Lisbon Estoril Coast Tourism Guide - Sines

Sines Alentejo Coast & Beach Guide

It's really the sublime coastal village of Porto Covo and its beaches to the south of Sines centre that pull in the crowds. Backed on and sheltered by the natural parks of Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vincentina, these beaches are some of Portugal's best!

Perfect for family bathing, the beaches of Morgavel, Vale Figueiros, Grande/Porto Covo, Ilha do Pessegueiro and S.Torpes all have Blue Flag beach awards.

There's even a naturist beach down here - Praia do Salto situated between Cerro da Aguia and Cerca Nova.

Sao Torpes beach nearest to Sines centre tends to be the most crowded, with beaches getting more remote as you push south along the Alentejo coast.

Sines Sports & Surfing

Around Sao Torpes there's a choice of surf schools and surf clothing shops. Surfing trips though tend to head up to the northern coast where the waves are wild.

Nomad Surfers have a surf school up on Lagoa de Santo Andre to the north of Sines. (Tel. 34 971 312099. Beginner Surfers are best around Sao Torpes, with intermediates heading to Porto Corvo and Praia Grande.

Sines History, Birthplace of Vasco da Gama & Festivals Alentejo

The name Sines is thought to derive from the Roman 'Sinus' meaning bay. Sines Castle was built later in the late 1300s.

Vasco da Gama, Portugal's celebrated explorer, was born here in 1469. Sines remained a centre for fishing and the cork industry, with tourism taking the lead in the 20th century.

Naturally Vasco da Gama is paid due homage to in the town. Vasco da Gama (1469 - 1524) was the Portuguese discoverer of the Maritime route to India. Take the Sines Vasco da Gama tour, taking in the Church where he was ordained, the Statue of Vasco da Gama and the Nossa Senhor das Salas church which he had rebuilt. Naturally the statue of Vasco da Gama here in Sines looks out to sea, situated 20 metres south of the Mother church close to the west tower of the castle. (see the Sines Tourist Guide weblink right for more details on this Vasco da Gama Sines Trail).

The biggest fesitval in Sines is the annual Festiva Musicas do Mundo (FMM) organised by Sines City Council. It's a big affair this one (see Sines Music Festival weblink right), and it takes place annually in the last week of July. Other cultural highlights in Sines are the Centro de Artes de Sines which plays host to art exhibitions, concers and it has a public library (weblink right). See also the Archaeological Museum near the castle which holds Palaeolithic artefacts and more.