Praia da Marinha, Atlantic beach in Lagoa, Portugal

Praia da Marinha is a beach on the Algarve coast, framed by tall limestone cliffs shaped by wind and sea. Several freestanding rock towers rise from the sand and shallow water, forming small passages and caves along the shoreline.

The environment ministry awarded this stretch of coast a distinction for its natural quality in the late 1990s. The rock walls show traces of erosion over thousands of years, since the sea exposed this limestone formation.

The name Marinha means "Navy Beach", a reference to the sea rather than to any fishermen's harbour. The beach has served as a promotional image for the 'Guia de Portugal' distributed worldwide, and its water quality has drawn international advertising agencies and television producers who film campaigns here. Visitors today share the sand with those film crews in summer.

A wooden stairway leads down from the parking area above to the sand, with the descent taking a few minutes and tiring in heat. Lifeguards are present during summer, but outside this period swimmers should be cautious as currents between the rocks can become strong.

The rock arches form natural frames at low tide through which you can see the open sea, while at high tide water fills small lagoons between the stones. Some visitors climb through the openings at low water and discover hidden sandy coves on the other side.