The beach, whose name refers to the rocky ledges that are stubbornly standing firm in the face of the receding coastline, lies next to the promontory where the Três Castelos viewpoint is located. One of the accesses to the beach is via the staircase leading down from the viewpoint. It affords a splendid view over the very craggy rock formations on this beach, where you can see arches, caves and rocky ledges that birds such as falcons, herring gulls, black-headed gulls, pigeons and swifts find extremely appealing. On the gentler slopes, you will see mastic trees and plants that are resistant to sea spray, especially saltwort and Mediterranean saltbush. At the base of the cliffs, the roots of these plants serve as host to a small, very rare parasitic plant with a suggestive common name (piça-de-mouro) that alludes to its phallic appearance and its restricted geographical distribution (it is only found in the Mediterranean Basin). The colours here are mostly warm and there are some quieter sections on this long beach as you head westwards.

Additional Information

Address: Portimão

Postal Code: 8500

County: Portimão

VisitAlgarve URL: https://visitalgarve.pt/en/2198/praia-dos-tres-castelos.aspx