Falésia Beach, Algarve: Complete Guide (+Insider Tips & Map)

Praia da Falésia is one of the most beautiful beaches in Algarve, Portugal. Best known for its striking red and orange cliffs, Falésia Beach is often named among the most beautiful beaches in the world.

In fact, just recently, Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards ranked Falésia Beach as #1 on the list of the world’s best beaches. All awards aside, no trip to southern Portugal would be complete without a visit here!

But what to expect, where exactly to go, and what there is to see and do at Falésia Beach?

We often vacation nearby and have spent many hours and days on Falésia Beach – walking, surfing, sunbathing, enjoying the views, sunset drinks, dining… In summer or in winter, this beach never disappoints!

In this guide, we share our favorite spots on this 6 km-long beach. Whether you are interested in sightseeing, long walks, or water sports, or are simply looking to spend a relaxing day at the beach, we’ve got you covered. From the most scenic locations to the best places for water activities or dining – this is the most complete guide to Falésia Beach you’ll find.

TIP: If you are looking for the best hotels at Falésia Beach, Pine Cliffs Hotel has the most scenic location. The views from their clifftop bars are second to none! If you prefer a more modern hotel, EPIC SANA offers amazing price/quality with some fantastic restaurants on-site.

For families, Pine Cliff Village is a great option. On a somewhat lower budget, you can’t go wrong with Hotel PortoBay Falésia or 3HB Falésia Garden.

READ ALSO: Where to Stay in Algarve

   

What’s in The Name

The literal translation of Praia da Falésia from Portuguese to English means ‘the cliff beach’.

When you see this miles-long beach lined with impressive cliffs that change color in different light, you will understand where this beach gets its name…

 

Where is Falésia Beach (+ Map)

Praia da Falésia is a long flat stretch of sand between Vilamoura and Olhos d’Agua (Albufeira). The entire length of this beach is about 6 kilometers.

As is quite common in Portugal, a long beach like this is usually ‘divided’ into several smaller beaches, each with its own name. It’s hard to say where exactly one ends and the other begins. In the case of Falésia Beach, it is comprised of Praia do Barranco das Belharucas, Praia da Falésia, Praia do Poço Velho, Praia dos Tomates, and Praia da Rocha Baixinha Nascente.

When you look for Falésia Beach on the map, you will likely be led to one specific location, the Praia da Falésia, about 2 km west of Olhos d’Agua. It’s a beautiful place with steep cliffs and spectacular vistas, but it’s also very busy and has limited parking…

 

Good to know: When planning to visit Falésia Beach, you can go to any part of this 6-kilometers-long beach and explore the rest from there.

However, the scenery and the facilities differ a lot from place to place, so the best spot to go will depend a bit on what you want to see and do.

Here is a map indicating all the beaches of Falesia. Below, you can find a short overview of different sections of Falésia Beach and what to expect at each place.

How to use this map: Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.

 

Best Places to Visit & Things to Do

Here is an overview of all the different beaches of Falésia, what you can expect, and things to do at each of them (sorted starting from Albufeira in the west to Vilamoura in the east):

Praia do Barranco das Belharucas

Praia do Barranco das Belharucas (or simply Praia do Barranco) is the most western part of the main stretch of Falésia Beach, at Olhos d’Agua (Albufeira). The scenery here is wonderful, with tall colorful cliffs and green pine trees at the top.

At this beach, you can find all the facilities you may need: a restaurant, bathrooms, beach chair rentals, etc. In the high season, you can also rent all kinds of different water sports equipment or sign up for surf lessons.

There is an excellent beach restaurant here (Restaurante O Golfinho) where you can have drinks, ice cream, or sit down for lunch or dinner. However, it’s best to reserve a table in advance, especially for dinner. We had lunch here on a few occasions and the food was always excellent.

