When travelling around Portugal with your dog, it’s highly likely you’re going to want to hit up some of the many beautiful beaches scattered around the country. BUT… are there dog friendly beaches in Portugal? Are dogs allowed on beaches in Portugal? Are all beaches dog friendly, or are there seasonal restrictions?
Even though we’re not huge fans of the beach, these were still questions that started to crop up after Lilly joined our family. Afterall, there’s something special about watching dogs enjoying the beach isn’t there? And since we added dog friendly content to Officer Travels, questions about dog friendly beaches have been on the rise!
So, while we’re living here, we’ve made it our mission to find some of the best dog friendly beaches in Portugal. This handy guide includes some of our personal favourites that Lilly frequently enjoyed whatever the weather, but also suggestions from friends and locals across the country. To top it off, we’ve only included Portuguese beaches that are dog friendly in summer, so you don’t have to worry about too many seasonal restrictions. Let us know in the comments if we missed any!
Are Dogs Allowed On Beaches In Portugal?
It’d be a short post if they weren’t haha! So, yes. In winter you won’t struggle finding a dog friendly beach in Portugal. We’ve travelled quite a bit of Portugal over the last couple of years and have found that pretty much all beaches are open to dogs during the winter or off-peak months. Which leads us to our next question…
Are All Beaches Dog Friendly In Portugal?
In winter, pretty much yes. However, a huge percentage of them become either completely off limits, or have restricted hours for dogs during the summer and peak-season months.
This mostly happens in the high tourist areas, beaches with blue flag classification (these are beaches with high quality water, facilities, conservation efforts etc.) and beaches that are visited en masse.
Nazaré is a big one that comes to my mind when I think about how dog-friendly beaches change with the seasons. We enjoyed it a lot through the winter, then during summer it was a complete no-dogs zone. With the huge crowds it attracts, that’s honestly not an issue for us which is partly why we’ve chosen to focus on summer dog friendly beaches in Portugal – it usually means there’s small crowds, if any!
Beach Access Restrictions For Dogs In Portugal
Like I mentioned before, many beaches in Portugal put beach access restrictions in place for dogs through the summer months.
These restrictions vary from a complete beach-wide ban or small dog-friendly sections to only being dog-friendly during certain hours. At popular beaches, there will usually be big signs indicating all of the guidelines for the beach including dog access restrictions. It’s always worth checking these boards because on occasion we’ve seen sun safety & weather warnings listed here too – but I’ll get onto that later!
If you don’t see clear ‘no dogs’ signs, but you see the beach boasting blue flag status, or seaside awards, it’s safe to assume it has a complete dog ban in place between May 1st and October 15th. Even if you see other dogs on these beaches, respect the restrictions to prevent other beaches becoming more strict on dogs!
It’s reported that fines up to €2,500 have been handed out for people taking their dogs on beaches where they are prohibited, so be sure to check for signs especially if it looks like a busy beach.
You could always ask a local or lifeguard “O meu cão é autorizado?” (is my dog allowed?) if you want to be sure.
Summer Beach Safety With Dogs
This really should go without saying but when travelling with your dog in summer, there are certain safety aspects you’re going to have to consider before setting off for a day at the beach.
Temperature
It gets hot in Portugal in the summer. It’s what draws in thousands upon thousands of tourists each year, and while the humans might enjoy baking in the sun – your dog won’t.
Before you set off for the day (and really this is anywhere, not just the beach) be sure to check the temperatures. If you’re from a cooler climate, chances are anything over 25’c is going to be a real struggle for your pup… and that’s just the air temps.
At midday, the air temp might only be 20’c but in places with concrete the floor temps can easily exceed 50’c. On top of this, the temperature of the sand can be just as hot so you’ll really want to plan your day around the weather.
Below is a chart of pet-safe temperatures for when you’re out and about. You’ll need to be sensible and use your common sense here as it really will depend on what your pup is used to and your breed. Take Lilly for example, she’s grown up in hot temperatures and will actively seek out the sun to lay in even in 30’c temps but we would never take her on long walks in that.
