Fonte da Telha Beach
Fonte da Telha Beach
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
312 reviews
Excellent
141
Very good
114
Average
39
Poor
10
Terrible
8
Jonk1966
Cardiff, UK242 contributions
Jun 2021
I love this beach. It can get super busy on the weekends and in Summer. However the beach is huge and stretches down to Lagoa de Albufeira. Once you get past the crowds you can then find much more empty areas to get away from the crowds. This is not a beach that is easy to access by public transport so a car is needed. Parking can get crazy in the height of summer so go early morning or late in the afternoon
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ricardo
183 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Although there is plenty of parking around, I can tell you right now it'll go fast! Get here early in the morning!
There are umbrellas for hire in some locations, but I don't know the price.
This beach has surveillance and lifeguards!
There's plenty of restaurants at the side of the beach as well.
All these beaches are connected so there's plenty of space even during the pandemic. Plenty of space for everyone to easily apply social distancing. Only problem will be the parking...
Highly recommended!
There are umbrellas for hire in some locations, but I don't know the price.
This beach has surveillance and lifeguards!
There's plenty of restaurants at the side of the beach as well.
All these beaches are connected so there's plenty of space even during the pandemic. Plenty of space for everyone to easily apply social distancing. Only problem will be the parking...
Highly recommended!
Written August 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Sara A
Charneca da Caparica, Portugal28 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
It is one of the busiest beaches especially in summer. The entry are exit goes from the same road so sometimes it gets really busy getting out of the area. It has plenty of restaurants/bars/coffeeshops. It is good on weekdays as it is not that packed. It has a nice view of mountains and beach side. It is clean but no safeguards
Written June 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Portugalism
Amersham, UK47 contributions
Aug 2016 • Solo
I love this beach and every time I spend the summer in Portugal, I make sure I visit here. It's a stunning praia that stretches for many miles to the north and south with little or no development apart from the village of Fonte da Telha. If the Nortrada (north wind) isn't blowing strongly, you can bathe in clear, warm water (sometimes the water temperature reaches 22°c or 23°c) but if the Nortrada is blowing, the water can be cold; I've measured the sea temperature here with my digital thermometer for several years.
North of Fonte da Telha, the beach becomes Praia da Nato, and there are beautiful, towering cliffs of orange and red sandstone. The beach has a Robinson Crusoe feeling and on days when the Atlantic is calm, it is a joy to swim; although, it can also be rough. I have had some truly idyllic days here on the beach, swimming in calm waters.
The Praia 19 or Bela Vista beach (Praia da Bela Vista) south from Costa da Caparica is a well-known gay beach (said to be the most-frequented gay beach in Portugal). It's a very friendly and fun place to be. There are wonderful pine groves behind the beach and when the tide comes up the beach, it sometimes forms large lagoons of water. There is a low ridge of sand-dunes where you can sunbathe in shelter on days when it is windy. It's difficult to get here from Lisbon as many use the expensive TransPraia beach train from Costa da Caparica.
However, I'd recommend taking the 127 Sul do Tejo bus from Cacilhas dock to Fonte da Telha as a preference over the expensive beach train. You can take a ferry across the Tejo from Lisboa and the bus leaves at regularly times throughout the day, usually about 5 or 10 minutes after the arrival of the ferry into Cacilhas; the bus takes about 50 minutes to arrive in Fonte da Telha (just enough time to read a few chapters in a book), and walking down the dusty street towards the beach (in the direction of Praia da Bela Vista or Praia 19), there is a supermarket where you can buy water-melon, crisps, pastries and cold drinks at inexpensive prices. It is advised to buy a book of tickets from the bus station ticket station in Cacilhas prior to travel, as this is the most inexpensive way of travel, otherwise it's usually about 4.50 euros per journey.
Many people also flock to the beaches which have beach bars and restaurants behind them; I have never been to that stretch of the beach, but it makes good sense to be close to these places.
I love the ramshackle, 'backwards' feel of Fonte da Telha with its fishing boats lying on the beach, fishing nets, and anchors, and idiosyncratic paraphernalia of flotsam and jetsam lying strewn around; I've not been to many places that feel so authentic.
Forget going to the Algarve, this beach is much better, much wilder, and if the wind is in the right direction you'll get good, warm sea temperatures. The sea can, of course, be cold, and usually it is in August, but this is not a 'dead cert'. There are days when the sea temperature feels like a warm bath. Much of the Portuguese coastline is subject to 'upwelling', a phenomenon whereby deep ocean water surfaces and appears at the shoreline. But the reverse can also occur frequently, 'downwelling' when warm water meets the shoreline. For example, one day in July 2015, I recorded a sea temperature of 22°c, which felt like a warm bath, but exactly 24 hours later at the same beach, the sea temperature had plummeted to only 16°c, which did feel cold.