Accessibility & parking: This beach is accessible via a narrow dirt road that ends at a small car park, or via steep wooden stairs from Olhos d’Agua (via a narrow path between Hotel PortoBay Falésia and 3HB Falésia Garden). There is a big car park close to these hotels, but it’s often quite full. Keep in mind that if you come from the beachside and want to go uphill, you won’t immediately see the stairs. Simply walk through the car parking following the road and you will soon see a wooden staircase on the left side.

Good to know: Even though many locals do, I don’t recommend driving down to the beach, definitely not in a small rental car. The road is narrow, steep, and can be in really bad condition. It’s not worth breaking your car or having to worry about finding a free spot (or even being able to turn around if parking is full)…

Best hotels nearby: There are several nice hotels near this part of Falésia Beach. 3HB Falésia Garden and Hotel PortoBay Falésia are both located just above the beach and easily accessible via stairs. If you prefer an all-in hotel, 3HB Guarana is the best option close to Falésia Beach.

READ ALSO: Where to Stay in Albufeira (best neighborhoods & hotels)

 

Beach at Pine Cliffs

This part of Falésia Beach is located to the east of Praia do Barranco and doesn’t really have a separate name. But since it has its own facilities, we list it separately.

The scenic beach is one of the most impressive stretches of Falésia Beach. It sits right under the Pine Cliffs Hotel. This luxury hotel has its own access to the beach, a beach restaurant Maré with a rooftop bar, and bathroom facilities, etc. There are also beach chairs/umbrellas, but I think they are reserved for hotel guests.

Maré restaurant and the bar are accessible to everyone but the prices are higher than at most other restaurants on Falésia Beach. Nevertheless, the restaurant is usually full, so prepare to wait or reserve a table in advance.

The bar on the rooftop is amazing but is often very quiet – maybe because there is no shade… But if you don’t mind the sun, you can enjoy a cool drink with amazing views here. It’s one of our favorite places on Falésia Beach!

Accessibility: This beach can only be reached on foot from other beaches or via the stairs from the hotel.

Best hotel: Pine Cliffs Hotel is a luxury 5* resort and their hotel is the most expensive place to stay on Falésia Beach. Their apartments – Pine Cliffs Residence and Pine Cliffs Village – offer better value for the money, especially if you are traveling with a big family or a group of friends.

READ ALSO: Where to Stay in Algarve

 

Praia da Falésia

This is the ‘original’ Praia da Falésia that gives name to the entire beach. The cliffs here are really tall and the scenery is second to none. If you arrive at the top, be sure to take a walk on the cliffs and enjoy the views from there before heading down to the beach itself. Just be careful and don’t go close to the edge!

Just before you reach the beach, you can find a snack bar with bathroom facilities. This is the only restaurant in this part of Falésia Beach. It’s quite small and the food is simple (don’t expect fresh seafood and local specialties like at most other beach restaurants in Algarve).

Down at the beach, you can rent beach chairs and umbrellas. There is also a surf school at Praia da Falésia, and you can book a surf lesson in advance.

Accessibility & parking: Praia da Falésia can be reached by car followed by a short staircase down to the beach. There are several parking areas here – one at the end of the road with space for 5-6 cars, a somewhat bigger space under pine trees at the top, and the main parking lot that is accessible via a different street than the one leading to the beach (and, therefore, often overlooked by first-time visitors). There is yet another bigger parking a bit further up, just before you turn on Rua da Falesia.

Best hotel nearby: EPIC SANA Algarve Hotel is by far the nicest hotel here, with direct access to the beach (a bit of a walk though – but that’s the case with all the hotels above Falésia Beach). It’s a modern luxury hotel, one of the best in the Algarve, and the best price/quality 5* hotel near Falésia Beach.

 

Beach at Alfa-Mar

If you go further east from Falésia Beach toward Vilamoura, you have one more beach access point, at the former Alfamar Beach Resort. This old hotel closed a while ago and – at the moment of the last update – stands empty, but there is a big parking area and relatively easy beach access.

