Beaches Costa de Prata

Wide sandy beaches with white fine sand, sheltered by slopes with dunes and pine forests next to a deep blue sea… that is the coast of Central Portugal, Costa de Prata. You can discover these beautiful images during a trip along the coast from Aveiro to Peniche.

The nearest beach of Casa das Flores is about 8 – 9 km in Praia do Pedrogão, where lifeguards guard the beaches in summer;
This small town of Pedrogão has shops, a well-covered market and a tourist office (Turismo) where you can also find an ATM. For food and drink you will find cafes, restaurants and beach bars here. While walking along the esplanade for a while, you can watch the summer beach sports volleyball and football. Tucked away in the side streets, you can find the “Churrasqueria”, where you can buy various meats and fish cooked on charcoal to make a simple picnic delicious!

Sometimes you are lucky enough to see the boats return with the day catch, both in Pedrogão and in Praia da Vieira. The fresh fish can be bought immediately and is perfect for the barbecue here in the garden. If you don’t want to eat fish, you can watch the fishermen and the local ladies and see how they prepare the fish to dry in the sun.

To the north and south of Pedrogão’s main street, there are quiet, unspoilt sandy beaches, accessible from the free parking spaces.
Alternative – go a little further and choose a side road marked “Praia” or try a trail through the dunes to other, more relaxed beaches.

Via the Beachcam you can see the live the beach of Pedrogão.

The resort of Praia da Vieira is approximately 20-25 minutes by car, with good beaches, cafes, bars and restaurants. No need for a picnic, the shops have everything you need for the beach and meals. Again, there are lifeguards on the main beaches in the summer.

The north end of the beach is very popular with local fishermen, this is where the Rio Lis flows into the Atlantic Ocean. There is plenty of parking and a good beach bar on the south side of the river and a quieter beach and picnic tables along the river on the north side.

Nazaré

Nazaré was originally a fishing town. Partly because of its wide beach, Nazaré is one of the most popular seaside resorts in Central Portugal, and makes a lively impression both during the day and at night. But beware: the sea is very rough. It is not without reason that surfing championships are regularly held here and the world record is set for the highest wave that has been surfed on.
Two museums are dedicated to local folklore: The Casa Museu do Pescador is a small museum dedicated to the fishing population of Nazaré.
It is housed in a traditional fisherman’s house, which housed fishing families until the early 20th century. In the Museu Ethnográfico e Arqueológico Dr. Joaquim Manso is an exhibition of Nazaré history and folklore.
In the evening you can visit the numerous terraces along the boulevard, or one of the squares behind it. You can eat until late in the evening, when the Nazarenes as well as the Portuguese and foreign tourists come to stroll on the boulevard.

Nazaré Sítio
Via a rack railway you can reach O Sítio, the (110 meters) higher part of the town. From here you have a nice view of the lower part of Nazaré, and if it is clear enough you can even see Peniche.
You will find the Capela da Memória, a chapel largely covered with azulejos.
Opposite the chapel is the Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Nazaré. Here too many azulejos, but much more important is the black Madonna statue. Twice a year this statue is the destination of pilgrims: on August 15 is the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and in the second week of September is the Romaria da Senhora da Nazaré.

São Pedro de Moel is a seaside village located about 20 kilometers from the city of Leiria.
It is a seaside resort where the Portuguese themselves like to come to the beach.
Surfers also come here and wait in the sea for the best waves. You can take beautiful beach walks on the sandy beach.
It is a place with nice restaurants and where the Penedo da Saudade lighthouse stands on the highest rock. The route to São Pedro de Moel passes through the Pinhal de Leiria, a pine forest where resin was extracted in the last century.

São Martinho do Porto is a pleasant village overlooking an almost entirely shell-shaped bay, with a narrow passage to the sea. The water in the bay is therefore very calm, making it ideal for a day at the sea with (small) children.
Although the number of fishermen is declining, fish and shellfish are still caught in the bay.
On the other side of the bay is Salir do Porto, where salt used to be extracted. The sand dunes can be seen from afar.
From the harbor side you can walk along the promenade or the beach to Salir do Porto.
From the Miradouro do Cruzeiro you have a beautiful view of the bay, São Martinho do Porto. On clear days, even Peniche and Nazaré can be seen.
The covered market is open from Tuesday to Sunday and offers a wide choice of vegetables, fruit and fish.

Figueira da Foz is located at the mouth of the Mondego River, and is known for its very long and wide beaches.
The beach is miles long and several hundred meters wide. It stretches from the mouth of the Mondego to the fishing village of Buarcos.
The population not only earns money from tourism, but also from fishing and shipbuilding.
Every year, on the night of 23 to 24 June, a street party is held in honor of São João, including parades, folk dances and fireworks.

Beach information app

Portugal has an app available for Google and Apple with the information of all beaches in real time. Click here for the app in the Google Play store or the Apple IOS store.

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