Praia do Inatel – the #1 guide
Praia do Inatel is a city beach, east of the old town of Albufeira. Located in the area of Bairro dos Pescadores, Praia do Inatel is one of the city beaches in Albufeira, situated between Praia dos Alemães (east) and Praia dos Pescadores (west). The beach is very much associated with the Inatel hotel, which is located right on it.
Watch it in HD
In this short drone video you will get an idea of Praia do Inatel.
The beach
Praia do Inatel is quite long, about 800 metres. The beach is also very wide, almost half a kilometre during low tide. This means that there is plenty of room to sunbathe. The sand on this beach is very nice and soft. The beach is quite clean and supervised by lifeguards. You can find many people enjoying a swim in the sea, which has nice waves here. Be careful with kids in the water, since the sea here can have strong currents and be quite rough on some days.
As Praia do Inatel is located very near the town of Albufeira, it can become quite a crowded beach, especially during the summer months. However, the beach is not as crowded as Praia dos Pescadores, the main Albufeira town beach.
The most crowded part of the beach is near the Inatel hotel. Many of its guests come here to enjoy the sun and swim in the sea. Since Praia do Inatel is within walking distance of many other hotels nearby, you will find many tourists on the beach. The beach is also popular with (Portuguese) families with children. Kids love to play in the golden sands of this beach. You can also find plenty of shells on this beach.
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The Inatel hotel
Praia do Inatel gets its name from the Inatel hotel, which is located right on the beach. This was the first building directly on the beach. Inatel is a Portuguese hotel chain of social tourism. The hotel dominates the beach and it is quite popular. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court and a sun-lounger terrace. They provide several activities, ranging from diving to karaoke. Even if you are not a guest of the hotel, you can still go here for lunch or a quick drink.
After the busy summer season of last year, we recommend to book your hotel now, as it will probably sell out. Below you can find a map with the location of hotels near Praia do Inatel. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Beach walks
From Praia do Inatel you can either walk east to Praia dos Alemães or west to Praia dos Pescadores. Also the old town of Albufeira is within walking distance from the beach (a 10 minute walk). The best time of the day for a nice walk along the beach is at the end of the afternoon. If you walk east and take the stairs, then you will have a beautiful view over the beach from the rocks.
Travelling to the Algarve this year? Dont’ forget to bring the Marco Polo Travel Guide.
How to get there
The easiest way to move around in the Algarve is by car. If you don’t have one, make sure to rent a car. To get to Inatel beach, use the address of the Inatel hotel: Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, Albufeira. The beach is located right behind the Inatel hotel. There is no dedicated parking for this beach, but you will find parking spots on the streets nearby.
Restaurants
Our favourite restaurants near Inatel beach are:
- Ristorante Pizzeria La Terrazza Del Mare. This pizzeria has good pizzas and a terrace with a terrific view, overlooking the sea. The staff is very friendly and makes you feel welcome. Also great for a quick drink.
- Spice Lounge. This Indian restaurant has great food for a reasonable price. Lovers of spicy food will not be disappointed.
- Restaurante Dom Carlos. This Portuguese restaurant offers a fine dining experience. The food is exceptional, but also more expensive than in most other places.
Excursions
The good thing about staying near Albufeira is that there are many things to do. You can also enjoy several excursions, to get to know the Algarve better. Think about exploring the coastline of the region by boat. Below you can see our selection of recommended excursions.
Facilities
Near the beach you can find several restaurants, bars and pubs. Also, there are plenty of facilities on this beach.
Facilities in Praia do Inatel:
- Restaurant: yes
- Bar/club: yes
- Toilet: yes
- Shower: yes
- Water sports: yes
- Sunbeds: yes
- Parking: yes, near Avenida Infante Dom Henrique
- Lifeguards: yes
- Blue Flag beach: yes