There are no steep cliffs or stairs here, so it’s one of the best places to access Falesia Beach for people with limited mobility. That said, car parking is not directly at the beach, so you’ll still have to walk, and the area has a bit of a deserted feel (definitely in the low season).

The facilities are limited – just a small seasonal beach bar, which isn’t even open daily. But if you are looking for a quieter stretch of Falesia Beach, this could be an option.

Hotels: There are no hotels here, just a few privately rented villas and apartments.

 

Praia do Poço Velho

Praia do Poço Velho is one of the quietest stretches of Falésia Beach. The scenery is very nice too, even though the cliffs are less colorful than further west.

There is no easy way to get here by car or decent parking, and there is just one resort nearby. So this beach is a bit of a hidden gem.

There are no facilities at this part of the beach, so if you want to spend more time here, be sure to bring everything you need.

Best hotel: AP Adriana Beach Resort is located just above the beach and has access via the staircase. It’s a beautiful hotel a bit off the beaten path from the busy towns of Vilamoura or Albufeira.

 

Praia dos Tomates

Praia dos Tomates located further east offers the easiest access to Praia da Falésia. If you are worried about stairs at the other beaches of Falesia, you may want to start your visit from this point.

The cliffs at Tomato Beach are much lower than on the western side of Falésia Beach, so the scenery isn’t comparable. Still, it’s very nice and the color of the cliffs is tomato-red (I have no idea where the beach got its name, though ;)).

This beach has a restaurant, Restaurante Praia dos Tomates, bathroom facilities, and you can also rent beach chairs. We only had drinks here once so I cannot comment on the food. The reviews are very mixed…

How to get there & parking: Praia dos Tomates is easily accessible by car. The parking is right near the restaurant and it’s just a very short flat walk to the beach. In the high season, however, they charge a few euros for parking.

Hotels: There are no hotels nearby. The closest hotel is the above-mentioned AP Adriana Beach Resort. Vilamoura looks close by on the map, but only via the beach (by car, it’s a 20-minute drive).

 

Praia da Rocha Baixinha Nascente

Praia da Rocha Baixinha is the most eastern point of Falésia Beach, just near Vilamoura.

Here, you can find all the facilities you need, several restaurants, and multiple places renting out beach chairs and umbrellas. All the restaurants here (Thai Beach Club, NoSoloÁgua Falésia, and Restaurante Rocha Baixinha) are pretty good, so you can’t really go wrong with either of them.

There is a water sports center at Praia da Rocha Baixinha Nascente with all kinds of water sports and activities to choose from. In addition, you can also rent kayaks.

If you don’t feel like walking the entire length of Falesia Beach, you could see the coastal scenery from a kayak. However, kayaking here is not as impressive as on the western coast of Albufeira or further west around Benagil Caves or – our absolute favorite – kayaking at Ponta da Piedade in Lagos.

Accessibility & parking: There is a big car park on Avenue Rocha Baixinha in Vilamoura. From this parking, you can easily access the beach over a small pedestrian bridge and a series of boardwalks. However, this parking is not free and you have to pay per hour. If you spend an entire day here, you can just as well take a taxi – it will likely be cheaper.

Best hotels nearby: Domes Lake Algarve, Autograph Collection is by far the nicest hotel in Vilamoura, just a short walk from Falésia Beach. All other hotels in Vilamoura are located much further from this beach and you will always have to walk all the way around the Marina to get here. That said, there is another beach to the other side of town too, Praia da Vilamoura. But it’s not comparable to Falésia Beach.

 

Walking & Clifftop Hike on Falésia Beach

There is no better way to explore Falésia Beach than by taking a long walk over its entire stretch, between Vilamoura and Olhos d’Agua.

Instead of walking by the sea, you can also opt for a clifftop hike. Walking above Falésia Beach, you can enjoy stunning views from a higher altitude and a very different perspective. The trails at the top of the cliffs are also suitable for mountain bikes and we often see people biking here.

