Matosinhos Beach is a large, sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean. It is great for walking in the soft…read moresand, playing beach sports such as volleyball, swimming, playing water sports such as surfing, picnicking, eating at a nearby beachfront restaurant, etcetera. I was there on weekday in mid-September, and it was not busy. I would expect the beach to have more visitors in the summer and weekends. I did see several people playing volleyball with the nets on the beach. Of course, the views of the Atlantic Ocean looked very nice. A tourist information center is located on the beach, if you want to learn about other nearby activities. The employee there did not speak with me, but I did see pieces of literature.

When I stepped outside the first cafe we'd snacked at, I took a deep breath. My nose was tingled…read moreby the salty sea. As one who grew up close to the ocean, I was compelled to go see the Atlantic from the other side. We headed to the Matosinhos Beach (known as Praia de Matosinhos in Portuguese.) Matosinhos has historic ties to the ocean: through the ages, countless expeditions for cod have launched from town. My friend showed me a statue that commemorates the wives of fishermen who lost their lives at sea. The widows' eyes endlessly scan the horizon, pleading with fate and churning waters to bring back their husbands. The men's bravery was not lost on me, as I stood spellbound (never scared...) watching the truly giant waves crashing off shore. The expanse of soft white sand was impressive and even in January I could easily imagine the mob scene of summer. It made me happy to see people were out enjoying the warmth of the sun. There were folks relaxing with a glass of wine at the small cafes strung along the pedestrian pathway, dog walkers walking up, yoga-enthusiasts in downward dog... in the water were those brave souls in wetsuits who are a kind of modern corollary to the risk-facing fishermen of days past. They do not just stand still as a statue, staring dead-eyed with awe at the pounding surf: they swim out and they ride it.

This is the type of place you almost do not want to Yelp about because you want to keep it a hidden…read moregem! Cies was gorgeous and probably my favorite part of our trip. The water is cold but as clear and stunning as the Caribbean. The island offers some awesome camping right on the beach and has several hiking trails. A must see if you happen to be in the area. Make sure to book your tickets and permission slips in advance since they only allow a certain amount of people on the island. Go early in the morning if possible since it tends to get more crowded towards the afternoon.

This is one of the most amazing places in the world. I just went there a couple of times, but the…read morebeach is one of the most beautiful places i've been to. The water is so clear, clean, transparent, emmerald you feel like being in a caribbean island, the sand is so white, the only difference is probably the water temperature (it's the atlantic ocean after all). The only way to stay there is to go camping and to do so you need to book in advance as there're some restrictions on how many people can stay in the island at the same time. It's a natural reserve and it's very looked after. the only way to get there is catching a catamaran in vigo or cangas.

This is a beautiful beach community near Aveiro. The striped houses reminded me somewhat of the…read moreBasque region in France. The beaches were nice and popular with surfers even in the off season. There were some other interesting mid and turn of the century homes.

Funky beach area where the beach shacks are painted in bold stripes of red, blue, and yellow. Very…read morepicturesque with a large park overlooking a marina. Some unusual sculptures in that park. I understand you have to be very careful when swimming.

nice waters, freezing cold tough. has camping. good for relaxation and nature enthusiastsread more