I absolutely adore this beach, particularly its protected, natural state and the sense of peace and closeness to nature. It's a classical Portuguese experience to be here during the summer months, having fun with Portuguese families and swimming, eating grilled fish and enjoying the extraordinary views to Sintra and the high hills (30 miles away to the north, over the water) and the mega-watt sunlight which bathes everything in the most wonderful clarity.
In the evenings, I have seen the fishermen bringing their brightly and elaborately painted boats up onto the shoreline and plenty of Portuguese families crowd around to buy fish straight off the boat.
The sunsets are truly breathtaking: in July, I witnessed the sun sinking into the sea as a huge, angry, fiery orb of luminescent orange sinking into the sea.
North of Fonte da Telha, the beach becomes Praia da Nato, and there are beautiful, towering cliffs of orange and red sandstone. The beach has a Robinson Crusoe feeling and on days when the Atlantic is calm, it is a joy to swim; although, it can also be rough. I have had some truly idyllic days here on the beach, swimming in calm waters.
The Praia 19 or Bela Vista beach (Praia da Bela Vista) south from Costa da Caparica is a well-known gay beach (said to be the most-frequented gay beach in Portugal). It's a very friendly and fun place to be. There are wonderful pine groves behind the beach and when the tide comes up the beach, it sometimes forms large lagoons of water. There is a low ridge of sand-dunes where you can sunbathe in shelter on days when it is windy. It's difficult to get here from Lisbon as many use the expensive TransPraia beach train from Costa da Caparica.
However, I'd recommend taking the 127 Sul do Tejo bus from Cacilhas dock to Fonte da Telha as a preference over the expensive beach train. You can take a ferry across the Tejo from Lisboa and the bus leaves at regularly times throughout the day, usually about 5 or 10 minutes after the arrival of the ferry into Cacilhas; the bus takes about 50 minutes to arrive in Fonte da Telha (just enough time to read a few chapters in a book), and walking down the dusty street towards the beach (in the direction of Praia da Bela Vista or Praia 19), there is a supermarket where you can buy water-melon, crisps, pastries and cold drinks at inexpensive prices. It is advised to buy a book of tickets from the bus station ticket station in Cacilhas prior to travel, as this is the most inexpensive way of travel, otherwise it's usually about 4.50 euros per journey.
Many people also flock to the beaches which have beach bars and restaurants behind them; I have never been to that stretch of the beach, but it makes good sense to be close to these places.
I love the ramshackle, 'backwards' feel of Fonte da Telha with its fishing boats lying on the beach, fishing nets, and anchors, and idiosyncratic paraphernalia of flotsam and jetsam lying strewn around; I've not been to many places that feel so authentic.
Forget going to the Algarve, this beach is much better, much wilder, and if the wind is in the right direction you'll get good, warm sea temperatures. The sea can, of course, be cold, and usually it is in August, but this is not a 'dead cert'. There are days when the sea temperature feels like a warm bath. Much of the Portuguese coastline is subject to 'upwelling', a phenomenon whereby deep ocean water surfaces and appears at the shoreline. But the reverse can also occur frequently, 'downwelling' when warm water meets the shoreline. For example, one day in July 2015, I recorded a sea temperature of 22°c, which felt like a warm bath, but exactly 24 hours later at the same beach, the sea temperature had plummeted to only 16°c, which did feel cold.
I absolutely adore this beach, particularly its protected, natural state and the sense of peace and closeness to nature. It's a classical Portuguese experience to be here during the summer months, having fun with Portuguese families and swimming, eating grilled fish and enjoying the extraordinary views to Sintra and the high hills (30 miles away to the north, over the water) and the mega-watt sunlight which bathes everything in the most wonderful clarity.
In the evenings, I have seen the fishermen bringing their brightly and elaborately painted boats up onto the shoreline and plenty of Portuguese families crowd around to buy fish straight off the boat.
The sunsets are truly breathtaking: in July, I witnessed the sun sinking into the sea as a huge, angry, fiery orb of luminescent orange sinking into the sea.
Written December 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FABIOLA C
Charneca da Caparica, Portugal86 contributions
Nov 2020
The beach is very beautiful and clean. In a very charming fish village. Has many good restaurants. I really love this beach
Written November 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FABIOLA C
Charneca da Caparica, Portugal86 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
It’s very close to my house. Always bring my foreigns friends there. Very good restaurants beautiful beach. I definitely recommend
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Lauren
London, UK143 contributions
Sep 2019 • Family
A nice beach. Quite a lot of litter which is a shame. It costs €10 to hire and umbrella and two deck chairs. The beach stretches out really far, it would probably take you about 30/45 mins to walk the entire stretch of it so naturally the further down you go, the quieter it is. There are no ATMs! So if you want to hire things or buy beach balls etc make sure you take euros with you beforehand. The restaurants and bars along the beach are alright (they take card) and have okay views of the beach.