You can walk/hike in any direction and you can also start at any of the ‘sub’ beaches and walk to another. It’s also possible to combine a beach walk with the clifftop hike since you can get down to the beach or up to the clifftop at various places (pretty much all the beaches described above).

TIP: If you don’t have the time to walk the entire length and wonder which part of Falésia Beach is the most scenic, continue reading!

 

The Most Scenic Part of Falésia Beach

Falésia Beach is truly remarkable and is well worth walking its entire length. But many first-time visitors simply put ‘Praia da Falésia’ in their navigation app, drive as far as they can, try to find a spot in the tiny parking lot as close to the beach as possible… to then step out of the car, look around at the top of the cliffs, and never even get to the beach itself…

That’s a good option if you are in a hurry. Even if you just spend five minutes at the top of the cliffs, you will see amazing scenery and get an idea of what Falésia Beach is like.

However, if you have a bit more time, I strongly encourage you to get down to the beach and explore the western side of Praia da Falésia. The stretch between Praia do Barranco and Praia da Falésia, plus a bit further east toward Alfa-Mar is the most scenic part of the beach. This is where you will find the tallest cliffs and the biggest variety of colors – from white to orange and red and all shades in between.

For a more complete picture, check out the views from the top of the cliffs as well. The easiest-to-access place for that is near the parking of Praia da Falésia itself. But again – the clifftop walk toward Vilamoura is amazing.

READ ALSO: Algarve Itinerary Suggestions

 

Best Hotels Near Falésia Beach

We already shared some recommendations for the best hotels near Falésia Beach above. There is really not one ‘best’ place and each hotel (and each stretch of beach) has something different to offer…

That said, if you can’t decide, here are our favorite hotels with easy access (via stairs) to the most scenic part of Falésia Beach:

€€€€€ Pine Cliffs Hotel
€€€€ EPIC SANA Algarve Hotel
€€€ Hotel PortoBay Falésia

My pick: For the most special experience for couples, I would stay and dine at EPIC SANA and go for sunset drinks at Pine Cliffs at least once.

For bigger families looking for a nice place to stay near Falésia Beach, we recommend 3HB Falésia Garden (mid-budget) or Pine Cliff Village (luxury).

However, if you have young children and don’t want to do hundreds of stairs every day, you may want to take a look at Domes Lake Algarve in Vilamoura. It’s flat here and you can easily walk to the eastern side of Falésia Beach in about 10 minutes. This luxury hotel is also a great place to stay if you like leisurely bike rides or are looking for a hotel close to some of the best golf courses in Algarve.

 

Practical Info & Tips

Here is some additional information and helpful tips for visiting Falésia Beach:

• Seasonality. Keep in mind that all the facilities on Algarve beaches are seasonal, so most restaurants, water sports centers, and beach chair rentals will be closed in the low season (+- November to March).

• Bring sun protection and water – in summer or in winter, the Algarve sun can be very strong. Be sure to use plenty of sunscreen lotion! If you are planning on walking/hiking on Falésia Beach, bring some water with you. It can get really warm and there are long stretches without restaurants.

• Clothing and footwear. If you are simply staying on the beach, swimwear and flip-flops will be fine. However, you need proper shoes/sneakers for a clifftop hike. Also, keep in mind that most restaurants will not let you in without footwear or if your body isn’t properly covered (so no bikinis or swim shorts without a T-shirt!).

• Accessibility. As already mentioned, to reach the nicest parts of Falésia Beach, often, you will have to do lots of stairs. That said, there are a few places where you can drive to the beach by car – for that, please see our detailed descriptions above.

• Think twice before you take a car in the high season. Parking is quite limited at many of the main beaches of Falésia, and some places now charge for parking as well. Taxis/ride shares are cheap in Algarve, so we usually take a taxi. The additional advantage is that you can do a long beach walk in one direction without having to worry about getting back to your car.

• Bring cash! While most restaurants, water sports centers, and beach chair rentals take cards, some places still prefer cash. It’s always good to have some euros just in case.

LAERN MORE: Algarve Travel Tips

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