Adraga beach, located near Sintra and Cascais, offers unforgettable scenery: the strong ocean crashing onto rugged peaks, mysterious caves, long stretches of sand plus… arguably the freshest fish in the Lisbon region.
Regardless of the route you take to Adraga one thing is certain: you’ll want to open your window during the drive. Adraga can be reached through Sintra, or Cascais: fresh mountain air envelops you as you drive through Sintra, while the salty and slightly humid ocean breeze will fill your car when you take the Cascais road…
Follow the map until you take a sharp left at Almoçageme, and start following the road down the hilly village, with traditional houses, small restaurants and the ocean as the backdrop – you’ve arrived.
This is a beach you’ll go home raving about, the one that reminds you how charismatic and powerful the Atlantic is.
The iconic Elephant Rock is the first thing to catch your eye as you walk onto the beach, great fun for little ones who will love running under its ‘trunk’ only to discover there is plenty more to see here. To your left, there are several large caves waiting to be explored (during low tide only – be careful and don’t get caught out – check tides here) filled with barnacles and mussels, which can be tasted at the beach’s great restaurant.
Adraga’s waters may prove too chilly for those who are sensitive to low temperatures, but I promise you the combination of a usually strong ocean, jagged rock scenery and a fantastic restaurant make for an unforgettable day out.
Useful Info
There is no public transport to the beach. You will need to drive or cycle to Adraga, where you’ll find a small car park that gets very busy during the summer months. The restaurant adjacent to the car park is excellent.
Get to Adraga from Cascais / Get to Adraga from Sintra
In Summer 2016 Adraga had the above mobility devices for wheelchair users to be able to go in the water.
If you’d like to experience the restaurant, I’d recommend making a reservation in advance as it can get very busy. You can call them on +351 219 280 028 / +351 219 281 231 or email directly.
