Praia do Camilo – One of the Most Beautiful Beaches of Algarve
Praia do Camilo is one of the most beautiful beaches in Algarve. It was named several times in the best beaches of Portugal, like in this French article naming the 15 best beaches of Portugal.
Overall, it is a super place to enjoy great rocky landscapes on a secluded beach. But there are some things you should know about this Camilo beach before getting there. Indeed, Praia do Camilo is not always accessible!
How to get to Praia do Camilo?
Camilo beach is located at the heart of Algarve. It is located next to Lagos, one of the major cities of Algarve. To have a better understanding of where this secluded beach exactly is, here is a screenshot from Google Maps focusing on Praia do Camilo.
The itinerary to get to Praia do Camilo
The best way to get to Camilo beach is by car. There is a car just before the beach. Since Praia do Camilo is a typical Algarve beach which is preserved, there are wooden stairs to access the beach.
You can find similar stairs to access Praia da Falesia, which is also one of the most beautiful beaches of Algarve. Here is how the stairs to access Camilo beach look like.
Those stairs will bring you directly to the beach. Then, once you arrive on the beach, you will see that Praia do Camilo is split into several parts. You can choose different places to set your towel. We will talk about that in the paragraph about when is the best time to visit Camilo beach.
Parking around Praia do Camilo
Estacionamento in Algarve is always something to consider. Indeed, car parks are usually free, but they fill very quickly. This is also the case for Praia do Camilo. Basically, there is a car park just before the stairs, but it may be full if you get to the beach at a rush hour.
You should get to Praia do Camilo as early as possible in order to park your car. But, the tides are also something to consider. Indeed, when it’s high tide, the beach is not accessible. So, you should make sure to pick the right time to access the beach. This is what we are going to do right now.
When is the best time to visit Praia do Camilo?
The tides timetable is something you should consider checking before heading to Camilo beach. This is the same problem as on Cathedral Beach in Galicia: when it’s high tide, there is no more sand.
The tides
The best piece of advice I could give you before heading to Praia do Camilo is to check the tides. You can find the Tide Times of Camilo beach on the link attached to this phrase.
But once you checked the tide times, you can be strategic about when to visit the beach. Indeed, when I was there back in September 2020, we did not check the tide times because we did not know about this issue. It turned out that we were lucky because the tide was getting pretty high and the tourists were starting to leave. They did not want to get trapped by the tides, so we took advantage of it and enjoyed a tourist-free beach.
As you can see, the beach is very rocky, which means it is a great place for snorkeling. You will definitely see some life around the rocks. But for that, you will need to get in the fresh water of Portugal and then also swim after the area where the waves crash.
Finally, to get from one part of the beach to another, there are two solutions. The first one is what you can see on the video: longer the cliffs and get from one part of the beach to another. If you choose that option, pay attention to the rocks on the floor. And also to possible landslides.
The second option is the tunnel. Indeed, there is a little cave on Praia do Camilo which was created to get from one part of the beach to another. The following video from YouTube will show you exactly what I am describing.
The best moment of the year
Just like everywhere else in Algarve, the best season to visit Camilo beach in summer. The issue with summer is that it is also the season with the most tourists. But if you choose to visit Algarve during Autumn or Spring, you will be surprised by how cold the water is.
So you will have to choose between sunny weather, cool water and tourists against fewer tourists, okay weather and cooler water.
The best moment of the day
Camilo Beach is particularly pretty at both sunrise and sunset. Since the beach faces the East, you can enjoy a great sunrise over the water. But sunset behind the rocks is also a great option because it creates shadows on the beach.
Of course, you should once again pay attention to the tide times.
Where to eat around Praia do Camilo?
Since Camilo beach is close to Lagos, the best is probably to eat directly in the city. However, if you are really hungry, there is a restaurant right before the stairs. The restaurant is called O Camilo.
Where to sleep around Praia do Camilo?
You can apply the same reasoning to hotels. There is no hotel directly on the beach, or on top of the cliffs, but there are tons of hotels in the area. Indeed, Algarve is a tourist destination in Portugal, and you will not have any trouble finding the hotel that suits you the most.
I hope that this article was helpful and that you now know everything to have a great time at Praia do Camilo. I did my best to cover all the things I wished to know before heading to the beach.
However, if there is a topic I did not cover, you can either send me an e-mail or put a comment in the comment section below. I will be pleased to answer you.
If you want to learn more about Algarve, I have written other articles on this website. For example, there is one about Faro beach and one about Ilha do Farol. If you are preparing a trip around Algarve, it could be a great idea to read them.
See you somewhere in the world!
