Praia do Barril

Portugal, Portugal

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Praia do Barril is a long, wide sandy beach on Tavira Island in the eastern Algarve of Portugal, protected within the Ria Formosa Natural Park and famous both for its calm, clear waters and for a quirky “anchor cemetery” made up of over a hundred old fishing anchors set in the dunes.

To reach it you usually cross a small bridge over the lagoon and then take a short tourist train or walk along a path from the nearby area of Pedras d’El Rei, which adds to its relaxed, slightly off‑the‑beaten‑track feel. The beach is broad and family‑friendly, with shallow, generally calm water, lifeguards in summer, and basic facilities such as toilets, showers, bars, and sun‑shade rentals, while a nearby section of sand is reserved for naturism.