Praia da Batata (Batata Beach), Lagos

Situated just a short walk from the main tourist area of Lagos, along the Avenida dos Descobrimentos and the scenic estuary promenade, Praia da Batata is the most popular beach in the city, particularly with families. In part, this is due to its proximity to the city center and its amenities, but also because of its still and safe waters, supervised by lifeguards. Most locals allow their children to swim here unattended.

Indeed, Praia da Batata is considered a sheltered beach; the eastward direction means that it is protected from the powerful Atlantic Ocean by the huge headland, so there are almost no waves; while the cliffs offer shelter from strong sea breezes on blustery days.

Batata is where most visitors head to for their first beach trip, and it does not disappoint. There are lots of attractions here: the northern edge of the beach is divided by a long concrete pier, which formed the Cais da Solaria (Solaria docks), but today this area is used for launching kayaks and small sailing boats. On the cliffs above the Praia da Batata is the Mar restaurant, which is a good option for a lunchtime meal in addition to small tasty offerings from the locals.

The vivacious atmosphere is complemented by soft sands, clean and calm waters, and the beautiful setting of golden colored cliffs. The only issue is that the beach gets too busy in summer.