If you wanted to know which are the best Portuguese beaches in 2025, the list has been released and two of the best 50 in Europe, according to the well-known website “The World’s 50 Best Beaches”, are practically three hours from Lisbon, which is the same as saying that they are in our Algarve, the favorite destination of thousands of Portuguese during the summer bathing season.
The other two are in the Azores Archipelago, and are also fantastic, especially for their surroundings with the natural beauty – and lots of greenery – of these islands located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Given that Praia da Falésia repeatedly wins the award for best beach in the world from Tripadvisor visitors, as it did in 2024, you’d think that this site would do the same… but no! The choice fell on two other beaches, also in the south of the country.
According to the official list for 2025, the Portuguese beaches that were among the best in Europe are:
Praia da Marinha (Lagoa, Algarve): 20th place
Immediately recognizable by its golden cliffs that extend into the crystal-clear waters, this is one of the most emblematic postcards of this region, and also of Portugal.
Vila Franca Islet (São Miguel, Azores): 25th place
Off the coast of the Azorean town of the same name, the Vila Franca Islet is characterized by its volcanic appearance and, inside the crater, you’ll find an incredible protected natural lagoon, ideal for dives and experiences of direct contact with nature.
Camilo Beach (Lagos, Algarve): 28th place
The other beach “near” Lisbon is also in the Algarve, in Lagos, and is famous for its wooden staircase access, which takes you down to clear waters, surrounded by the traditional rock formations typical of this part of the country.
Praia do Fogo (Ribeira Quente, São Miguel, Azores): 41st place
Also on the largest island of the Azores archipelago, São Miguel, is the last (Portuguese) place in this top 50 of the best beaches in Europe, characterized by its dark volcanic sands, magnificently surrounded by lush vegetation and thermal waters.
The winners
Italy, Greece and Spain have placed their best beaches in the Top 5 of this list of the 50 best beaches in Europe in 2025:
- Cala Goloritze, in Italy
- Fteri Beach in Greece
- Voutoumi Beach in Greece
- Playa de Rodas, in Spain
- Porto Katsiki, in Greece
The evaluation criteria
This ranking was created based on the votes of more than a thousand professionals and influencers in the travel sector, taking into account criteria such as natural beauty, environmental preservation , tranquillity, easy access to water, wildlife and the number of (small) users.