Praia da Falésia

About this place

Praia da Falésia, «Cliff Beach», is a long sandy beach in the municipality of Albufeira in the Algarve, southern Portugal, about 21 km in a straight line west of Faro. It is part of an almost unbroken stretch of sand nearly 6 km long that runs east towards Vilamoura. The beach is backed by high cliffs of sand and clay in strong shades of red, orange and white, topped by umbrella pines. At the western end the cliffs are high but soft, and rain carves them into deep gullies and ridges; further east they slowly lose height. The erosion of these cliffs is what keeps feeding the beach with sand. Small cones of sand gather at the foot of the cliffs, where dune plants such as sea daffodils and sea holly take root. The sand is wide and largely free of rocks, which makes it good for long walks along the water and for swimming in calm weather. Paths through the pines on the clifftop look out over the whole coast. Wooden stairs lead down to the sand from car parks above. Lifeguards are on duty in the bathing season, and parasols and sunbeds can be rented. Entry is free. The cliffs are unstable, so do not sit right beneath them or go near the edge at the top.