Best beaches in Portugal
26 beach profiles published for Portugal so far, across 8 regions. This is a growing set, not a complete list. Open a profile for sources and what is still unknown.
Regions and coasts
Beaches in Portugal
When to go in Portugal
Conditions differ by coast. These notes are per region, using one reference town for each.
Algarve
Typical swim months: June, July, August, September
South-coast sea peaks around 21.5 C in August and September at Faro, so water stays on the fresh side. Beach window June to mid-September; wind blows often (April windiest on average) and evenings can be cool. Rain October to March.
Frequent wind; cooler sea on the exposed west of the Algarve (Sagres) is mentioned qualitatively with no figures.
Lisbon and Estremadura west coast
Typical swim months: July, August, September
Atlantic water is clearly cool even in summer: about 20.5 C in July-August at Lisbon, 15 C in winter. Source suggests mid-April to mid-June and mid-September to early October for visiting; summer winds are strongest in July-August.
Wettest November-January; windy in July-August (average 17-18 kph) and winter westerlies.
Madeira (incl. Porto Santo)
Typical swim months: July, August, September, October
Sea 22-24 C from July to October, never below 18 C. Summer is the sunny season; the south coast around Funchal is sheltered while the north is windier.
Leste (hot Saharan wind with dust) possible June-October; rain and Atlantic depressions October to mid-April.
Azores
Typical swim months: July, August, September
Sea reaches only 22-23 C in July to September and about 16-18 C otherwise. Summer is drier but still has 5-7 rainy days a month; autumn and winter are wet and stormy, especially on the northwest islands.
Wind storms November-March; weakened hurricanes occasionally arrive, mostly September-October (Ponta Delgada figures shown).
Sources: reference climate tables, checked 2026-11-14. Typical climate, not a forecast.