Why Visit Areia Branca, Portugal?
White Sand Beaches at Areia Branca, Portugal
The normally sleepy beach town of Areia Branca located on the west coast of Portugal, about an hour north of Lisbon and 15 minutes south of the popular surf town of Peniche, comes alive during the summer months. Sun worshipers, predominantly Portuguese, and surf dudes from around the world flock to this small town. This is not a town for hardcore surfers though, you need to head further north to Nazare, but for those keen to learn, this makes an excellent base.
See also:
- Portugal Day Trip: The Palace of Mafra
- Portugal Day Trip: Lunch at Ponto Final and Cristo-Rei Statue
- Portugal Day Trip: Convento de Cristo and Tomar Castle in Portugal
The bars and restaurants which lay dormant during the winter months finally open their doors. Today we enjoyed a huge pizza at the Pizzaria de Praia with incredible views over the Atlantic Ocean. If only we had had room for dessert, the ice cream place down by the beach looked delicious! Seafood, fish, traditional Portuguese food, Indian, French restaurants can be found here too.
Cool bars with sunset happy hours line the beach. It’s a fun vibe and a total contrast to the winter months.
For those wishing to stay, there’s plenty of accommodation to suit most budgets and surf schools for those wishing to learn.
Beach Huts at Areia Branca, Portugal
How to get to Areia Branca
There are regular express buses from Lisbon to Lourinhã which is just a few miles away. Many of the hotels and guest houses in Areia Branca will meet you at the bus station. Taxis and local buses are available too.
With your own transport, Areia Branca is about an hour’s drive from Lisbon, just off the A8 ouest.
Is it difficult to purchase a beachfront home in Costa Nova Portugal, approx what would the cost of one be. Also I intend to retire there so I am bringing along my pets, the properties you see in European countries seem small if at all, is Portugal pet friendly?
Buying property is certainly possible in Portugal but there will be plenty of bureaucracy involved. I don’t live in Portugal anymore so I suggest joining one of the many expat pages on Facebook to get the latest news. Portugal is pet friendly, they have some fabulous vets there and dogs can normally come to along with you to bars and restaurants etc.