Praia de Porto das Barcas

Atalaia, Portugal, Portugal

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Praia de Porto das Barcas is an expansive wild Atlantic beach with a small fishing port near the village of Atalaia in Lourinhã, Portugal, about 20 km northwest of Torres Vedras and 15 km south of Peniche, with easy access from the A8 (IP6) and less than 50 minutes from Lisbon.

It has a long, broad stretch of white sand—over 1 km long—backed by high imposing cliffs that run its entire length, and rocky formations in the north and south make the central zone the best for swimming and bathing. The beach is famous for its abundant high-quality shellfish and fish, and it supports excellent local seafood culinary specialties, with traditional fishing boats mooring at a small wharf at the northern end for a picturesque scene.

It is a popular spot for fishing with a line, surfing, and bodyboarding, and the beach is nearly in a wild state, with an old fishing port ramp, rustic buildings, and stone sculptures by local artist Zé (ZenArtes) that have become the beach’s signature artwork. The cliffs are paleontologically significant: in 1982, a farmer discovered carnivorous dinosaur bones here, and the beach remains a dream destination for paleontology enthusiasts.