DOG FRIENDLY BEACHES IN PORTUGAL 2024: THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE

In this post we show you which beaches are dog friendly in Portugal, as unfortunately, we can't go to all the beaches we would like to with our dog. We have to say that in Portugal, or at least the beaches we have been to, are quite wide and not very crowded, due to their distance from conventional destinations or their difficult access. In our opinion, any beach of this size could be perfectly pet friendly, but there is still a long way to go to make society aware of this. To avoid problems, we recommend that you go to beaches where dogs are allowed, as we don't want anyone to make our trip more difficult. After an exhaustive search, we provide you with a list of the beaches where you can go without having problems of being noticed, or worse, fined.

In Portugal, as everywhere else, it is important to comply with a series of rules for accessing the beach with your pet. You probably already know what they are, but it never hurts to point them out again just in case:

• Have the papers updated.
• Have the dog under your control at any time.
• Use the leash all the time.
• Maintain hygienic conditions and pick up dog excrements.
• Use a muzzle if your dog is considered a potentially dangerous dog (PDD).

It is also important that you protect your dog from the dangers of summer, we know it's basic, but many owners are unaware of the dangers that the sun can cause to our pets.

• Sand ingestion on the beach
• Heat shocks
• Burnt paws

We are preparing a post with the best beach accessories for your dog, but this summer we ran out of time, so we'll leave you with this post with the best travel accessories for your dog, and we hope you find it very useful.

For this guide to dog friendly beaches in Portugal we have divided the beaches by zones, from North to South of Portugal, to make it easier to locate them, as well as a map at the end of the post where you have the exact location of the beaches, to make it easier for you to save them.

• Praia do Coral: Beach inaugurated in 2017, also known as the Praia Aquário. It is a beach with calm waters, as it is located between two breakwaters. It is located in the municipality of Viana do Castelo. The mouth of the river Lima is located here. It has a car park, so that is very much appreciated.
• Praia Ramalha Sul: Located in Esposende. It is very quiet and has facilities and services nearby. Access is moderate, accessed by a dirt road and is open all year round.
• Soft Sea Beach: This is the other beach in Esposende. It is a blue flag beach and is within the natural park of the north coast. It is equipped with dispensers for our pet's faeces. It does not have a lot of waves, as it is protected by the Cávado estuary. It is in a windy area, so it is ideal for sports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing. Next to the beach, there is a restaurant-cafeteria and an ice-cream kiosk.

• Praia de Brito: Added as a dog beach in 2022, a beach that belongs to Praia de Sao Felix da Marinha. The beach has a car park and good access, as it has wooden walkways that cross the dunes. The dog area is next to the mouth of Ribeira do Juncal.

• Praia Do Portinho da Areia do NorteA small beach, about 80 metres long, wedged between cliffs. It was the first dog beach in Portugal. It was opened in 2016. It has a bag dispenser for our dogs' faeces. It is located in Peniche and has no services (like most dog-friendly beaches).
• Praia dos Pescadors (Praia Velha): More commonly known as Praia Velha is located in the nautical centre of Paço de Arcos in Oeiras. In 2020 a dog-friendly area was opened on the beach. At the entrance to the beach there is a drinking fountain and a bag dispenser to keep the beach in good condition. It is easily accessible, has parking and rules to be followed: Dogs must be on a leash or harness and muzzle (in theory all dogs). They must also carry their health card or passport. The PDD dogs must have a liability insurance, a muzzle and a leash less than 1 metre long.
• Praia das AmoreirasBeach located in Santa Cruz, in the municipality of Torres Vedras. It was opened in 2020. Access is easy and there is a parking area. It is a long beach surrounded by cliffs. It has a bag dispenser, drinking fountains and the most curious thing is that it has dog huts decorated like "palheiros" (traditional Portuguese coastal fishermen's houses) to protect them from the sun. It is not usually crowded with bathers.
• Praia das Furnas-Rio: It is located in South of Lisbon, in Vila Nova de Milfontes, at the mouth of the Mira River. The beach was approved in 2021 and started as a pilot test. Since 2022 it has been operational as a dog beach. This beach has no services. Access is easy and there is a parking area.

