Praia do Camilo

You can't see the beach from the parking lot. Not even on a glimpse of the first steps. Praia do Camilo only becomes visible when the bushes give way. And you get a view of the beach, the surrounding rocks and the sea. More and more the beach reveals itself. And you see the waves crashing on the sand, while the rocks come closer and closer. This is beautiful Portugal.

I visited Praia do Camilo in the early morning. There was no one. I discovered four fun reasons that make this beach extra special. Check them out in the video: 

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To visit the beach you need to descend a staircase with no less than 225 steps. The wooden path meanders through the landscape until you reach the beach. Along the way, you will come across several stops to sit and rest. Certainly handy when going up on your way back. But these places are also ideal to stop for photos. 

I deliberately went to Praia do Camilo early in the day, as this beach faces east. In other words, you can experience a stunning sunrise. The sun literally comes out of the sea, which is perfect for pictures. The most popular photo is from above. Although the photo from halfway up the stairs is also very popular.

The sunset, on the other hand, is not a good time to visit the beach. Facing east means it is in the shade end of the day. So make sure to be here early in the morning to see this natural spectacle in the most beautiful light. The time before sunrise, known as the dawn, is also particularly beautiful.

One of Praia do Camilo's landmarks is the arch to the left of the beach. You will see this automatically when you walk on the small beach. The waves of the sea regularly come through the arch, giving it an extra lively character.

You will see a small hole in the rock on the left. That is a tunnel to the second beach. This one is also not that big, but it is beautiful. On the right, you see a rock pillar, which will one day disappear into the sea. This beach is a bit quieter with tourists on busy days.

The beaches of the Algarve often fill up when the weather is nice. This includes Praia do Camilo, which is also very popular with local residents. If you want to avoid most people in the summer, it's smart to go on a weekday. The weekends are often busy, even in the spring. Then the water is often already a pleasant temperature. So perfect for swimming.

In the fall, a Monday or Tuesday is also a good day. During the school holidays it is often too crowded with people and the beauty of the beach is unfortunately gone. In winter it is often rough, with often large waves. Which is also considered very beautiful by many people. I made my video in the winter and thought it was incredibly beautiful.

You can find this beach about 500 meters from the popular Ponta da Piedade. It is on the left and has its own parking lot. You can easily visit both on foot, the path leads along the rugged coast. The number of parking spaces is limited, keep that in mind. This beach is an hour's drive from Faro and half an hour from Portimão.

Read my tips for Ponta da Piedade