Praia da Adraga - Caves at Adraga Beach Close to Sintra
Praia da Adraga - Caves at Adraga Beach Close to Sintra

Praia da Adraga - Caves at Adraga Beach Close to Sintra

Portugal
Portugal

When Is the Best Time

Praia da Adraga is a pristine local beach. Not many tourists visit this beach because you need a rental car, and most visitors in Lisbon do not know it, although closely located to Cabo da Roca and Ursa.

Adraga and its spectacular rock formations at low tide
The hidden beach between these cliffs is accessible at low tide only.

If you plan to visit Adraga Beach, check out the tide times and visit Adraga at low tide. The lower the forecasted tide, the better. Adraga is always worth a stop for lunch and the caves when travelling to Sintra and Cabo da Roca.

A visitor walking through the arch at Adraga Beach
The arch is always accessible.

The beach and the restaurant are popular local spots for lunch and weekends. We always stop here for excellent seafood and a walk to inhale the salty fresh breeze.

Some visitors taking a bath at Adraga
The waves at Adraga are powerful.

You can take a bath here in summer, but it is not safe for swimming due to the high surf and currents. The Atlantic is cold even in summer; the sea temperature is below 20°C/68°F.

A man walking out of a cave at Adraga
All caves are accessible at low tide only!

The caves and hidden beaches are accessible at low tide only and offer incredible picture opportunities. It's a picturesque beach and stretches much longer during low tide. Tide Times Adraga Beach 

The clams called percebes stuck at the tidal rocks
These clams look like dragon paws.

In the caves and at the rocks, you can see the typical clams called "percebes" offered in the restaurant. How do they taste? IMO a bit salty; I prefer the typical clams "Ameijoas a Bulhao Pato".

Getting to Adraga and Parking

One of the many caves at Adraga Beach
These caves are accessible roughly an hour before and after low tide - incoming tide.

Getting there from the main road N247 means turning left to Almoçageme. A narrow road leads through the village to Adraga, and signs indicate the route. There is a small free car park, which is always packed at midday and an overflow parking on a gravel patch for a small fee during summer and peak seasons.

Adraga Beach Parking
The small parking at Adraga.

Parking is an issue during the summer and Christmas holidays; for this reason, gravel parking was extended, but since 2023, this has not been enough during peak seasons because of the fantastic Adraga Restaurant.

The outdoor seating from the restaurant and Adraga beach in the back
I ate "Sapateira" and Markus polvo, as always - the restaurant got an upgrade, more below.

Booking is recommended if you wish to eat at the restaurant. Restaurante da Adraga is popular and offers exceptionally fresh fish. Many locals eat lunch here.

Adraga beach view back to the restaurant
The restaurant and beach

You can also sit outdoors in the summer and peak seasons on sunny days; therefore, getting a table is more manageable. The Portuguese prefer to sit inside. I don't know why; my Portuguese family behaves the same. Extended Parking Google Maps

Adraga Beach at high tide
The caves are not accessible at high tide, only the arch; the arch only.

Although Adraga is less than one hour's drive west of Lisbon, I have never experienced It packed with tourists in the last 20 years. Adraga Beach is a beautiful small beach during high and broader at low tide.

The arch rock and the beginning of the caves
High tide at Adraga - the caves are situated behind the rock.

My highlights at Adraga are the restaurant and the caves. A trail runs from Cabo da Roca along the coastline, stopping at Ursa Beach and ending at Praia da Adraga. The entire trail is not easy to find.

Adraga Beach at low tide
Another beach to the right and left of Adraga is accessible at low tide.

This picture was taken on a calm day in summer. Usually, it is windy and a jacket is needed. Finishing your hike with a bath and dinner at the popular restaurant is outstanding. This excellent restaurant is well-known by the locals, and you need a reservation if you wish to get a table.

A look out of one of the caves at Adraga
One of the Adraga caves

Watching the crashing waves is another highlight at this magnificent beach, as is watching the sunset in solitude while nearby Cabo da Roca is packed with tourists. It is always worth coming here in summer and winter.

View to Ursa from the cliff top walk
This is Ursa Beach

Do you wish to spend an entire day on the beautiful west coast of Portugal? Nearby is the unknown Ursa Beach. Usually, we combine Ursa Beach and Draga Beach in one day. All details for Ursa are in my additional article.

If you would like to hike the entire trail from Praia da Adraga to Cabo da Roca or vice versa, contact Walk Hike Portugal. These are friends of mine; they offer excellent service.

Where to Eat When Visiting Cabo da Rocha, Ursa Beach and Praia da Adraga?

A polvo dish
Polvo Lagareiro - Octopus with vegetables - Markus' favourite dish.

I highly recommend visiting this beach at low tide to explore the beach and caves and enjoy lunch or dinner with fresh seafood. A reservation is recommended. The owner and most of the waiters speak English well.

Sapateira - crab meat as a spread
A one kg crab is prepared as a spread as a starter. The best we ever ate!

They give you recommendations and show you your fresh seafood before it gets prepared. Do you wish to see more of Adraga and the restaurant? Check out our new short on YouTube.

A portion of fresh clams with coriander.
Ameijoas a Bulhao Pato - the smallest portion, 250 g - also excellent!

Telephone: +351 21 928 0028 - Curious? Check out the menu and what we paid for our feast here.

A fresh lobster
Other guests choose a fresh lobster.

Best Months to Visit

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Related Topics

Location and Tips

Sintra
Portugal
Portugal

Adraga Beach is still not well known to most visitors, and it is my top tip for this area. When we are in Lisbon, we always come here at low tide and for lunch.  

Who Are We

The best time 2 travel team
We are Markus and Micha, passionate travellers who have been married for 25 years.

I am passionate about sharing some of the most beautiful places in the world with you, but I still can't live from my work, and we have regular jobs, too.

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Comments

Markus

This time we came at high tide and could spot the arch only but none of the caves. The main reason was the lunch here. We tried the grilled polvo and sapateira (crab).

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