• Meia Praia: This beach is located in Lagos, it is quite big and not very crowded. It is the most urban of all the beaches we are going to show you. It has a very good access and that is something very important to take into account, as there are many beaches and coves in the Algarve, but the access is usually a bit narrow. It must be taken into account that it is an area of many cliffs and therefore the access is not the most comfortable possible. There is a car park (for a fee) if you drive your own vehicle. Dogs are allowed, except in the areas that the hotels have concessions. Otherwise, you won't have any problems. We stayed at the Tivoli Lagoshotel, which has one of these areas for sun loungers, and we went there with Snow, since the reception gave us the OK. Although the guy in charge of charging for the sun loungers didn't give us the best of welcomes, in the end we managed to stay without any problem, and we stayed until we got tired, having previously paid for the sun lounger, of course.
• Praia Do Canavial: This beach is also located in Lagos, more specifically in the south. Access is not as easy as the previous one, as it is a natural beach with no services. It is a narrow sandy area wedged between cliffs, hence the difficulty of access. It is reached via a path that runs along the cliffs and down some steps.
• Praia do Valentim de CarvalhoIt is located in Portimao and can be accessed by walking along the cliffs or by sea. It is a small beach, so if you are planning to go, you'd better go early and claim your sandy spot. You will need to bring everything you need for the day as it is a beach where there is NOTHING, no toilets or facilities. It's easy to find free parking in a housing estate, or on the cliffs overlooking the beach.
• Praia da FigueiraA wide beach with a feeling of freedom. It is known as "the end of the world" and you can get an idea of what it is like. The problem with this type of beach is the access. Unlike the previous "Meia Praia" this one has a much narrower access. You will have to park the car and walk for about 20 minutes, the path is pleasant until the final area, which gets a bit more complicated. It is worth it, but of course, you will have to pay the price.
• Praia Joao de ArensI would call it a cove rather than a beach. As in the previous one, the problem with this beach is the access, which is quite difficult. It is a small beach protected by two walls, which prevent the wind from bothering our bathing. It is located about 6 km from the city of Portimao. As we have said, the access is complicated, but once you get there you will enjoy a quiet beach with no one to bother you. And if you like walking, you will enjoy wonderful views on the way there.
• Praia de Baleeira: Located in Albufeira, next to the Porto da Baleeira, in the heart of Vila de Sagres. It is a small, unsupervised beach in the shape of a shell. Dogs are allowed all year round. It is named after the history of whaling. If your destination is Albufeira, it is a good option to go with your pet.
• Praia da BarrinhaLocated in Faro, an unspoilt beach that you are sure to love. Like most of them, the access is not easy. You have to leave your car a bit far away and take a long walk. The advantage of this is that you will find a very quiet beach with no one to bother you. The beach is quite wide and extensive. If what you want is to be quiet with your pet without anyone bothering you, this is a great option.
• Praia do TrafalLocated in the south of the Algarve, between Faro and Quarteira. It is a 700 metre long sandy beach. It is a very quiet beach, with little influx of tourists, even in high season. To get there you will have to cross a country road with the car a bit complicated to the nearest car park. If you don't want to risk it, you can leave your car in the first car park and walk a little further. Another of those beaches to relax and disconnect, without the hustle and bustle of an urban beach.
• Praia de Barra da FusetaIt is located at the tip of the island of Armona, in Fuseta. To get there, you have to take a ferry from Fuseta. It has a small jetty and a beach bar. The peculiarity of this beach is that it is a sandy area with water on two sides, the estuary on one side and the sea on the other. The sand is fine and golden and does not stick to the skin. It is a very long beach, so there are no problems when it comes to laying your towel.
• Praia do Forte da BarraIt is located near the village of Cabanas de Tavira. In the westernmost part of the island of Cabanas. From the jetty in the village of Cabanas, you can take a "water taxi" that will take you across the estuary. Once there, cross the sandy beach by the footbridge, and you will be on the beach. It is another virgin beach, so don't expect any services, at most a small bar but not much more. It is a wide and extensive beach, so you won't have any problems with crowds.
• Praia de Adão e Eva: It is located near the village of Retur, in Vila Real de Santo António "Este". It is more than 10 km long, so there will be no space problems. It is often frequented by Spaniards due to its proximity to Huelva. It is one of the beaches with the warmest waters in Portugal, and we have already warned you that they are usually quite cold. On this beach we do find services such as beach bars, showers, sun lounger rental, changing rooms and everything we need for a day at the beach in the purest "Sunday" style. Obviously, this has a negative point and that is that in high season there may be too many people, but nothing that we are not used to in any beach in Spain.

Before visiting any city, and even more so now that we are travelling with Snow, we always look for information about it to choose what to see, where to sleep, where to eat, what excursions we are going to do and whether dogs are allowed. It is true that we found it difficult to find accommodation that was good value and pet friendly, but we think this is due to the fact that accommodation is in high demand and everything sells out quickly. The feeling we got is that everyone loves dogs there because Snow was treated great everywhere, and they were very considerate with him, offered him water and didn't make any complaints. But, on the other hand, most of the activities do not allow pets, so it depends on the city.