Strände von Ferragudo!
Rumour has it that Ferragudo, a 16th century fishing village on the Arad estuary opposite Portimão, is set to become THE place to go to the Algarve in the near future.
Here are descriptions of short walks on the beaches of Ferragudo.
PRAIA GRANDE
As the name "Big Beach", already indicates, it is a long stretched sandy area, from which the mole in the south keeps the waves of the Atlantic away. There are several well-attended restaurants and bars. Starting directly behind the rescue brigade at the small harbour of Ferragudo, passing the tipical fishermen's huts, one walks along the beach in south direction, offering a beautiful view to the Castelo de São João de Arade.
Walk along the whole Praia Grande (the sand is mostly very soft), climb up the cliffs and go to the pier.
PRAIA DO MOLHE
This small beach extends on both sides of the long mole (Molhe) that extends far into the Arada estuary and almost collides with another breakwater that starts from Portimão. This is where the fishermen like to cast their fishing rods. Follow the path, away from the beach, turn right and descend to another protected sandy beach, Praia da Pintadinho. Here too, the water is calm and there is a restaurant. If you don't want to take the same way back, you can climb up the cliffs near the lighthouse to Ponta do Altar.
O PONTA DO ALTAR
The Ponta do Altar is the most southwestern point of the Ferragudo coast and is guarded by an inhabited lighthouse (Farol). From here you have a beautiful view over the pier to Portimão. You can walk further east on the top of the cliffs, occasionally encountering a red arrow pointing in the opposite direction and looking down on the beaches. Under the low gorse hide tiny snails (caracois), which are considered a delicacy. The path leads through a valley, past a new villa settlement, and ends in a path down to Praia dos Carneiros.
PRAIA DOS CANEIROS
On the way and directly on the beach there is a restaurant. Behind the beach, the famous golden sandstone cliffs rise with low arches, whose bases are already beginning to crumble. At low tide you can walk around the small headland to another bay, the Praia dos Torrados.
The path from Praia dos Carneiros back to Ferragudo is 3.5 km long. It goes past the restaurant Le Paradis and straight across the crossroads where it turns left to the pier.