Praia dos Alemães: the #1 guide
There are 4 urban beaches in the municipality of Albufeira and Praia dos Alemães is one of them. The other ones are Praia do Peneco, Praia dos Pescadores and Praia do Inatel. Of all these town beaches, Alemães is the most eastern one. In summer, this beach is very popular among tourists. Let’s discover this beach.
Watch it in HD
Are you ready to see a preview of this beach? Then check out the video below (note: it has no sound).
The beach
Praia dos Alemães is a medium sized beach, stretching for about 500 metres in length. Alemães is backed by low cliffs along the length of the beach. However, the cliffs here as not as high as behind the neighbouring beaches to the west. Praia dos Alemães is part of the stretch of sand that encompasses all of the urban beaches of Albufeira town. It is situated just east of Praia do Inatel and Albufeira town.
Just as many other beaches in Albufeira, Praia dos Alemães has golden sand. There is a wooden boardwalk on the beach, which makes it easier to walk along the beach. In general, swimming here is good. However, on some days the waves can be rough and the current can be strong at times, especially outside the summer months. Even though there are lifeguards overlooking the beach, it is good to keep an eye on children when they are swimming. The sea itself can be a bit rocky in some places.
You can find several holiday apartments and hotels behind the beach. However, Praia dos Alemães is slightly less developed than the other urban town beaches of Albufeira. The beach has a more natural environment and there are fewer buildings behind this beach than behind the other town beaches to the west. This is because Praia dos Alemães is the furthest urban beach from Albufeira town.
Praia dos Alemães is a popular beach and can become quite crowded in summer. Fortunately, it is not so crowded as the urban beaches of Praia dos Pescadores or Praia do Peneco, west of the beach. The more you walk to the east, the more quiet the beach becomes. Praia dos Alemães is mostly visited by foreign tourists. In summer you can sometimes also see a floating playground in the sea, which is very popular among children. Praia dos Alemães was the first beach in Albufeira to have this kind of entertainment. This makes Praia dos Alemães also a great beach for families.
All the way to the east you can find a natural pool among the rocks.
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Origin of the name
Literally, Praia dos Alemães translates as German beach. This name does not come from the German tourists visiting the beach. In fact, there are more Dutch and British tourists visiting this beach. The name German beach comes from the Inatel hotel nearby, which used to be a fish canning factory owned by Germans. When the Inatel Foundation bought the building and turned it into a hotel, they named the beach next to it after the German family who owned the factory. The rest of the beach maintained its original name Praia do Inatel.
Beach walk
If you want, you can go for a nice beach walk. There are 3 beaches west of Alemães: Praia do Inatel, Praia dos Pescadores and Praia do Peneco. In addition, you can walk in about 20 minutes from Alemães to the old town of Albufeira.
You can also walk east, behind Alemães beach, on the cliffs. The first beach to the east is Praia dos Aveiros.
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. Praia dos Alemães is relatively easy to reach. When driving on the EN125, exit towards Albufeira. Follow the M1285, and then the CM1286. Follow the signs in the direction of Inatel or Forte de São João. You will then see signs indicating Praia dos Alemães. There is free parking near some of the hotels. Another option to reach the beach is on foot from Albufeira town centre.
Beach restaurants
There are two restaurants right on Praia dos Alemães:
- Beach Spot Restaurante Bar. This beach bar focuses on fresh fish and seafood. The service is nice and the food is good. Good choice for lunch if you are not willing to walk towards town.
- NoSoloÁgua Albufeira. This chain became popular in Portimão and can now be found here as well. It is a good location for refreshments or cocktails. The atmosphere is good, but it is more expensive than other options nearby.
In addition, you can find many more restaurants within a short walking distance, either behind the beach or in the direction of Albufeira town.
Hotels
If you would like to stay in this part of Albufeira, there are plenty of options. Our favourite hotels here are:
- Alisios. This four star hotel is a great choice. The rooms are very good and the bathrooms are even better. There is an indoor swimming pool with heated seawater, as well as a big outside terrace. Some rooms have sea view. Nice restaurant on-site as well.
- Auramar Beach Resort. This three star hotel has a huge outside terrace with swimming pool, which is a great place to relax. In addition, there is a kids club, which makes this a good choice for families. Good value for money.
- Agua Viva. This guest house is a great choice if you are travelling on a budget. The rooms are comfortable, while they still offer plenty of facilities. Prices are very reasonable and the place is highly rated.
Another option is to quickly check the availability of nearby hotels. Below you can find a map with the location of hotels in Albufeira. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Excursions
We know there is a lot to see in the Algarve. During one holiday there is not enough time to see everything. To focus on the highlights of the sightseeings, we recommend to go on an excursion. You can book some of them already online. Below you can find our favourite excursions in the area.
Facilities
Praia dos Alemães is a Blue Flag beach with plenty of facilities to give you a nice beach day. There are some beach restaurants and many other restaurants and bars within a short walking distance. In summer there are lifeguards overlooking the beach. Moreover, the beach is accessible by wheelchair.
Facilities in Praia dos Alemães:
- Restaurant: yes
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: yes
- Shower: yes
- Water sports: yes
- Sunbeds: yes
- Parking: yes
- Lifeguards: yes
- Blue Flag beach: yes
