Hotels near Praia da Adraga and Praia Grande

Two beaches sit within a few kilometres of each other on the Colares coast, and they serve different purposes. Praia da Adraga is the smaller and more dramatic - a curve of sand hemmed in by black rock stacks and a natural arch, with one long-standing seafood restaurant at the top of the access road. Praia Grande is exactly what the name says: a 1.1 km sweep favoured by surfers, backed by Europe's largest saltwater swimming pool.

The Atlantic here is cold, typically 16 to 18 degrees Celsius in summer, and the rip currents are real. Lifeguards patrol both beaches from June through September. Praia Grande has the easier parking and the fuller row of cafes. Praia da Adraga has the better rock pools at low tide. Neither charges entry, though sunbed hire runs about 15 EUR a day.

Pro Tip: Reach Praia da Adraga on a weekday before 11:00 - the access road holds fewer than 60 cars and fills fast. At Praia Grande, the fossil dinosaur footprints on the northern cliff face are visible at low tide.