Tings Lisbon are surrounded by the world’s best beaches.
The beach season has started!
It’s hard to believe this is the Portuguese coast, which I’ve long associated with sprawling resorts, pumping nightclubs and shopping malls – instead I am surrounded by endless beaches, pine forests and paddy fields. It’s easy to be seduced by the relaxed vibe in Comporta, the antithesis of the Algarve, located just over an hour’s drive south of Lisbon. It’s at the base of the Troia Peninsula, a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sado River estuary in the Alentejo, Portugal’s rural heartland.
Our season started 4 month ago 🙂
We’re so privileged not only to be surrounded by beaches – among them one of the the best in the world. We’re also gifted with a climate that makes it possible to enjoy beach life almost all year around. So when time allows us we try to go to the beach for a couple of hours in the afternoon.
When need a day off we usually go for a day trip that includes a couple of hours with a book on one of the beaches within maximum one hour by car or public transportation.
So we have beaches for all occasions.
Praia Bela Vista: When we go for an afternoon swim (30 minutes from Tings)
Most guide books highlights the beaches between the Cais do Sodres train station and Cascais in their Lisbon Beach Chapters. These beaches are OK – but during the season they get very crowded. Carcavellos is the biggest and most popular one. But we don’t like it and rarely go there – and never by train (the station is 30 minutes walk from the beach).
When we need an afternoon swim and can combine it with a our much too frequent shopping at IKEA, Leroy Meriln or Makro (which is on the way) we usually go to Caxias – the first Atlantic Beach and the easiest and fastes to reach by train – and the station is only 2 min walk from beach,
Or we go to Praia Bela Vista (Beach #17) on Costa Caparica.
NOTE: UBER has launched a Fix Beach Rate from Lisbon to Caparica for € 20 only.
Troja: When we have a day off (30 -60 min from Tings)
With 1 hr we have at least a handful of stunning beaches. Yesterday we brought our friends to our favorit beach in Portugal; The 15 km sandy peninsula from Troja opposite Setubal to Comporto Sara Gilbert mentions in her Comporta feature.
The Independent’s Sara Gilbert is right – forget about Algarve – here the ambiance is more like the one you find in Asia and the Carribean: Better vibe, more relaxed and some parts completely abandoned. The closest you get to Bounty Land.
You can reach Troja’s fantastic beaches by car in 1 hour – that makes it possible to combine the trip with visits to Sesimbra and Setubal on the way back. If you leave early you get a chance to see the Dolphins. You can either take the highway and go via Alcácer do Sal or take the car ferry from Setubal.
With a car you have a lots of other options for including a beach to you day trip. For inspiration we have added our own favorites in this map.
If you want to have more information, do not hesitate to get in touch.
See you at the beach,
Annette & Thomas
