Praia do Guincho

Guincho sits at the western end of the Cascais coast road, inside the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, where the shelter of the bay runs out and the open Atlantic takes over. The beach is broad and pale, backed by dunes crossed on boardwalks, with the Serra de Sintra rising green behind and headlands closing the view north. Wind is the constant here: the nortada blows most summer afternoons and has kept the beach on windsurfing and kitesurfing circuits for decades. Surfers use it whenever the swell allows, which is often. Swimmers get water that stays cold through August and currents that deserve respect rather than confidence.

What you actually see

• The dune boardwalks - paths laid over protected dunes behind the sand.
• The wind sports - kites and sails working the afternoon nortada.
• The Sintra hills - the green ridge standing behind the beach.
• The rock platforms - low reefs at each end exposed at low tide.

When to go

May, June and September give the warmest sand with slightly less wind than midsummer afternoons. Mornings are calmer everywhere on this coast, since the wind usually builds after noon. Winter brings big swell and empty sand, worth a walk even in poor weather. Summer weekends fill the car parks by mid-morning, so come by bike or bus.

Honest expectations

The water is cold enough to shorten most swims, and rip currents here are serious rather than theoretical. Wind-blown sand can make lying down unpleasant by afternoon. There is little natural shade, parking is limited and paid, and the coast road backs up on summer weekends. Lifeguard flags matter far more here than at sheltered beaches.

Nearby

Cascais old town, the Boca do Inferno cliffs and the Sintra hills.