Praia de São Rafael voted best beach in Portugal

OnBeach.com has voted Praia de São Rafael 4th best beach in Europe

Recent improvements at Praia Sao Rafael have made this beach more popular, but early in the morning and at the end of the day, when the light is at its best, you may well find it deserted. Beautiful turquoise water rolls gently onto golden sand and many sandstone formations are either on or very close to the beach. The low cliffs which provide shelter are of various tones of sandstone: cream, ochre and red, and many have curiously folded shapes. Near the beach restaurant a small path over the rocks takes you to the adjacent beach of Vigia which is now also accessible by car. Here there is another stretch of sand and more fascinating sea stacks full of holes and with bobbled surfaces.

Where it is:	Sao Rafael and Vigia are just a couple of kilometres west of Albufeira at the centre of the Algarve's southern coast.
How to get there:	Take the N526 road towards Pera from Albufeira and at the bottom of the hill you will see a sign for Sao Rafael beach.