Ursa beach

A few rocks, lots of golden sand, no restaurants or kiosks, no sunbeds or umbrellas, no lifeguards. This is the beautiful Ursa beach, located about 41 kilometers from Lisbon.

This beach is located in Sintra, one of the most popular summer destinations in Portugal, a summer destination in its own right. In the district of Lisbon is a charming Portuguese village with its coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, which has been a World Heritage Site since the mid-1990s.

It is precisely the Atlantic coast that is decorated in places with craggy cliffs. Hidden between these cliffs is one of the best beaches in Portugal: Ursa beach. It is located near Cabo da Roca and because it is hidden and not easily accessible, it has become popular as one of the nudist beaches in Portugal. Are you up for a stroll in the sun and a dip without a bathing suit?

Why visit Praia da Ursa

Praia da Ursa is notable for its secluded location, just a few kilometers from the westernmost point of mainland Europe. Access to this beach is via a steep 20-minute cliff walk, but the descent is definitely worth it. The often deserted beach offers a spectacle of great beauty with its sharp rock formations. You should plan on wearing shoes for the hike.

Don’t expect to find amenities and souvenir shops on this beach, a stretch of sun-drenched sand at the bottom of a hill. Instead, just sit back and bask in the glory of having discovered an amazing place to walk around and enjoy the sunset.

Unlike many other beaches in Portugal, you won’t find many other tourists crowding this wonderfully secluded spot. Accessing this beach is no easy feat, but once you’re on the sand, taking in the spectacular view of the ocean from the beach, it’s well worth it.

Due to its perfect exposure to the west, Praia da Ursa is an ideal meeting point for sunsets. The sunset is so beautiful when seen from the top of the cliff, so you can also watch it as you climb back up after an undoubtedly pleasant day.

Best time to visit Ursa beach

If we take into account the frequency and the number of people on the beach, as well as the prices of accommodation and services, we would say that – definitely – there is no better time to visit Ursa beach for the simple reason that it is empty, practically deserted, whole year. Even during the high season, a small percentage of tourists end up willing to face a trail like Ursa beach to get there, so at all times of the year you will have a reserved and intimate experience guaranteed!

But if we take the climate into account, then there’s no way: the ideal is to go to Praia da Ursa during the summer, so that you can take advantage of the best temperature to completely undress, if that’s what you want – of course . Ursa beach also has non-naturist areas where you can keep your clothes on.

How to get to Ursa beach

To get to Ursa beach, you have to take a very steep path that runs along one side of the cliff. Directly onto the beach and into the water, but it’s slippery so you need to wear shoes that have some grip otherwise you’ll go down like a toboggan. It is not an organized beach, due to its location, so you should take a backpack with food and drink. And something to cover yourself from the sun.

Is there another way to get to this beach in Sintra? Yes, by boat. This is the option chosen by many. It is worth visiting because it is a beautiful beach with soft, warm sand and beautiful natural beauty. It even has a small waterfall. As I said above, its location has made it a nudist destination in Portugal, but it’s not an official nudist beach, so you can go with a bathing suit or you can even go and there’s no one naked.

What to do in Ursa beach and Cabo da Roca

Cabo da Roca is a popular destination for organized tours, as a stopover between Sintra and Cascais, but it’s easy to escape the waves of visitors. The paths along the cliffs are challenging hiking and climbing trails that follow ancient coastal paths and lead to beautiful coves such as Ursa beach or Adraga beach.
As Ursa beach is an isolated and reserved destination, with not many tourist things that we haven’t mentioned yet, we will also include some tourist tips for the other beaches and places of interest in Cabo da Roca.

Enjoy the naturist freedom of Ursa beach

Not everyone who arrives at Ursa beach arrives with the intention of undressing. In fact, not everyone even knows that Ursa beach is a notoriously naturist destination, and they end up finding out when they see someone naked arriving there. Anyway, most visitors feel comfortable enough to take off their clothes, which can be very freeing for certain people and certain stages of our lives.

Cabo da Roca trails

Numerous hiking trails depart from Cabo da Roca, but all head north or south. To the north are Praia da Ursa (1 km) and Praia da Adraga (2 km), which are two beautiful beaches accessible by well-marked paths. Ursa beach is considered one of the hidden gems of the Serra de Sintra region, with its picturesque natural setting, golden sands and unique rock formations. Further north is Praia Grande and the charming beach resort of Maçãs beach.

Cross-shaped monolith at Cabo da Roca

Beside the monolith, the other construction that attracts the visitor’s attention is a charming lighthouse that could not be missing from this cape. It is 22 meters high and was built in 1758 by order of the Marquis of Pombal, although it only came into operation 14 years later. A curious fact is that its light has a range of 48 kilometers.

