With a colorful cliff and golden sand, Praia da Falesia Algarve is one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal. And the best part is that there is a viewpoint to be able to see the whole Falesia Beach Portugal from higher ground. Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.
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Why visit Praia da Falesia in the Algarve? Video
Praia da Falesia is definitively one of my favorite beaches in Portugal (see my list).
It is not the best one to just lie on the beach, but it is so impressive: The long beach is at the foot for tall white and orange cliffs.
The shapes and colors are incredible. Just look:

Let's start with a short video to discover the beauty of Falesia Beach. And you will understand why this is a must stop on your itinerary!
What do you think, one of the best beaches in Portugal ?
More photos and details after the planning tips.
PLANNING TIPS - Falesia Beach Portugal
How to get to Falesia Beach Portugal
- In the Algarve region - see my article guide
- On the map below, east from Albufeira
- Albufeira to Falesia = 20min drive
- Portimao to Falesia = 45min drive
- Faro to Falesia = 40min drive

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Visiting Praia Da Falesia
- West Access and viewpoint in the town Olhos de Água - restaurant by the beach
- Central Access - Café at the top of the stairs
- East access - no cliff, just west of Villamoura
- 70 Steps to reach the beach at the central access
- Very busy in Summer and weekends. Nearby carpark might be full
- Be careful at high tide, the water can reach the cliffs; I have seen people get their stuff wet.
- Many restaurants in the area
- There are many hotels and resorts near Praia da Falesia Algarve - check out the best rated options

Road to Falesia

Falesia carpark
Central access to Falesia Beach Portugal
As you arrive at the carpark (of the central access) you can already walk a bit over the cliffs and see the colorful features under you. This looks promising!
However, be really careful, do not get close to the edge, and certainly do not set up your blanket and stuff there, like I have seen other people do. This is not the most stable type of rocks. Danger signs are everywhere.

Falesia has several accesses to different parts of the long beach.
I find that the central part is the place where the cliffs are the most beautiful.
Like with many beaches in the Algarve, a staircase has been set up to allow easy access to the sand. In this case there are roughly 70 steps with platforms and benches.


The café - bar is at road level:

There is also a west access, where the beach looks quite different.
Walking on the beach
Now let's get serious, walking along Praia da Falesia is amazing. Just be careful at high tide as the water can sometimes rise all the way up to the foot of the cliff.
Look at those colors! You can walk for 6 km along such beautiful cliffs.
It is great to see the different layers set up by nature: white sandstone vs yellowish limestone or red argillaceous sandstone (for those who love geology, there is a very technical report online). Some layers are sand, and other are rocks and pebbles.




Viewpoint over the beach of Falesia
But the best is to see Praia Da Falesia from above to really capture the whole cliff.
To access the Falesia Beach viewpoint, nothing is indicated. Access is near the Porto Bay Falesia Hotel in Olhos de Água. A small path without any signs will lead you to one of the best views in the Algarve.



And here you are: this is the view.


Want to see more of PORTUGAL?
Have you ever seen a cliff like this one?

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