery, and if you’re heading for the wild west of the Algarve, seek this amazing place out.
Check out more of our articles on Portugal here:
- Things To Do In Albufeira – discover the superb beaches that made it so popular in the first place
- Portugal Road Trip – Alentejo – less renowned than Algarve, but perhaps our favourite region in Portugal
- Monsaraz – the complete guide to one of the most beautiful villages in Europe
- Marvao Portugal – stunning Castle and medieval village overlooking the Spanish border
- Castelo de Vide Portugal – gorgeous little-known border town in the north of Alentejo
- Things To Do In Evora – the charming ancient capital of Alentejo province
- What Is Portugal Famous For – from salt cod to custard tarts, and exceptional architecture and landscapes
For more of the best beaches in Europe, check out these articles:
- Balos Beach Crete – remote lagoon paradise in north-west corner of Crete
- Falassarna Beach – astounding beach on the west coast of Crete
- Elafonissi Beach – famous pink sand beaches in another far-flung corner of Crete
- Rhossili Bay – amazing sweep of golden sand on the Gower Peninsula, and setting for some of the best sunsets in Europe