We also use something called Mushers Secret to protect her paws in hot/cold climates!
Image from PetPlan who have great summer safety tips!
Shade/Mat
The dog friendly beaches in Portugal are usually low-tourist areas, so you’re unlikely to find umbrellas and shading on the beach. If you’re staying for an extended time you might want to consider taking some shade and/or a mat for pup to relax on when having a break. We’ve tried cooling mats in the past for inside the van and honestly, we didn’t find them that useful. Can’t beat a beach rug or large towel to sit on instead!
Water
Regardless if you’re at the beach or wandering through town, you’ll want to take plenty of water out for your pup (and yourself!).
I’m always surprised by how many people I see wandering with their dogs with seemingly no water on them. We stop regularly to offer Lilly water, especially if it’s a warm day. At the beach this is no different.
Try and avoid letting your pup drink sea water! Too much salt water can cause sickness and diarrhoea which is never fun, especially if you’re travelling in a campervan.
Can Your Dog Swim?
‘But all dogs can swim’, I hear you say? Well. Not necessarily. Lilly will mostly avoid water at all costs so I’m not sure she’d know what to do if she found herself in a swimming pool, or the sea!
Being aware of your dog’s swimming ability is really important when visiting one of these dog friendly beaches in Portugal. We keep Lil on a long lead when we’re at the beach, mostly because I’m pretty sure her ears are for decoration only, but also because it stops her following a seagull into the sea when she’s excited.
If you have a water-curious dog and you’re not 100% sure how confident they are, or you want to be extra safe, you could use a dog life jacket – a great idea if you’re heading out on a boat too!
Generally Lilly doesn’t tend to get into too much mischief at the beach. Are there any other beach safety tips for dogs that we missed? If so, let us know in the comments and we’ll update our list with your suggestion!
Dog Friendly Beaches in The Algarve & South Portugal
Considering it’s such a popular tourist destination in the summer, I was pleasantly surprised to hear there’s still quite a few dog friendly beaches in the Algarve & southern Portugal, even through the peak season! Which is great, because they’re some of the best beaches in the country in terms of unique coastline and coves.
Now, these recommendations for dog friendly beaches in the Algarve come from my own research talking to locals who visit them regularly & take new laws into account. When you do a quick google search, one of the first hits was a 10 year old post that says it’s outright illegal to take dogs on any beach in the Algarve (or Portugal!) during summer… this appears to be completely outdated.
Of course, always look for no-dog signs as I’m sure things are changing frequently and if in doubt, as a local or life guard or simply move on to somewhere else.
Praia Do Caneiros
Located south of the town of Ferragudo in the Lagao region of the Algarve, Praia Do Caneiros is one of the best dog friendly beaches in the Algarve in summer. However, only before 9am and after 7pm.
Besides the huge summer crowds, this beach has a lot going on and is far from a sleepy location. With a restaurant, stone arches and a lighthouse, it’s a great location for sunset!
Being a cove, rather than wide open beach, the waves here are usually minimal and offer a fun opportunity for paddling!
Praia da Angrinha
In the north of Ferragudo you’ll find Praia da Angrinha, another fantastic dog friendly beach in the Algarve. Again, only before 9am and after 7pm in the summer but this one offers much more open space than Praia Do Caneiros and despite the crowds it feels less touristy, perhaps due to the lack of sun loungers and umbrellas being rented here.
On the south end of the beach is Castelo de Ferragudo. It’s not open to the public unfortunately but photographers will appreciate it at sunset!
There’s also a large car park perfect for campervans & motorhomes directly behind the beach. I doubt it’s permitted to overnight here, it’s another thing the Algarve is quite strict about, but at least you don’t have to worry about access with large vehicles
Praia Das Furnas
Across the waters from the popular beach town of Vila Nova de Milfontes is Praia Das Furnas, a year round dog friendly beach in the Alentejo region of Southern Portugal.