Cabo da Roca lighthouse

But the most spectacular thing is to be seduced by the Atlantic from a height of 150 meters. The cliffs of Cabo da Roca are the ideal spot to feel free while the strong wind that usually blows against your face. That is, as long as there aren’t too many tourists, which is often the case. In fact, a souvenir shop has been built next to the tourist office to delight souvenir lovers. You can even buy a certificate of having been to the westernmost tip of mainland Europe.

Boca do Inferno in Cascais

Located in the municipality of Cascais, very close to the city center, is Boca do Inferno. Behind this striking name we find a cliff whose rock formations have been carved over the years, giving rise to a cavity in which, when the sea is rough, you can hear sounds that we mortals assimilate with the noise of the mouth of hell

The place has a point of view from which we can see a large part of the coast and the erosion suffered by the rock, which has led to the creation of a beautiful maritime landscape that is well worth a visit if you are visiting this part of the coast.

Access to the viewpoint is quite curious.

Curiosities about Ursa beach and Cabo da Roca

Check out these curiosities about Ursa beach and Cabo da Roca.

The Cabo da Roca lighthouse was the first man-made lighthouse built in Portugal and was completed in 1772, but the current lighthouse dates from 1842. The lighthouse rises 150m above the ocean, a height that allows 1,000W of light to be view from 46km away.

Incessant winds prevent almost all plants from growing, except creeping plants that can survive in high salinity conditions.
The dominant plant is the cat’s claw, a non-Portuguese species. Cat’s Claw has thrived in these harsh conditions after escaping a local garden three decades ago.

Cabo da Roca is marked with a stone monument. The inscription on the side of the monument is a quote from Portugal’s most famous poet, Luis Camoes (1524-1580), who brilliantly described the area as “Where the land ends and the sea begins”.

Bars and Restaurants close by

There are no restaurants or bars in Ursa beach, which is why we recommend that you take your supplies and have a picnic with your family. We will list below some restaurants and bars on beaches and villages close to Ursa beach.

Adraga Restaurant

Located on Adraga beach, less than 20 minutes from Ursa beach, Restaurante da Adraga is a very cozy place, with attentive staff and very affordable prices. The place serves typical foods from the Portuguese coast, such as scallops, cod, among other delicacies, as well as delicious desserts and a beautiful wine list with democratic prices for everyone.

House of the Endless Sea

In Azoia, less than 10 minutes from Praia da Ursa, you will find this sensational place. To get an idea, in more than 300 comments on the networks, we see only positive comments, with an impeccable average of 5 stars! Casa do Mar Sem Fim offers all kinds of typical food and delicious fish. It works at lunchtime, with prices ranging from 20 to 25 euros per person.

Don Quixote mill

Also in Azoia, close to Praia da Ursa, Moinho Dom Quixote is one of the best and most pleasant places to go and hang out with family and friends. It has many tables outside, with an incredible view and facing the sea. Not with your feet in the sand, of course, but facing the hills that overlook Cabo da Roca beach.

Hotels and Inns in Ursa beach

In the same way that we did not find restaurants, bars and gastronomic establishments in Ursa beach, we did not find hotels, inns or inns there either. It is a very unexplored place from the point of view of buildings and services, so we will list some accommodation options in the surroundings of Ursa beach:

Arribas Sintra Hotel

As the name suggests, the Arribas Sintra Hotel is located in Sintra, right in front of Grande beach, in Alto do Rodizio. The hotel is by the sea, and it is an old place that was restored in order to become one of the main hotel developments in the region. It offers 5-star service, in addition to having a Michelin-starred restaurant that offers meals and an impeccable wine list. If you don’t mind spending money on accommodation, we strongly recommend staying here, just a few minutes’ drive from Ursa beach.

Quinta Santo António

Praised as one of the hotels with the best quality-price ratio in the region, Quinta Santo António is a place whose main differential is the highest quality customer service. Flowers everywhere, impeccable cleanliness, wonderful and cozy decor, with breakfast included in the stay and the best of Portuguese culture: including the great chat of the hosts.

Charm Nature

For those who want to lavish luxury, this place in Azoia is the height of exclusivity, and is preferred by couples and families. Right in front of the magnitude of the Cabo da Roca sea, the place offers a unique bar service, a unique swimming pool, more than cozy and mega private rooms, in addition to a parking lot equipped for electric cars, a rarity nowadays. This shows how Charm Nature has a fresh and “forward” concept, being a beautiful accommodation option, very close to Ursa beach.

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