Praia Da Vigia, Albufeira: How To Find This Secret Beach
There are so many small, hidden beaches dotted along the Algarve coastline – one of which is Praia da Vigia in Albufeira! But how do you get there?
In this post we’ll share how to get to Praia da Vigia, where to park & what to expect when you find it!
Where Is Praia Da Vigia, Albufeira?
The ‘hidden beach’ of Praia da Vigia, is located about a 12 minute drive from the town of Albufeira, right next to the well-known Praia dos Arrifies beach.
You’ll definitely need a car to get there as it’s about an hours walk from the centre of Albufeira. However if you’re staying in one of the neighbourhoods closeby like Sao Rafael or Sesmarias, you could potentially walk to it depending how far away your accommodation is – although it could still be a lengthy stroll in the heat!
CLICK HERE TO SEE PRAIA DA VIGIA ON GOOGLE MAPS
NOTE: DON’T get this beach mixed up with the OTHER beach of the same name on the west coast of Portugal near Ericiera! 😂
How To Get To Praia Da Vigia, Albufeira
Step 1: You’ll first want to drive to Praia dos Arrifes. The best thing to do is set your sat nav to the free parking area for the Arrifes beach here.
From Albufeira Town, it will take about 12 minutes to get there. If driving from nearby Sesmarias or Gale it’s only about 5-7 mins away.
Step 2: Walk down towards the sea. Once you’ve parked, you’ll see a pathway leading down to the ocean, past a white building. After a minute or so, you’ll reach a fork in the path at another small yellow building. Instead of going left down to Arrifes Beach & the Sardinha restaurant – take the path on the right.
Step 3: Follow the pathway straight for a few hundred meters, until you reach an opening, where you’ll see Praia Da Vigia beach down to your left (through the gap in the cliffs.)
Bear in mind that there’s a bit of a rocky, sloping path to get down to it – it’s not too challenging but do take your time walking down especially if you have sandals on! Be really careful!
NOTE: You may also be able to access this beach from Praia Sao Rafael, which is on the other side of the rocks, but we didn’t follow the path all the way round to see. Next time we go we’ll have a look & give you an update!
What To Expect At Praia Da Vigia
Praia Da Vigia is a very small beach, so if you’re looking somewhere more secluded & peaceful to spend a morning or afternoon it could be a good spot!
The sand there is golden & soft, but just mind as you walk into the ocean it could be a little rocky in parts!
If you’re planning on sunbathing for a bit, make sure to bring a towel with you as there are no sunbeds & anything else you need in your beach bag.
The A Sardinha restaurant is only a 5 minute walk away on Arrifes Beach which is a lovely spot for lunch with a view! Or bring a packed lunch with you!
Even if you don’t spend long at Praia Da Vigia, it’s a nice spot to take some vacation photos or for a sunrise dip in the water!
As you walk back up the sloping path, try going left & you’ll be able to walk around the path to get views of the beach from above.
COOL PHOTOSPOT 📸 : Right before you enter the beach, you’ll see a small hole or gap in the cliff to your left, which looks through to the beach & out to the ocean. If you’re into photography or you just want a cool picture for your Instagram, this makes for a pretty good place to get a snapshot as you can see below!
Best Time To Visit Praia Da Vigia
We visited Praia Da Vigia in June, very early in the morning at sunrise – which at that time of the year was around 6am/6.30am. (note: sunrise times will vary throughout the year!)
There was nobody else about at that time which we were actually surprised at because June is technically a summer month! Possibly in July/August there might be a few more people watching the sunrise there.
The tide was low at this time so there was a lot of beach to walk on, but we’ve read a few google reviews that at high tide the beach can get significantly smaller – so do be mindful of that!
You could always just stay for a bit to sunbathe & take a dip, then move to Praia dos Arrifes or Praia de São Rafael close by if the tide comes in too far!
Will you go in search of Praia Da Vigia next time you visit Albufeira? We hope this post will help you find it! Let us know in the comments if you’ve been here OR what YOUR favourite beach in the Algarve is! 🏖️
Quick Resources For Your Trip To Albufeira🌞:
🏨 Find hotels & apartments in Albufeira via Booking.Com
🚗 Rent a car for your trip through DiscoverCars.com
🏝️ Book boat trips, tours & fun experiences on GetYourGuide
More posts about Albufeira you might find useful:
- Albufeira Marina: Things To Do & Complete Guide 🚤
- How To Spend One Day In Silves, Portugal 🏰
- Do You Need To Rent A Car In The Algarve, Portugal? 🚗
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