While Vila Nova de Milfontes sees huge crowds and beach access restrictions for dogs in summer, Praia Das Furnas offers a wide sweeping white sand beach on one side, and a more sheltered river beach on the other. Both are not only dog friendly but see half the tourists of other beaches in the area.
You can access Praia Das Furnas via a short ferry ride from Vila Nova de Milfontes for €3 (I’m unsure if the ferry is dog friendly) or, you can drive 10 minutes across the bridge where you’ll find ample parking at each end of the beach which appear to be ok for overnight camping outside of summer season as well as a cafe at each end too!
Praia de Arrifana
In the North of the Algarve you’ll find Praia De Arrifana. A popular tourist destination that’s surprisingly dog-friendly year round, providing you use the Southern access which is foot-only, no parking. In winter, the whole beach is dog friendly.
The access is steep & rocky but there is a track and you get a stunning view over the coastline as you descend down into the cove.
This small beach town is mostly a tourist village in the summer, with a huge range of hotels and cafes. There’s even a bus that runs several times a day from nearby towns to ferry tourists to this beach.
Dog Friendly Beaches Near Lisbon & Silver Coast
The silver coast is where we’ve called home for the last two years and although we might be biassed, we think it’s the best part of the country to live in. When it comes to dog friendly beaches in Portugal, we have a great selection to choose from ranging from tourist hot spots, to local-only hidden gems.
Beach Pedrógão
This is one of Lilly’s favourites and a rare year-round dog friendly beach in Portugal due to its sheer size.
Located in the Leiria region 45 minutes north of Nazaré, Pedrógão beach or also called whale bone beach (not sure why, maybe because of the shape?) is a loooonnnggg golden sand beach that spans from the small town of Pedrogão, North to Leirosa, so there’s no shortage of space. The Pedrogão section of this dog friendly beach is lined by pine trees and old sand dunes, the drive to it is beautiful!
There’s several access points to this beach, if you use the most Northern one at the town of Pedrogão you’ll be able to walk north and dodge the summer crowds who tend to gather towards the southern end. I believe there might be time restrictions on the first section of this beach although we’ve never seen any signs so we always play it safe and stay North where it’s much quieter.
A few minutes drive from Beach Pedrogão there’s also a lake that has a dog friendly beach and nature boardwalk; Lagoa da Ervedeira. One of our absolute favourite places to go and when it’s too hot or too busy for the beach, this is a great alternative!
We also highly recommend checking out the bar restaurant at the end of the beach which is dog friendly (we found most cafes/restaurants here to be the same) and has some really nice food! Great views over the water too.
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Fonte da Telha
This is a really busy dog friendly beach in Lisbon that I hear is dog-friendly year round because there are no signs. However, I’m going to say it likely has restrictions of before 9am and after 7pm because it’s a monitored beach (has lifeguards) and is extremely popular. You might be ok if you use an alternative access on a quieter day but peak-season it would be wise to use caution.
Parking is limited here and it’s not unusual for people to use Uber to get a taxi to Fonte de Telha.
Praia do Salgado
15 minutes South of Nazaré is another of our personal favourite dog friendly beaches in Portugal, Praia do Salgado. Like many of the large beaches on the Silver Coast, Praia do Salgado has multiple access points and for the summer you’ll want to park up at the main car park then walk through the dunes to access the Southern end of the beach. This part is dog friendly year-round whereas the main portion of the beach, where the cafe is, is a no-dog zone through the summer months.
Nearby is a unique beach town, São Martinho do Porto. A unique horse-shoe cove beach surrounded by dune forests. While the beach here is no-dogs in summer due to how popular it is with tourists, it’s worth visiting if you’re passing through! There’s also a lighthouse, some incredibly huge dunes we saw people surfing on and a nature boardwalk too!
Foz do Lizandro
In the popular fishing town of Ericeira is where we find our next dog friendly beach near Lisbon. A great spot for surfers, this beach also has a river lagoon that runs alongside it so there’s usually always a safe spot to paddle if the waves are too rough.
Foz do Lizandro is a dog friendly beach with summer access available before 9am and after 7pm. On quieter days you will probably be ok, unless they’ve put strict no-dog signs up.
