Meia Praia Beach

Situated between the town of Lagos and the mouth of the Ribeira de Odiaxere river, Meia Praia is the region’s longest area of beach. Providing plenty of space even during the busy summer period, Meia Praia has a total length of around four kilometres, but still has a calm and understated atmosphere compared to many other beaches in the Algarve. The most popular part of the beach tends to be its western end, closest to Lagos and the marina. This area is patrolled by lifeguards during the summer holiday season.

Easily reached by car and public transport, the light golden sands of Meia Praia are backed by dune grasses, which separate it from the nearest roads. Places to eat and drink are predominantly found either around the marina or the beach’s Meia Praia train station.

The waters of the Atlantic Ocean are both clean, calm, and unobstructed by submerged rocks, although they remain on the chilly side right throughout the year. Sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented, in addition to water sports equipment such as jet skis, kite surfs and windsurf sails. The ease of hiring the latter two hints at the fact the beach can be windy on certain days, so it’s well worth checking the local weather forecast before making your way there.