This has to be one of my top 5 favourite beaches ever! So worth the 40 min drive from our resort, we went every day! This made the holiday for me. Turquoise waters, lovely sand, not too busy. Beach bar restaurant sold loads of freshly made food, ice lollies and drinks. Toilet there too. It’s just stunning. Waves were variable- a little rough one day, quite gentle the next. A lovely swimming spot though, and those views!

What an incredible beach! The sea stacks and archways dotted throughout make it a great beach for exploring (if you like climbing over rocks through water!) Unfortunately, there had been some high tides prior to our visit meaning there was quite a bit of seaweed, making swimming and walking to the sea less enjoyable. Be aware that many of the tides in the Algarve are also rough and not very suitable for young children. However, we had a pleasant afternoon on the lovely sandy beach, which was not overcrowded at all. I would also recommend visiting by sea either through one of the boat trips or by hiring a SUP or kayak as this allows better exploration of the caves and archways.

Lovely beach and I can confidently say so after visiting several other Algarve beaches which, believe me, are not all amazing. I’m sorry; I know I’m in the minority opinion here. We were not permitted to drive to the car park closest to the beach because it was full (perhaps due to it being a weekend). Getting there required an easy, flat mile walk (but note that it is in the blazing sun). Very steep but manageable stone staircase down to the wide, sandy cliff-backed beach, where there are WCs and a café but no opportunity for renting chairs/umbrellas. Mixed ages. Overall pleasant, albeit crowded, appealing beach.

This is a beautiful beach, but so busy with both beach goers and boat tours that it’s hard to relax. We visited at 10am on a Tuesday and was already full. A victim of its own success!! Many beachese just as beautiful elsewhere in the algarve which are more relaxing

The parking lots were overflowing even in late June, so I'd carefully consider coming in the peak season unless I was really early. Having said that, this is a stunning area. The beach is amazing, bounded by high cliffs, and the sea stacks, grottos, cliffs and small secluded beaches look amazing. We just enjoyed the views from the top but would have loved descending as well. At the top there are stalls selling soft drinks, ice creams etc. This really is a must see location and even better if you can spend time here.

The beach is kind of divided into 3 areas which are less busy as you progress - each section is blocked off by rocks which you need to either climb over (unless you're lucky with low tide) or swim around. My favourite was the last portion as there were few people there and beautiful caves if you swam out a little in the water - quite a few canoers/kayakers, SUP and boat tours around there too. Absoulely loved exploring the beach, very glad I was able to visit in the spring season (freezing water though of course)!

Paria da Marinha is an iconic beach in the western part of the Algarve coast - considered one of Europe’s most beautiful beaches. It’s worth a detour! The whole setting with the dramatic cliffs, the turquoise water and the golden sand is extremely photogenic. The sand is soft, and even in December the water isn’t to cold for a dip. You can easily spend a couple of relaxed hours here tanning and bathing. However, there are a couple of small annoyances. The official parking lot is much to small - you’ll have to park on a bumpy dirt road. Also, take care when bathing. There are quite a few stones and rocks in the water near the beach, so take care of your feet,

Took a taxi from Albufeira to this amazing area of the Algarve. Was about 40 mins but well worth it. Car park was crowded so if you are driving come early. Had a small hike on the cliff tops and view was amazing. Loved the emerald green waters beneath.

One of my favorite location in this area. Wonderful view of rocks, some amazing shapes. Plenty of spots to be discovered by exploring walking paths. A must see place for me. Easy accessible by car.

As you park at the (free) car park at the top you can walk across the cliffs or down the well constructed steps to the beach. At the bottom of the steps there is a tiny beach enclosed by cliffs, like the unknowing tourist sheep we are, we followed a family around a cliff face to a magical beach, truly it is beautiful. Crystal blue sea, high cliffs, it makes cornwall look like a council estate. We stayed for about 3 hours, the tide looked like it had not moved at all. When we decided to go home, we found we were virtually cut off from the little cove we walked down the steps onto. What followed ( with 2 young children (3&6)) was terrifying. We had to try and run past the increasingly powerful waves against the cliff face, I managed to get my incredibly distressed 3 year old to safety, whilst my wife and 6 year old took meagre shelter in a tiny cave, thankfully a very kind and brave young man saw my distress and went and rescued my wife other child. I have never seen such terror on their faces before. I am covered in bruises from being battered against the cliffs by the sea, and my 6 year old never wants to go to any beach again. Please be aware of this, there were about 40 people left on this beach including many young families, I have no idea how they got off it. There are no signs warning of tidal cut off, and it barely seems to move!