There’s ample parking but the main concreted parking lot closest to the beach has no spaces for motorhomes or large vans, and the large sand car park at the top of the beach has height restrictions on it so you’ll want to consider this if visiting Ericeira in a campervan.
Praia de São Julião
This is a huge favourite for our friends @allyandcoopergoplaces! It’s a year round dog friendly beach in Lisbon, and according to Ally there’s some great fishing to be had here!
Just 10 minutes from Ericeira, it’s a quieter option than the previously talked about Foz do Lizandro. It’s popular with surfers and with the high cliffs that border it, it’s a great off-lead option too!
Praia do Magoito
Another year round option for a dog friendly beach near Lisbon is Praia do Magoito, just 30 minutes south of Ericeira. Again, with towering cliffs and long sweeping golden sands, it’s surprising that that whole beach isn’t swarmed with tourists in the summer. Don’t get me wrong, it still gets busy as do many of the dog friendly beaches in Portugal, but when compared to the likes of Nazaré, Peniche or even ones more central to Lisbon or Ericeira, it’s practically a ghost-beach.
Dog Friendly Beaches Near Porto & North Portugal
Porto is one of our favourite places but surprisingly, we haven’t explored much of the coast in the North – and the ones we have been to are no-dog zones through summer. Many of these recommendations for dog friendly beaches in Portugal come from friends and locals but I’m sure you’ll enjoy them just as much!
Capela do Senhor da Pedra
Only 20 minutes south of Porto, this is new addition to the list for 2025! Capela do Senhor da Pedra is a fun dog friendly beach through winter, with a historic chapel that makes for a great photo opportunity.
I suspect this beach might become restricted in summer, but I’m not fully certain on that – there weren’t any signs when we visited but I will update if I find out it is.
Praia de São Pedro de Maceda
To kick off our list of dog friendly beaches near Porto is Maceda beach in the Aveiro district, recommended to us by @merle.sisters. Another vast golden sand beach that’s lined with cliffs and dunes that’s popular in the summer months.
Thanks to the sheer size of this beach, there are several accesses and the far ends are dog friendly year-round. Closer to the life guards and where the majority of the tourists or sunbathers gather will be restricted to before 9am or after 7pm. There’s plenty of parking for motorhomes and large vehicles too and I’ve heard overnighting might be possible too – you’ll have to check the signs of Park For Night to double check though.
As a side note, we love that Mia & Emma are wearing dog goggles at the beach! Lilly almost always gets irritated eyes after a trip to the beach and the goggles would definitely help with this!
Mia & Ema enjoying Praia de São Pedro de Maceda
Praia para animais Soft Sea Beach
40 minutes north of Porto is a little slice of dog heaven, something that was likely born from the growing number of dog-free beaches… Praia para animais Soft Sea Beach, a dog friendly beach that is open year round with 0 restrictions and specifically for dogs.
We saw locals raving about this, and know a few people who specifically travel here during the summer months to let their dogs have a blast on the beach. Access is via a wooden boardwalk and it tends to be busier in the evenings, so if you prefer to be around fewer dogs try and go in the morning!
Vila do Conde
The last of our dog friendly beaches in Portugal is just 25 minutes North of Porto, Vila do Conde. Like many of the beaches in Portugal, Vila do Conde is one long beach made up of several. It is dog-friendly in the summer before 9am and after 7pm however, we’ve heard that several of the lifeguards along this stretch of coast have given people permission on quieter days. The non-monitored, non-blue flag sections will be dog friendly year round.
Packing List For Dog Friendly Beaches In Portugal
Now you know about the best dog friendly beaches in Portugal, and you’re armed with summer safety tips, it’s only right that we make sure you have everything you need!
Here are some of our beach essentials for dogs:
Have you visited any of these dog friendly beaches in Portugal? Did we miss out any of your favourites? Winter is a great time to visit Portugal with dogs, but having these option in the summer mean the beach fun doesn’t have to end with the seasons!
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