Praia de Albandeira is a small double beach worth visiting in the Algarve, Portugal.
At high tide, the waves crash and swirl in the coves. A great show!
Plus, you can walk on the cliffs to admire the arch: Arco de Albandeira.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit to Albandeira Beach with map, 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 Albandeira Beach in Algarve?
Praia de Albandeira is a small cove cut in two by rock formations, creating 2 distinct beaches at high tide.
If you want to sunbathe, head there at low tide.
But if, like me, you prefer action and scenic beauty; I recommend a visit at high tide when the waves crash onto the rock formations!
Video
Below is a short video showing you the beauty of the crashing waves on Praia de Albandeira and its neighbor Praia da Estaquinha and the sea carved arch: Arco de Albandeira.
More photos after the planning tips.
Planning tips & Map – Praia de Albandeira, Algarve, Portugal
Where is Praia de Albandeira in the Algarve? – Map and location
- On the Algarve Coast – check out my article about the best things to do in the Algarve
- Between Portimao and Albufeira
- Portimao to Albandeira =30min
- Albufeira to Albandeira = 30min
- 10min East of the famous Benagil cave
- Not far from the famous Praia da Marinha Beach
- Below is a map to help you get oriented:
This location with its GPS coordinates and planning info is included in my eBooks to help you easily plan your Portugal itinerary:
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How to get to Albandeira beach? Access
- You need a car to access Albandeira beach
- The last 2km are single-track road with passing places
- And the last 200m are on a gravel road
- Large carpark
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!
Visit tips
- Easy access to the beach from the parking
- Bar on the beach
- For restaurants, you will have to drive a little to reach them
- Not good for sunbathing at high tide as the sandy area disappears but better for photography
- No lifeguards in winter and swirling waves
- Not touristy but small so it gets crowded too
Where to stay near Albandeira beach?
- The closest hotel is the Vila Alba Resort with pool, gardens and sea views – check out photos and availability
- or Check out the best rated accommodations in the area
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
Access to Albandeira Cove
Access from the carpark is easy with a man-made path and stairs, as you can see in the picture below.
It goes down to the small beaches on each side of the promontory once you have passed the restaurant.
Note that the beach is not large, so it gets busy quickly, as it is popular with locals.
Golden Sand beaches
Below is the left side of the beach with the largest sandy area.
You have to be careful as the waves can be very powerful and come up quite fast!
The sand is fine and golden.
When the area is quiet and at low tide, it is popular for snorkeling and diving.
In Summer, the sea is generally quiet as the cove is protected, but always check the conditions before going for a swim!
This is the smaller cove on the other side of the rock formation:
This is not the best beach for sunbathing.
Even at low tide, the sandy area is not that big compared to other Algarve beaches. It is around 80m long and not wide.
However, if you love beautiful cliffs, this is your place. And if you can, visit Praia de Albandeira beach at high tide to admire the waves crashing on the rock formations in the middle and exploding in the air.
The water also creates beautiful swirls in the coves, over the sand.
Quite a happy place for photographers (especially with the arch, see later in the article).
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Albandeira cliff walks
View from the left cliff
You can’t have a long walk on the beach… But you can explore the surrounding cliffs. Access is easy just be careful not to stay too close to the edge!
Below are the views from the East side of the Beach. You can see the carpark, the restaurant and the stairs going down to the beach.
View from the right cliff
But the best is to walk on the West side of the beach. You first get beautiful views of the middle rocks and the coves.
See how the sea is creating a cave?
It is so relaxing to watch the waves crash on the rocks and the water spread all over.
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!
Arch: Arco de Albandeira and Praia da Estaquinha beach
And from the same cliff as above, just turn around and look at the next area carved by the sea.
Just West of Praia da Albandeira is another small cove called Praia da Estaquinha.
Do not miss walking on the cliff between them to discover the beautiful sea carved arch, Arco de Albandeira.
If you are a good swimmer, you can go swim under it when conditions are safe!
Praia da Estaquinha & tunnel
In the next cove is another beach: Praia da Estaquinha.
It can be accessed:
- by a tunnel from Praia de Albandeira (but be careful with the tide – only visit at low tide)
- or by swimming around the headland (but be careful of swimming conditions)
Like Praia de Albandeira Beach, Praia da Estaquinha disappears at high tide as the waves go crashing against the cliffs.
At low tide, you can access it via a small tunnel from Albandeira beach or you can swim around the cliffs.
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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- Tips to make the most of your time
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