Praia dos Estudantes – the complete guide
Praia dos Estudantes is a beach near the centre of Lagos. Due to its location, it is a convenient beach to visit for a couple of hours. It is located right next to Praia da Batata. Praia dos Estudantes is known for its Roman style bridge right on the beach. On this page you will discover everything about this beach.
Watch it in HD
If you would like to see more of the area surrounding Praia dos Estudantes, check out the following video.
The beach
Praia dos Estudantes is a small beach. Literally, Praia dos Estudantes means Student Beach. Additionally this beach is sometimes also known as Praia da Formosa. The beach is surrounded by rock formations, which extend into the sea and shelter the beach from strong winds. Praia dos Estudantes actually consists of two sides. The northern part is where you arrive on the beach.
You can go to the southern part via a direct tunnel. On this part of the beach you can find the famous Roman style bridge.
The sand on Estudantes beach is coarse and quite hard. There are a lot of shells on the sand, which might hurt your feet. The sea is very calm here though and the water is transparent. It is a great place to swim and enjoy the ocean. Beware that the water itself might be a bit cold.
Even though it is called Student Beach, the beach is popular among all ages. For example, you can also see families with children. In general, the beach is usually not so crowded as Praia da Batata. However, due do its small size it can feel crowded pretty quickly. In general Estudantes beach is a good place for sunbathing. Since the beach is so close to the town of Lagos, it is great for spending a couple of hours when you are nearby.
If you like to explore the area, there is a nice beach walk. You can walk from Praia da Batata to Praia dos Estudantes. Walk to the Roman bridge and then take the small cave to the right (during low tide). From here you can walk all the way to Praia do Pinhão, which makes for a nice beach walk. However, when the tide is high, this walk is impossible.
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Tunnels
Praia dos Estudantes consists of two parts and there is a man-made tunnel connecting both sides. This tunnel is also known as the southern tunnel of Praia dos Estudantes and is heavily eroded by the sea. When walking in this tunnel, you can also see organisms such as shrimp or mussels.
There is also another man-made tunnel on Praia dos Estudantes, known as the northern tunnel. This tunnel leads directly to Praia da Batata.
The bridge
On Praia dos Estudantes you will see a Roman style bridge connecting two rock formations. This bridge is the most unique feature of Estudantes beach. It used to be part of the fortress of Pinhão, which doesn’t exist anymore. Nowadays, the bridge attracts plenty of photographers to Praia dos Estudantes.
It is also highly recommended to rent a kayak and see the bridge from the water. During high tide you can even go underneath the bridge by kayak. You can rent a kayak from Praia da Batata.
Mar Restaurant & Bar
There is a restaurant on top off the cliffs called Mar Restaurante Bar. Together with the beach bar on Praia da Batata, this is the only place nearby where you can get food and refreshments. The best thing about this restaurant is the view, which is really amazing. The food itself is ok, but nothing special. Another option is to walk to the centre of Lagos, which is about a 10 minute walk.
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. Drive to the centre of Lagos and park your car in the centre, or in the outside car park next to the main street of Avenida dos Descobrimentos. From the centre it is a 10 minute walk via Avenida dos Descrobrimentos to Praia dos Estudantes. From the centre of Lagos, there are actually 2 ways to reach this beach:
- Go to Praia da Batata and walk all the way to the end. You will see a tunnel which goes directly to Praia dos Estudantes.
- Walk towards Mar Restaurant. You will see a stairway directly leading down to Estudantes beach.
Hotels
There are some very nice hotels nearby. If you wish to stay in Lagos, we recommend any of the following hotels.
Upscale
- Lagos Avenida Hotel. This luxurious four star hotel in the centre of Lagos offers a fabulous view from the outside swimming pool over the harbour of Lagos and the ocean. The location is awesome and the facilities are very good. Highly rated as well.
Mid-range
- Aqualuz Lagos Hotel & Apartments – S.Hotels Collection. This hotel offers four star apartments and has a nice rooftop terrace and several swimming pools. All apartments are spacious and have modern decoration. Some apartments have a balcony. In addition, they offer a gym with sport classes as well.
Budget
- Lagos City Center Guest House & Hostel. If you are looking for a hostel with a good price to value ratio, look no further than this guest house in the centre of Lagos. All rooms are clean and comfortable, while there is a kitchen so you can cook your own meals. No wonder that this hostel has very good reviews.
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 in Lagos. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Excursions
If you wish to explore the area, we recommend to go on an excursion. It is highly recommended to see Ponta da Piedade and kayak to the caves. Some of these activities can already be booked online. Below you can find our favourite excursions near Praia dos Estudantes.
Facilities
There are actually few facilities on the beach of Praia dos Estudantes. All facilities can be found on its neighbouring beach, Praia da Batata. Fortunately, the centre is Lagos is nearby, so within a short walking distance you can find everything you need.
Facilities in Praia dos Estudantes:
- Restaurant: yes, on top of the cliff
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: yes, in the restaurant on top of the cliff
- Shower: no
- Water sports: no
- Sunbeds: no
- Parking: yes
- Lifeguards: no
- Blue flag beach: no
