Praia do Amado – rushing sea, wild waves, soft sand and the most amazing coloured stones in shades of green, ochre, pink and black. A popular beach for surfers, families and nature lovers.
Fast Fact
Praia do Amado has been the venue for various national and international surfing and bodyboarding competitions.
General
Facilities:
- Restaurant/kiosk: Yes
- Public toilet: Yes
- Public shower: No
- Sunbeds: Yes
- Water sports: Yes
- Lifeguard: Yes
- Surf rental: Yes
- Surf lessons: Yes
Access: The beach is located south of the village of Carrapateira. There is a brown road sign to the beach just before the southern entrance to the village. The road winds through the mountainous landscape and runs into a large car park.
The beach
Praia do Amado is surrounded by green hills and beautiful reddish cliffs. The sandy beach is quite extensive and stretches for a kilometre along several bays. On the north shore there are magnificent, colourful cliffs varying from red to ochre to pink. Besides, they offer ideal protection from the north winds.
Access to the beach is not only via a slightly steeper path down to the beach, but also via detours over boardwalks and stairs. The unpaved path leads along a snack bar, the surf school and the rental shop and offers a beautiful view of the main part of the beach. The boardwalks provide a view into smaller bays as well.
Especially in summer and at weekends, this beach can get quite crowded. However, it’s never as busy as some of the more touristy beaches on the south coast of the Algarve. The beach is fairly large, so you can easily find a nice spot for your towel.
Surfing
Praia do Amado has excellent conditions for surfing. Given the large and consistent waves, it is one of the best places to surf in the Algarve. The beach faces west/northwest and the sea catches a lot of swell. This is suitable for both advanced surfers and beginners in summer. In winter, however, newcomers should avoid the waves as they could be potentially dangerous for newbies.
It’s possible to book surf lessons on site. However, if you feel confident enough, you also have the option of renting surfboards, wetsuits or bodyboards for a specific period of time.
When surfing in this area, it’s important to watch out for hidden rock formations in the sea. These rocks are not always visible – not even at low tide.