Written September 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
BroLucius
Southampton, UK3,209 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
It would be hard to improve on this beach, which is at least 50 metres deep (from road to sea) and consists of splendidly soft yellow sand. Loungers and sun umbrellas are
for hire. The sea is slightly wavy but absolutely fine for swimming. In August, it is well attended, particularly at weekends. The parking space tends to fill up, and you may have to drive a while until you find a vacant space.
for hire. The sea is slightly wavy but absolutely fine for swimming. In August, it is well attended, particularly at weekends. The parking space tends to fill up, and you may have to drive a while until you find a vacant space.
Written August 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Domingos S
Almada, Portugal179 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
Fonte da Telha is another great beach, from Costa da Caparica area.
The best way to reach this beach is by car (around 10-15min from Costa da Caparica, or 30min from Lisbon), or you can take a Bus (either from Costa da Caparica or from Cacilhas).
The beach offers a large extension of sand, where you can walk from miles, as well as, a great ocean waves, were you can either swim or do surf (be aware that the beach surveillance is available only during summer months).
There are lots of good restaurants in the area, from traditional to latest trends. Same is applicable to the prices...
Enjoy!
The best way to reach this beach is by car (around 10-15min from Costa da Caparica, or 30min from Lisbon), or you can take a Bus (either from Costa da Caparica or from Cacilhas).
The beach offers a large extension of sand, where you can walk from miles, as well as, a great ocean waves, were you can either swim or do surf (be aware that the beach surveillance is available only during summer months).
There are lots of good restaurants in the area, from traditional to latest trends. Same is applicable to the prices...
Enjoy!
Written March 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Eddy B
16 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
Great wide beach, plenty of space and enough privacy, short walk to beautiful bar serving wonderful caipirinhas, definitely one to go back to :0)))
Written September 26, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
l'arret de bus est loin de la plage ?
Beki
86 contributions
Non, Fonte da Telha est sur la plage.
Alejandro N
3 contributions
Se puede llevar perros???
Toño G
Santiago de Compostela, Spain28 contributions
Sin problema
claudianobre95
Santarem, Portugal
Gostaria de saber se sao permitidos cães na praia
Miguel Sequeira
Sintra, Portugal
Acho que sim , até porque tem sempre gente com os seus animais de estimação e nunca vi impedimento algum
Veronica T
Buenos Aires, Argentina21 contributions
Hola! Alguien sabe si se puede acceder por transporte publico desde lisboa?
Sylvie B
The Hague, The Netherlands206 contributions
could somebody tell me if there are working showers there ?
thanks !
M1221brnan
Nieuw Amsterdam, The Netherlands2 contributions
Quando mudara??????
PeterMCLopes
90 contributions
I hope that never change!
M1221brnan
Nieuw Amsterdam, The Netherlands2 contributions
Tudo selvagem !
Quando sera urbazada a Fonte da Telha ??????
Zoey_lx
Lisbon, Portugal218 contributions
está igual
leo r
Greater London, UK
fonte da telha e a gay friendly place
Philippe T
Saint-Pierre-les-Nemours, France7 contributions
near fonte da telha, direction Caparica,,,, praia "Casa da praia" after "Nova vaga" , many kite surf,,, and more
leo r
Greater London, UK
ola
estou visitando a fonte da telha por 2 dias esse mes
sou bi discrete
tem como curtir gajos afonte da telha ?
fonte da telha e gayfriendly ?
Fonte da Telha Beach (Almada) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Fonte da Telha Beach
- Hotels near Fonte da Telha Beach:
- (0.13 mi) SUL surf, eat & sleep
- (5.68 mi) Lost Caparica Surf House
- (6.86 mi) Gota Dagua Surf Camp Portugal - Costa da Caparica, Lisbon
- (9.87 mi) Corpo Santo Lisbon Historical Hotel
- (9.50 mi) As Janelas Verdes Inn, a Lisbon Heritage Collection
- Restaurants near Fonte da Telha Beach:
- (0.03 mi) Cabana Beach Bar
- (0.08 mi) Retiro do Pescador
- (0.10 mi) Beira Mar - Fonte da Telha
- (0.06 mi) Rampa Beach Club
- (0.12 mi) Aroeira Beach
- Attractions near Fonte da Telha Beach:
- (0.32 mi) Gustykite Kitesurf School
- (0.52 mi) WindSpirit Club
- (8.81 mi) Mosteiro dos Jeronimos
- (9.98 mi) Praca do Comercio (Terreiro do Paco)
- (4.82 mi) GetWet surf school and Tours