Praia do Camilo is one of the best beaches in Lagos, Portugal.
Located between Praia Dona Ana and Ponta Da Piedade, the small Camilo Beach offers stunning cliffs and2 rock formations.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit with map, access, tips and photos.
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Portugal:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Portugal: DiscoverCars
The unmissable boat tour: Benagil sea cave from Portimao
My favorite excursion from Lisbon: Sintra Pena Palace and Cabo da Roca
My favorite places to stay:
- Lisbon: see best rated hotels – e.g. Santiago de Alfama boutique hotel
- Porto: see best rated hotels – e.g. Descobertas Boutique Hotel
- Lagos: see best rated hotels – e.g. Uma Cas A Beira Sol
Why visit Camilo Beach in Lagos, Algarve?
Is Praia do Camilo worth visiting?
Yes, it is worth visiting in my opinion. Camilo is one of the most beautiful beaches in Algarve and in Portugal.
It is a small but impressive cove with:
- Steep giant cliff walls in the shape of waves carved by the sea,
- Arches,
- Sea stacks,
- …
Video – Virtual visit
Have a look at this short video to get an idea of what your visit could look like:
More photos and details after the planning tips.
Planning tips & Map – Praia do Camilo, Lagos, Portugal
Where is Praia do Camilo in Portugal? Map
- On the West Algarve coast
- In the town of Lagos, between the magnificent Praia Dona Ana and Ponta Da Piedade
- South of the city center of Lagos, Portugal
- Lagos Portimao to Dona Ana beach = 5min drive
- Portimao to Dona Ana beach = 30min drive
- Albufeira to Dona Ana beach = 45min drive
- Below is a map to help you get oriented:
This location is included (with GPS coordinates, map of location and planning info) in my travel guide eBook that helps you easily plan your Portugal road trip:
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How to get to Praia do Camilo in Lagos
- 3km from the center of Lagos
- By car or on foot from Lagos
- Take the bus (line 2) to Dona Ana and finish on foot
- In Summer, there is also a touristic train
- In summer, the carpark would get full quickly (very limited spaces).
Need to rent a car in Portugal?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Prefer a compact car for the narrow streets in villages
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Best time to visit Praia do Camilo
- Better at low tide, otherwise there is not much sand
- Early or late to avoid the crowds and find parking space
- Don’t come too late, there is no light when the sun is too low
Visit Tips
- 225 steps on a wooden staircase to access the beach
- Praia do Camilo facilities: Restaurant and toilets at the top of the stairs only
- There is nothing at sea level
- Being close to Lagos and quite small, it can get really busy in Summer (however the 225 steps discourage many…)
- The area is great for boat tours and kayaking with the cliffs, the rock formations and caves – Check out the water tour options
- It is also a good place for snorkeling
Restaurant O Camilo
There is a restaurant at the top of the cliffs.
It is popular. They serve fish and seafood with a great view.
Closed on Mondays.
Accommodations in Lagos near Praia do Camilo
In Lagos you can either stay in the city center where all the restaurants and night activities are, or you can stay near the amazing beaches of Camilo and Praia Dona Ana.
I stayed near the beaches, just 10 min walk from the beaches in the beautiful Uma Casa a Beira Sol apartments/hotel.
My parents and I loved the place with the beautiful garden and the amazing breakfast. Check out availability and photos
For other choices, you can check this link to the best rated accommodations in Lagos, Portugal on Booking.com
Where to stay in the Algarve?
My favorites:
- Lagos, for the charm : see best rated accommodations
- Portimao, central to explore – see best rated accommodations
- Albufeira without a car – see best rated accommodations
- Alvor with kids – see best rated accommodations
- Tavira, for the east side – see best rated accommodations
View from top of the cliffs
Praia Do Camilo is located in the coastline tips, South of the town of Lagos, Portugal. At this area, you can find some of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve and in Portugal.
The most famous is Praia Dona Ana because it has a lot of sand. But I think Praia Do Camilo is way more scenic and best for photographers.
From the carpark, you can first easily walk on the cliffs to admire the views below you: impressive erosion work and sea stacks.
In the 2 photos below, in the foreground you have Camilo beach, and, in the background, you can see Praia Dona Ana.
The West side of Camilo beach, gives an idea of the beautiful coastline which will come if you head West to the magnificent promontory of Ponta Da Piedade.
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Access to the beach of Camilo – stairs
But to see this scenic beach, you need to make an effort. At this location, the cliffs are quite high. And you will have to get down 225 steps to reach the sand!!! It is hard on the knees… and worst, you know you will have to climb them to go back up!
However, I think it is absolutely worth it at low tide.
Don’t forget anything in the car and use the toilets before starting the descent.
At least as you walk down, the views are splendid and you get you more and more excited at reaching the beach.
The arch & tunnel
One of the first features you will notice is a small arch. This is the feature that often allows you to recognize Camilo beach.
You can walk under it.
I found it very attractive and took many pictures from various angles!
On the picture below, to the left of the arch you can see the entrance to a tunnel that allows you access to the next cove to see even more rock formations.
Need to rent a car in Portugal?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Prefer a compact car for the narrow streets in villages
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
More rock formations with Camilo beach photos
And now let’s have a look at some pictures of Praia Do Camilo. I think it is best visited at low tide to explore the coves and have the foreground of rock formations.
The sand is golden and the cliffs yellow/orange. And the water is particularly clear.
Want to see more of the Algarve and Portugal?
- 30 Most beautiful landscapes in Portugal – read article
- Best things to do in Portugal – read article
- The best beaches in Portugal – read article
- The best things to do in the Algarve region – read article
- Benagil cave and Algarve boat tours – read article
- The magnificent Ponta da Piedade – read article
- The famous Marinha beach – read article
- The unique Tres Irmaos beach – read article
- The magnificent orange cliffs of Praia da Falesia – read article
Planning a trip to Portugal?
Check out my travel guide to help you plan:
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