Praia da Marinha
Regularly voted among the world's most beautiful beaches, Marinha is the Algarve in one frame: honey-coloured cliffs, sea stacks rising from clear green water and a crescent of soft sand.
- Best forBeach lovers · Photographers · Couples
- In May26°C · 4 rainy days · sea 17°C
- Ideal stayA half day from Carvoeiro
- Approx. flying time~11h 40m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyEUREuro
- LanguagePortuguese
- Local time12:14same time as the UK
- PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+351
Why go
One of the set pieces of the Barlavento coast, Marinha is a short curve of sand between limestone cliffs, with arch-topped stacks standing offshore and clear green water in between. A wooden staircase drops from the clifftop car park, which keeps numbers down and rules it out for anyone unsteady on steps. The cliffs above carry a path with the view that appears on every Algarve poster.
It is a beach to visit rather than base yourself at: there is little here beyond a seasonal café and a small car park that fills before ten in summer. Most people stay in Carvoeiro, Lagoa or Armação de Pêra and drive over, then walk part of the Seven Hanging Valleys trail while they are there. June and September give warm water and space. In winter the sea is rough and the café closes.
- Ideal stay
- A half day from Carvoeiro
- The vibe
- Honeyed cliffs, clear green water
From our guides
Come early — the car park is small and the descent via steps keeps the biggest crowds away. At low tide you can wander between rock arches, and the snorkelling around the stacks is the best on this coast.
Featured in Ten European beaches for your next summer escape
Things to do
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The clifftop viewpoint
A few minutes from the car park, looking straight down onto the stacks and the double arch. Free, and busiest in the last hour of light.
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Seven Hanging Valleys trail
A clifftop route of roughly six kilometres between Marinha and Praia de Vale Centeanes, past sinkholes, blowholes and a string of coves.
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Snorkelling the stacks
Calm mornings bring clear water around the rocks at either end of the beach, with wrasse, bream and octopus in the crevices.
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Low tide rock pools
As the water drops you can walk further along the sand and under the arches at the eastern end. Check the tide before setting out.
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Benagil sea cave
The domed cave with a hole in its roof lies a short way west, reached by kayak or boat from neighbouring beaches rather than on foot.
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Praia de Albandeira
A smaller cove with its own natural arch a few minutes along the coast, useful when Marinha's car park is already full.
Getting there
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Fly to
Portimão (PRM)
Nearest airport to Algarve, about 17km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Carvoeiro
About forty-five minutes by car west from Faro airport (FAO) on the A22 to Carvoeiro or Lagoa.
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On the ground
Getting around
The beach has a small clifftop car park and a flight of steps down; the Seven Hanging Valleys trail links it to Benagil on foot in around an hour and a half.
Public transport: Buses serve Carvoeiro and Lagoa but not the beach itself, so a car, taxi or the coastal walk is needed.
Flights
Los Angeles Algarve, Portugal
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Roughly 11h 40m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about 16°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in March, with rain on about 9 days. The sea is warmest in October at around 19°C, coolest at 16°C.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
May26° · rain 4 days · sea 17°Warm with the odd shower.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — May to September. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Apartments, aparthotels and villas with pools, plus a band of large beach hotels on the flatter stretches. Boutique guesthouses exist but are outnumbered by self-catering.
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Best base overall
Carvoeiro
A cliff-cupped village ten minutes west, with restaurants, the boardwalk to Algar Seco and plenty of apartments. Its own beach is small, and the hill out of the village is punishing.
Find stays in Carvoeiro -
Quietest
Benagil and Alfanzina
The hamlets right beside Marinha, with villas and a couple of small places to eat. You wake up on the cliff path, and you drive for everything else.
Find stays in Benagil and Alfanzina -
Best for couples
Ferragudo
A working fishing village across the river from Portimão, prettier and calmer than its neighbours, with good seafood. Fifteen minutes from Marinha and pleasantly short of nightlife.
Find stays in Ferragudo -
Best with children
Armação de Pêra
A long flat sandy beach east of Marinha with family hotels, some all-inclusive, and a promenade. Less scenic than the cliffs, far easier with small children and beach kit.
Find stays in Armação de Pêra
Worth knowing before you book: The Marinha car park is small and full by mid-morning in summer, so stay close and walk or arrive at dawn. August accommodation should be booked by early spring.
Our picks in this destination
Or search everything else in Carvoeiro by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Timing
- Arrive before nine or after five in July and August. The car park is small, unpaved and often full by mid-morning.
- Access
- The only way down is a long flight of steps. There is no lift, no ramp and no realistic route for a pushchair.
- Pack this
- Water, food and shade. Facilities amount to a seasonal café, and there is nothing else within walking distance.
- Safety
- Do not sit beneath the cliffs or overhangs. Collapses happen along this coast and the warning signs are there for good reason.
- Boat trips
- Cave and coastline trips leave from nearby harbours, and the calmer morning sea gives the better ride and the clearer water.
Similar places
Nearby destinations
Alvor
the Algarve, Portugal · 17km away →
Ponta da Piedade
Algarve, Portugal · 23km away →
Kayaking the Benagil caves
Algarve, Portugal · 26km away →
The Algarve
Portugal · 35km away →
Comporta
Portugal · 147km away →
Lisbon
Portugal · 191km away →Elsewhere in Portugal
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Praia da Marinha?
For warm, mostly dry days, May to September. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 16°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in March, with rain on about 9 days. The sea is warmest in October at around 19°C, coolest at 16°C.
How long should I spend in Praia da Marinha?
Our suggestion: a half day from Carvoeiro.
How do I get to Praia da Marinha?
About forty-five minutes by car west from Faro airport (FAO) on the A22 to Carvoeiro or Lagoa.
Do I need a car in Praia da Marinha?
Yes, a car makes a real difference here. Buses serve Carvoeiro and Lagoa but not the beach itself, so a car, taxi or the coastal walk is needed.
What currency and language are used in Praia da Marinha?
Currency: Euro (EUR). Language: Portuguese. Plugs: type C and F.
Who is Praia da Marinha best for?
Best for beach lovers, photographers and couples. In a phrase: honeyed cliffs, clear green water.