Beach Costa Caparica Lisbon, gay Beach 19, beach train & how to get there

If you want to escape the hassle and the heat of Lisbon on a hot summer day, try the beaches of Costa da Caparica, just across the Tejo river. The locals swarm to the village of Caparicabut just away from the village, past the vast camping sites tens of kilometres of white, unspoilt beaches are at your disposal!

Lisbon Costa da Caparica

Costa da Caparica beach in summertime.

Take the little train (in season)

at the end of the boardwalk and it will take you 8 kilometres south to the quiet stretches of sand. The train has 21 stops.

Portugal Costa da Caparica train

Little train Costa Caparica YouTube movie

The best beaches are Morena and Sereia, surrounded by dunes and with good bars. At almost every stop there’s a beachclub and the further south you go, the more you have the place to yourself.

Costa da Caparcia trans praia train

The ‘Trans-Praia’ train.

World famous gay Beach 19

Stop (paragem) 19, also known as Beach 19 or Praia de Bela Vista,  is where the nudist beach starts, also world famous for being Portugal’s most popular gay beach.

Gay clubs and parties in Lisbon

Lisbon Costa da Caparica Beach 19 1

As everywhere in the world: where the nudist beach ends, the gay cruising begins and this is the largest in Portugal.

In the vast bushes behind the railway track, guys from all over Europe and beyond, meet for some fun and relaxation.

Lisbon Costa da Caparica Beach 19 2 men near the sea

Beach 19 Costa da Caparica Lisbon

HOW TO GET THERE

From Lisbon to Costa da Caparica: by car, go South to Caparica and south again all the way to the last access to the beaches. When the road goes uphill, you have just passed the access you want to go! Go past Praia do Rei until the parking at the end of the dust road. Upon Bela Vista, walk south, to the left of the restaurant. It’s some 2 miles of white sand beach and dunes! A taxi will take you there from downtown Lisbon for a little over € 25.

By bus: from Praça de Espanha take bus 153 to Costa de Caparica busstation. Walk five minutes south along the boulevard and you’ll see the little train, that leaves every half hour (until end of September). The 161 bus from Praca de Areeiro will also take you to Caparica.

Ferry Lisbon Tagus River Martijn Kramers

Ferry to Lisbon Cacilhas

An alternative route includes a mini-cruise (15 min.) on the ferry from Cais do Sodré across the river to Cacilhas. Get on bus 138 (directo) to Costa da Caparica (bus 124 via Almada will provide you with a long detour past 1960 highrise architecture, that’s better avoided).

By train: cross the Tagus river to Pragal railway station and take bus 196 to Caparica. The train may be a good alternative on weekends, it’ll help you avoid the traffic jams on the 25th of April Bridge.

Praia da Fonte da Telha

Stop 21 (paragem) Beach Fonte da Telha

At stop (paragem) 21 at the end of the line where the little beach train turns, there’s the village of Fonte da Telha (‘Fountain of the roof’). This little fishermen’s village is perfect for that holiday feeling. This is the real Portugal, with some trendy beach cafés added to it. Fonta da Telha can also be reached by bus from Cacilhas harbour. Beach 19 is just a short walk from the centre of Fonte da Telha. A taxi there from Lisbon will put you back a little over € 30.

MECO Beach

Even further south, about 10 kilometres from Fonte da Telha: Meco Beach, a real mecca for nudists & surfers

Meco beach (praia) 40 km south of Lisbon: popular gay beach & how to get there

The beach of Meco is really wonderful, very popular by the Portuguese and the most well known internationally. Meco near Alfarim, 40 km south of Lisbon, is located in the middle of a natural park called ‘Serra da Arrabida’. This is a real ‘mecca’ for nudists & surfers!

Meco nudist beach and argil cliffs

The beach of Meco got famous in the 70s as one of the first nudist beaches.

At the beach, facing the ocean, on the left side is a high dune from where onwards start the naturist area, opposing to the right side, where the beach amenities are situated, frequented by families.

Meco nudist beach and argil cliffs 2

Meco beach

Nudist tourism

The excellent beach cost line in this area, the well persevered surrounded forest and the climate attracts tourists from all across Europe. Nudist tourism is growing vastly in the last several years in Portugal.

Protected by a high cliff, with small springs (drinking water) and excellent green mud (argil) for skin treatments, which is a common sight.

Meco Restaurant Bar do Peixe

Beach restaurant “Bar do Peixe (Fish Bar)”

Excellent bar/restaurant with a chill out area (closed Tuesdays). Traditional Portugese meals.

Meco beach restaurant Bar do Peixe

Beach restaurant ‘Bar de Peixa’ (fishbar)

Bar do Peixe’ Meco beach Facebook

Our choice for lunch: Salada Russa com gambas (Russian salad with shrimps) € 7.50, Salada Atum (Salad with tuna) € 7.50, a small bottle of white wine (vinho branco) € 3.80, agua (water) € 1.00.

Beach restaurant “Bar do Peixe’, Rua Praia do Moinho de Baixo, Meco.

Meco beach fishermen3

Fishermen with their nets

The village mainly lives from the local tourists; when the season is over, people like to visit Meco because of the good restaurants and to walk on the beach.

Meco parking 1 euro

Park your car near the beach of Meco

If you travel by car: from Lisbon, take the A2 South Highway, then towards Sesimbra and after Fernão Ferro turn right to Alfarim, and right again to the beaches (“Praias”). Meco Beach has several paid parking lots. Once agricultural fields, nowadays transformed into car parking lots during summer time, as it is much more profitable for the local families.

Public transport: from Lisbon this beach is not the best to be reached. You’ll need to catch the bus to Sesimbra from Praça da Espanha bus terminal in Lisbon and get off at Santana. Several buses run to Meco on a regular basis. Don’t forget to ask for a timetable to go back to Lisbon.

Meco February 2008 surfing Rob

Wow! My friend Rob Plews

Meco Beach: excellent for activities such as surf, parapente, fishing or windsurf. On windy days the sea can be quite rough.

Meco restaurante Tropical do Meco staff3

Very popular Restaurant/bar ”Tropical do Meco”.  , Aldeio do Meco, excellent local gastronomy & late night cocktails

Aldeio do Meco is a small rural village, about 1 km from Meco beach