Praia Nova: the #1 guide
Praia Nova is a beach near Porches, in the municipality of Lagoa. It is located west of the promontory of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, which is famous for its chapel. Praia Nova is relatively unknown, but still has plenty to offer for a nice beach day. Let’s discover the beach.
Watch it in HD
Are you ready to see the unique surroundings of the beach? Then check out the video below.
The beach
Praia Nova is a relatively big beach, stretching for about 300 metres in length. The beach is backed by tall rock formations. Literally, the name means New Beach. Since this beach is just as old as the other beaches nearby, it is unknown where this name comes from.
The sand here is golden and the sea is usually calm. The water is crystal clear, which is great for swimming and snorkelling.
Praia Nova is located just west of Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha. There is a big cliff separating these two beaches. However, there is a 60 metre long man-made tunnel in the cliff, which connects Praia Nova to Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha. It is best to use this tunnel during low tide. In the walls of the tunnel you can actually see many fossils. On top of this cliff you can see the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha, which characterizes the beach.
On the picture below you can see Praia Nova on the left side and Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha on the right side of the promontory.
Praia Nova is usually not very crowded. The beach is quite large, which means there is a lot of space. Since the beach is relatively unknown, few people visit it. The ones who do visit are mostly locals and guests of the nearby hotels. Compared with Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha, Praia Nova is much bigger, less crowded and more quiet. Partly this is because the beach is slightly more difficult to access. Praia Nova is definitely a good choice to escape the crowds.
By the way, on the west side of Praia Nova there is another small beach, just around the corner of the cliff.
Beware that the cliffs on the beach can be unstable in some places. Always keep some distance from the cliffs. You can actually see there was a landslide on the beach.
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The chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha
To the east of the beach you can see the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Rocha. When you are standing on Praia Nova, you can see it on your left side.
This chapel also characterizes the beach of Praia Nova. Make sure to go up the cliff and visit the chapel.
From the chapel you also have a good view over the beach.
This chapel is one of the most iconic landmarks of the Algarve. To read more about the chapel, see our article about Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha. By the way, during sunrise you can take amazing photographs here.
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 national road EN125, take the exit Porches and continue on the M530-1 towards Armação de Pêra. At some point, you will see signs indicating Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha and turn right. You can park your car on top of the cliffs. To reach Praia Nova, follow the footpath to the west. There is a staircase near the centre of the beach, about 200 metres from the car park. Another way to reach Praia Nova is by going to Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha and take the tunnel through the cliff.
Hotels
Praia Nova is relatively close to Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha. Thus we recommend the same hotels as you can find in the article about Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha.
Another option is to quickly check the availability of nearby hotels. Below you can find a map with the location of hotels near the beach. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Excursions
Going on an excursion is a great way to discover the Algarve. For example, we definitely recommend to see the amazing coastline near Lagoa, with its spectacular rock formations and the impressive Benagil cave. You can book some excursions already online, which saves you time. Below you can see our favourite excursions in the area.
Facilities
There are no facilities on Praia Nova. For example, there is no restaurant or toilet on the beach. It is best to take some food and drinks with you. However, if you are really hungry or thirsty, you can always visit the restaurant on Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha. You can reach this beach by using the tunnel through the cliff on the eastern side of the beach.
Facilities in Praia Nova:
- Restaurant: no
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: no
- Shower: no
- Water sports: no
- Sunbeds: no
- Parking: yes
- Lifeguards: no
- Blue Flag beach: no
