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Interactive
Beach Map
To make your navigation easier and more enjoyable and help
you find your perfect beach spot, Spain and Portugal for Visitors
presents this interactive map of beach areas.
The Algarve
The Algarve is Portugal's most popular tourist region, with
beautiful beaches and gorgeous coves, bathed by the warmth
of the Gulf Stream. In addition, it has good hotels, charming
resorts, first-class golf courses and splendid food.
The
Azores
The Azores, the Portuguese volcanic islands in the middle
of the Atlantic, have a year-round temperate climate (15ºC/59ºF-21ºC/70ºF),
which makes them more interesting as a beach destination to
hardy Nordic types than to the rest of us.
The Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands - Gimnesias (Majorca, Minorca and Cabrera)
in the north, and Pitiusas (Ibiza and Formentera) in the south-west.
Beaches and nightlife.
The Canary Islands
The Canary Islands - Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, La
Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and El Hierro - have a near-perfect
climate all year round.
Costa Azul
Costa Azul is the name given to the coast south of Lisbon
and that of the Alentejo, running down towards the Algarve.
Though not undiscovered (how could it be, so close to Lisbon?),
it is less crowded and much less developed than other costas.
Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca is the name given to the shoreline of the
province of Alicante, the southernmost province of the autonomous
region of Valencia. It is characterized by sandy beaches,
jacuzzi-temperature seawater and bustling resorts.
Costa Brava
The Costa Brava is, together with the Costa del Sol, the best-known
part of Spain's coastline. Although it has suffered from development,
it still has unspoilt corners, sheltered coves, some of the
most attractive scenery in the Mediterranean and delightful
beaches.
Costa Cálida
The Costa Cálida is the coastline of the province of Murcia,
including the near-landlocked salt-water lagoon, the Mar Menor.
Costa de Almería
The Costa de Almería is, at least in part, undiscovered by
mass tourism. It has good, if pebbly beaches, lovely villages,
the "Cabo de Gata" nature reserve and the added attraction
of the lunar landscape of inland Almería.
Costa de la Luz
The Costa de la Luz is the coast of the Atlantic provinces
of Cadiz and Huelva, running east-west from windsurfers' paradise
Tarifa, near Gibraltar, up to Ayamonte on the opposite side
of the Tagus estuary to Portugal. It has fabulous, dune-backed
beaches of fine, white sand, pine woods and fishing villages.
Costa
de Prata
Portugal's Costa de Prata, capital Coimbra, is the region
between Lisbon and Porto. It has long, sandy beaches, rather
exposed and windswept (making it attractive to windsurfers)
and beautiful towns and villages inland.
Costa
de Valencia
The coast of the province of Valencia is practically continuous
beach from Sagunto down to Oliva. It is not undeveloped, being
popular with Spaniards themselves, but has great beaches,
the odd fishing village, some historical attractions and the
L'Albufera natural park.
Costa del Azahar
The coast of the province of Castellón, the most northernly
in the region of Valencia, is called the Costa del Azahar,
meaning orange-blossom coast. The mountains climbing back
from the beaches make it an attractive area, if overdeveloped
in parts. Unspoilt beaches can be found though and the nature
reserve on the Columbretes Islands is an inviting option.
Costa
del Maresme
The coast between the city of Barcelona and the Costa Brava
is less wild than the latter but has great beaches and would
be fine for a restful break.
Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol, also referred to as the "Costa del Golf,"
is perhaps the most expatriate-populated part of Spain (although
nowadays the expats are just as likely to be Russian or Polish
as English or Arab).
Costa Dorada
The Costa Dorada, the Golden Coast, running north-east and
south-west of Tarragona, is so named both for the colour of
its beaches and the quality of the light.
Costa Tropical
The coast of the province of Granada, recently given the undeservedly
awful name of Costa Tropical, is one of the less developed
areas of the Spanish Mediterranean. This fact, its climate
and the proximity of Granada, the Sierra Nevada and La Alpujarra
make it highly attractive to those wishing to avoid the high-rise
Med.
Costa
Verde
The Costa Verde is a newly invented name for the coast of
the northwest of Portugal, the Minho, and its hinterland (do
not confuse with the Costa Verdes in Mexico and Costa Rica
and, to make it more confusing, the term is occasionally used
for the whole north coast of Spain). As the name suggests,
it is a lush, i.e., rainy area, with some fabulous beaches
and wonderful places to visit nearby.
Estoril
Coast
Running west from Lisbon is a stretch of coast which has long
been popular with ex-pats. Estoril itself is described on
the local tourist board's website as the "Playground
of Kings," failing to mention that the royalty in question
was usually fleeing from its enraged subjects.
Nudist Beaches
Nudist, naturist or clothing-optional beaches. The days when
naturists used to be arrested (often on the pretext that they
were not carrying their passports) are long gone.
SPV
Beaches Web Directory
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