Praia de Vale Figueiras – the #1 guide
Praia de Vale Figueiras is a beach in the municipality of Aljezur and is an amazing beach if you like nature. This hidden gem is quite popular among surfers. This beach is quite remote and offers a lot of privacy. Discover why Praia de Vale Figueiras is definitely worth visiting.
Watch it in HD
Check out the following video below if you are interested in seeing the wonderful beach of Vale Figueiras.
The beach
Praia de Vale Figueiras is a huge sandy beach. It has a length of more than a kilometre and a width of about 75 metres. The beach is surrounded by gigantic cliffs, which makes for a beautiful scenery. Praia de Vale Figueiras is part of the Costa Vicentina natural park, which is known for its natural beauty.
The sand on Praia de Vale Figueiras is gold, but quite hard. On some places you can see rocks on the sand. There are also some rocks in the water, so be careful when swimming. In general, this is not a good beach for swimming. The currents are very strong here and the waves are high. This beach is popular for surfing and bodyboarding. Swimmers usually prefer other beaches nearby.
There is a big difference between low and high tide on Praia de Vale Figueiras. During low tide, the beach actually gets twice as wide. The widest section of the beach is near the entrance. This is also the place where most people stay.
However, Praia de Vale Figueiras is a very quiet and peaceful beach. There are few visitors, even in the height of summer. This is partly because of the fact that the beach can only be accessed via a dirt road. And partly because the beach is less known than other beaches nearby, such as Praia da Bordeira or Praia da Arrifana. This makes it a good place to escape the crowds. Most of the visitors to this beach are actually surfers. Although this is not an official nude beach, you can sometimes also see naturists visiting this beach.
There is no neighbouring beach on the southern side of Praia de Vale Figueiras, only cliffs. Going south, the first beach is Praia da Bordeira. On the northern side of the beach, it is bordered by Praia do Penedo. Praia do Penedo is not accessible by car and you can only get there on foot from Praia de Vale Figueiras. Penedo beach is usually only used by fishermen.
Because of its size, Vale Figueiras is perfect for long beach walks. During low tide you can get to walk to the northern beach of Praia do Penedo. When you also take this beach in consideration, the sand strip of Vale Figueiras has a length of almost 3 kilometres. This makes for a good exercise. There are also some pathways for walking on top of the cliffs. From there you can get a nice panoramic view over the beach.
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Surfing
Praia de Vale Figueiras is popular among surfers. The conditions for surfing are excellent on this beach. The waves are consistent, which is a reason why nearby surfing schools like to come here to practice. It is a good spot for both beginners and advanced surfers.
If you would like to see more of surfing at this beach, check out the following video.
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. The beach is located about halfway between Aljezur and Carrapateira. Coming from Aljezur, take the N120 and then the N268. Near Monta da Vinha you will see a sign indicating ‘Monte Novo‘ and ‘Figueiras‘. Turn right here. Follow this road, which extends for about 5 kilometres. More or less halfway, the road turns into a dirt road. Although this road is a bit rough and bumpy, a normal car will manage it. Just follow the road and you will end up at Praia de Vale Figueiras.
There is small area for parking. Although there are not that many parking spots, it is usually easy to park, since this beach has relatively few visitors. Parking is free. From the parking area, it is only a 100 metre walk to the beach.
Restaurants
There are no restaurants on the beach. However, the nearest restaurant is a great one. It is a 10 minute drive from Vale Figueiras beach and is called Shabouco. This restaurant serves amazing grilled fish and the service is good. Prices are reasonable as well. Another option is to go to Aljezur or Carrapateira, where you will find plenty of options for eating.
Hotels
If you like to stay nearby, we recommend any of the following hotels:
- Monte Chabouco. This highly rated holiday home offers clean and comfortable houses which are about 2 kilometres from Vale Figueiras beach. There are barbecue facilities as well as a kitchen, so you can cook your own meals if you want to.
- Barranco da Fonte. This holiday home on a farm offers everything you need to relax during your holiday in the Costa Vicentina natural park. There is a swimming pool and a spacious garden. Moreover, you can rent a bike here, which is an excellent way to discover the surrounding area.
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 Vale Figueiras beach. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Facilities
There are almost no facilities at Vale Figueiras beach. Make sure to bring food and drinks, because there are no restaurants nearby. There is a lifeguard on the beach though (only in the summer months).
Facilities in Praia de Vale Figueiras:
- Restaurant: no
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: no
- Shower: no
- Water sports: yes
- Sunbeds: no
- Parking: yes
- Lifeguards: yes, only during the summer
- Blue flag beach: no
