Praia da Adraga Portugal is one of the most famous beaches in the Sintra-Cascais region. The large sandy area, its wild environment and great rock formations make Adraga Beach a must-see. Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.
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Why visit Adraga Beach, Portugal? - Video
Praia da Adraga Portugal is a remote beach in the Sintra-Cascais National Park. It has quite a deep sandy area with soft sand.
At the south end is an arch and at the North end big black boulders cut by erosion.
Let's start with a short video showing you the peaceful feeling of Adraga Beach (when not in peak season...):
More photos after the planning tips.
PLANNING TIPS - Praia da Adraga Portugal
How to get to Praia da Adraga Portugal?
- West coast of Portugal, in the Sintra-Cascais National Park, North of Cabo da Roca
- Near the town of Almoçageme
- Sintra to Praia da Adraga - 25 min (13km) - small roads (see my Sintra-Cascais guide)
- Lisbon to Praia da Adraga - 50min (44km)
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Visiting Adraga Beach
- Avoid the weekends in Summer - carpark and beach will be full!
- Restaurant and facilities
- Better to explore at low tide
- Be careful the waves are really strong
- You can stay in Sintra to explore the region - Check out the best rated accommodations in Sintra
- Or you can stay closer to the beach - Check out the options in the area
The Beach of Adraga in pictures
Adraga has beautiful fine sand and great rock formations. It is a wonderful playground for photographers.
Because I was limited in time and really wanted to explore Magoito Beach, I stayed on the South side of Adraga beach. But there are some great views and rock formations towards the North.
It is best at low tide to be able to explore further and get fantastic angles.
Praia da Adraga is actually loved by photographers because of these dark rock formations. However they are not as impressive as those you can see in the Algarve region (such as on Marinha Beach or Ponta da Piedade).
As this beach is more easily accessed from Lisbon, it has become a favorite for a lot of photographers. The waves crashing on those rock formations are amazing at sunset...
The Arch of Adraga Beach
I know most photographers go to the other end of the beach for the point black rock formations (see next section), but I really fell in love with the arch. It is really close to the carpark.
I love its proportions and the cut in the rock. Some call it the Elephant rock.
Just be careful at high tide as you could be taking a picture inside when a wave comes all the way onto your feet 🙁
Adraga Beach Café Restaurant
Adraga Beach is still quite wild. There is only a carpark with a cafe (Restaurant d'Agrada) and facilities. The next beach Praia Grande has several restaurants but less interest in terms of scenery...
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Stunning arch, isn't is?
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Some great shots here – the night and day beach photos. Amazing video and pics. Thank you so much for sharing it.