Algarve West Tourism Guide - Algarve West Beaches/Surfing

West Algarve Windward Coast - Algarve Beaches Armacao de Pera to Carvoeiro & Algar Seco

Along with Albufeira, Armacao de Pera is one of the oldest and long-standing resorts on the Algarve coast. It's famous for it's long sandy beach, a major attraction for family holidays here in this Algarve beach resort. Armacao de Pera is actually an important spot on the Algarve coast - it's the spot or axis where the coast west from here tilts (hence the dramatic rock formations all the way west to Cape St Vincent).

East Algarve beaches in contrast are flat golden sands with shallow waters, whereas to the west the land rises revealing rocky cliffs at certain spots to great dramatic effect. There's a collision going on here between Eurasian and African continental plates - the African plate is literally pushing the land mass on the Western Algarve coast upwards. The most dramatic effects of this natural affair can be seen at Algar Seco.

Carvoeiro offers a choice of sublime Algarve beaches in its surrounds. The distinctive windward West Algarve coast with its dramatic rock formations reaches peak effect at Algar Seco near Carvoeiro. Pretty Algarve beach bays framed by high cliffs and rock formations are on the beach menu around Carvoeiro and Ferragudo.

Praia da Rocha Best Beach West Algarve

One of the most popular Algarve beaches is beautiful Praia da Rocha on Portimao's beachfront. With endless golden sands and a choice of watersports, with easy access to a choice of beach hotels, bars and restaurants just behind the beach, you can see why Praia da Rocha is one of the Algarve's most popular beach resort holiday spots.

Praia da Rocha was one of the first beaches to pull in the tourist crowds to the Algarve in the 1950s and 1960s - the beach here ranks as one of the best holiday resort beaches out there! Self contained and all inclusive, with a choice of excursions available either inland with boat trips up the river to Silves, or along the Algarve coast here exploring the caves and rock formations, you've everything you need for a perfect beach resort holiday.

Move further west towards Alvor and the Algarve beach scene gets a little quieter. Beaches here around Alvor are flatter - this is estuary territory and local natural wetlands are a haven for wildlife.

Lagos Algarve Best Beaches

Lagos in the West Algarve is a major contender for beach holiday top spot, with 9 glorious beaches. Just to the east of Lagos sits the largest and main beach Meia Praia. Here is endless sands and a choice of water sports including water skiing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, sailing, fishing and on the sands volleyball and beach football. Restaurants and beach bars are situated close by. Meia Praia is a wide sandy beach bay with character low lying sand dunes. It stetches for about 4 kilometres. Follow the tarmac road from Lagos towards the Marina. Meia Praia is well signposted.

Other smaller Lagos beaches nearer the centre include pretty Praia da Batata near Fortaleza da Bandeira. Lots of hidden corners here amongst dramatic sandstone rock formations. In the cluster of central Lagos beaches, Praia dos Estudantes and Praia do Pinhao also feature. Heading further west towards Luz more beaches await including Dona Ana (not recommended for swimming), Camilo, Coneca, Balanca, Canavial and Praia do Porto de Mos and finally beautiful Luz beach with its exclusive low lying resort facilities.

Praia da Luz just to the west of Lagos is a stunning beach popular with families as it's a nicely sheltered beach bay away from the hussle and bustle of the main Lagos beaches. Praia da Luz is a tastefully developed low key family holiday resort hotspot on the Algarve.

Sagres Algarve Beaches & Carrapateira Surfing Algarve West Coast

Sagres offers a choice of four stunning quiet beaches. Right near the town is Praia da Mareta, a stunning Sagres beach popular for gentler surfing with a restaurant bar right on the beach. East of Sagres is Praia do Martinhall, and past Ponta de Sagres sits Praia do Tonel. Pushing the other way towards Cabo de Sao Vicente is Praia de Beliche, and Praia da Baleeira is next to the harbour (not really suitable for either swimming or surfing/it gets a little pollution). The most popular surfing beach around Sagres is Praia do Tonel, with many of the surfing trips heading up to Carrapateira.

Many of the surf schools in both Lagos and Sagres head up the west coast to the beautiful surfing beach of Carrapateira. Carrapateira's surfing beach is renowned on the international surfing scene. The Atlantic waves hit the West Algarve here head on to great surfing effect!