Praia da Angrinha: the #1 guide
Praia da Angrinha is a beach in the fishing village of Ferragudo, which is part of the municipality of Lagoa. It is the closest beach to the town of Ferragudo and is great for sunbathing. Despite its location, there are relatively few people visiting this beach. Instead, many people go straight to the nearby Praia Grande in Ferragudo. However, if you would like some peace on the beach, go visit Angrinha. Let’s discover this beach.
Watch it in HD
Would you like to explore this beach and its surroundings? Then check out the following video.
The beach
Praia da Angrinha is a relatively long beach located at the mouth of the Arade River. Thus it is technically a river beach. The beach is backed by low dunes and the outskirts of Ferragudo. There is a pathway along the beach, which makes it easier to walk.
The beach is sheltered from big waves, which means that the water on the beach is very calm. However, the quality of the water is not very good, partly due to the presence of many boats here. This makes it not a great beach for swimming. However, the beach is good for (wind)surfing and sailing.
Across the Arade River you can see the marina of Portimão. It can be nice to sit on the beach and just watch the boat traffic heading to or from the marina. That is why this beach attracts people who want to enjoy the view over Portimão and the Arade estuary. The downside of these boats is the noise: you will probably hear many boats going in and out of the area. By the way, there are also boats and ferries that can take you to the other side of the Arade River.
Praia da Angrinha is the closest beach to the town of Ferragudo. The town is just a couple of minutes walking to the north. On the northern end of the beach you can also see some fishermen huts, as well as a pier that is used to anchor fishing boats.
On the south side of the beach you can see a big rock, with a huge fort and some vegetation on it. This is the Fort of São João do Arade. This fort characterizes the beach.
It is awesome to walk on the beach and look up to the fort.
In general, there are not a lot of people on Praia da Angrinha, not even in the summer. It is not a touristic beach. If you seek some peace, while still being close to Ferragudo, this beach is a good option. Praia da Angrinha is mostly visited by local families and couples.
Praia da Angrinha is a small beach with a fishing tradition. If you are lucky, you can see traditional fishing boats getting pulled up on the beach. Furthermore, some people bring a fishing rod to go fishing on this beach.
From Praia da Angrinha you can also enjoy the sunset across the Arade River.
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Fort of São João do Arade
On the south side of the beach you can see the Fort of São João do Arade (in Portuguese: Forte de São João do Arade). It is also known as the Castle of São João do Arade. This fort was built in the 17th century to protect the coast against attacks from pirates. Together with the Fort of Santa Catarina in Portimão, this fort defended the area. Currently, the castle is closed to the public, as it is private property. You can only admire it from the outside.
The fort is built on a rock, which is the border between Praia da Angrinha and Praia Grande. The fort is located just between these two beaches.
Praia Grande
On the other side of the fort you can find the beach of Praia Grande, which can be considered the main beach of Ferragudo. Praia da Angrinha is smaller than Praia Grande (as the name Praia Grande already suggests it is a big beach). Also, Praia da Angrinha is less crowded and more quiet than Praia Grande. On the other hand, if you want a more lively beach, go to Praia Grande. It is just a short walk from Angrinha beach. In fact, some people use Angrinha beach solely as a passage beach to Praia Grande. During low tide you can even walk through the water towards Praia Grande. On the picture below, you can see Angrinha in the front and Praia Grande in the back.
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. When driving on the EN125 national road, take the exit Estômbar and take the third exit at the roundabout. Then follow the signs to Praia Grande in Ferragudo. There is a big car park with plenty of parking space, just behind Praia da Angrinha. Unlike many other tourist hotspots, there is always enough space to park your car here.
Restaurants
Since Ferragudo is a traditional fishing town, you can find many good restaurants nearby. Our favourite restaurants in Ferragudo are:
- Restaurante Sueste. This restaurant is located not far from the beach. It focuses on fresh Portuguese fish and seafood dishes and they do an amazing job. Staff is friendly and there is plenty of seating outdoors as well.
- A Ria. This highly rated Portuguese restaurant offers some of the best fish and seafood dishes in town. It is run by a family. They have a great variety of fish choices. Great location, right next to the Arade river.
- Fusion Sunsubiro Ferragudo. If you are looking for something else for a change, then try this sushi restaurant. Their sushi is absolutely fabulous. Located in Ferragudo town.
Hotels
If you wish to stay in Ferragudo, we recommend any of the following hotels:
- Vitor’s Village. This aparthotel has a spacious outside terrace and a nice swimming pool. At night they often provide evening entertainment on the terrace. In addition, the hotel offers a free shuttle bus to all the nearby beaches.
- One2Seven. This aparthotel in Ferragudo has an outside terrace and swimming pool with a great view over Ferragudo, the Arade River and Portimão. It is one of the most highly rated hotels in the area.
- Apartamentos Turisticos Praia Grande. These apartments are clean and comfortable. They have a kitchen, so you can cook your own meals if you want to. Furthermore, the staff is friendly.
Another option is to quickly check the availability of nearby hotels. Below you can find a map with the location of hotels in Ferragudo. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Excursions
Ferragudo is a nice fishing town. However, there is much more to see in the Algarve. For example, we recommend that you discover the coastline of the Algarve and its caves. We think the best way to see that is by going on an excursion. Below you can find our favourite excursions in the area.
Facilities
There are few facilities on Praia da Angrinha. For example, there is no beach restaurant and there are no lifeguards overlooking the beach. However, the town of Ferragudo is very close. There you can find many bars, restaurants and shops. And if you are looking for a beach with more facilities, you can visit nearby Praia Grande. On that beach you can also get the equipment for water sports.
Facilities in Praia da Angrinha:
- Restaurant: no
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: no
- Shower: no
- Water sports: yes, but get the equipment on Praia Grande
- Sunbeds: no
- Parking: yes
- Lifeguards: no
- Blue Flag beach: no
