Praia de São Rafael

The beach is framed by warmly-coloured, very craggy and fissured limestone cliffs. There is a remarkable variety of rock formations on this beach – arches, caves, sinkholes and ledges – which have been formed by the joint effects of the mechanical force of the sea battering against the cliffs and the rain, which dissolves the limestone rock. Two these rock formations are the Ponte Pequena and the Ninho das Andorinhas. Around the beach, you will see patches of pines and huge century plants, hanging over the deeply-gullied and grooved cliff tops. Down on the sands, and exposed to the marine environment, there is an abundance of Mediterranean saltbush, a plant which, you could say, sweats salt; if you take a look in the morning or late afternoon, you will notice the formation of gleaming salt crystals on its leaves. When the sea water is clear enough, you will catch a glimpse of the mysterious outline of submerged rocks. A snorkelling expedition here will unveil the secrets of the abundant marine life on this part of the coast.

Additional Information

Address: Evaristo

Postal Code: 8200

County: Albufeira

VisitAlgarve URL: https://visitalgarve.pt/en/2239/praia-de-sao-rafael.aspx


Coordinates: 37.0749278,-8.280858333333335