Most people come to this bit of coast for the arch — the freestanding limestone bow of Albandeira, a short walk along the clifftop and a spot we list on its own. The beach below is what they discover afterwards: a pair of small coves in the golden rock near Porches, joined along the sand at low tide and reached by a stairway down from the cliff.
It’s a modest, likeable place rather than a headline one. The water in the coves runs glassy-clear over rock and sand — some of the better casual snorkelling on this stretch — and the enclosing cliffs keep it sheltered when the coast is breezy. It’s also small, and small means finite: on August afternoons the sand simply runs out, and a rising tide can pinch the two coves apart again.
When to go: low tide, when the coves connect and the rock platforms open up; mornings and shoulder season for space. If the arch is your reason for coming, shoot it from the clifftop and then come down here to swim — the two make a natural pairing.
Who it’s for: snorkellers and swimmers who like enclosed, clear water; photographers ticking off the arch who’d rather not share Benagil’s queues; couples happy with a small beach that does one or two things well.
About This Spot
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General AreaNear Porches, Lagoa
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Coverage BadgeArchive
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Difficulty2 Moderate
Getting There & Access
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Getting ThereSigned down lanes from Porches, off the EN125.
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Access TermsFree Public
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ParkingInformal parking above the cove.
