Praia dos Galapinhos

Galapinhos sits between Galapos and Figueirinha on the sheltered Arrábida shore, and it is reached only on foot - a steep path descending through pine and maquis from the road above, about ten to fifteen minutes down and rather longer back up. The reward is a small crescent of pale sand with limestone cliffs at both ends and water that is genuinely turquoise and calm, because the whole coast here faces the bay. A European travel poll named it the continent's best beach in 2017, which had the effect such things always have: visitor numbers rose sharply, and the park introduced the summer access controls that now apply along this stretch, with shuttle buses and limits on cars. There are no facilities at all - no café, no toilets, no lifeguard - so everything comes down the path with you.

What you actually see

• The cove - a small crescent of pale sand between limestone headlands.
• The water - calm and clear, facing the sheltered bay rather than the ocean.
• The path - a steep forest descent, the only way in.
• The 2017 poll - the ranking that changed how busy it became.

When to go

June to September; check the summer access rules before travelling, as cars are turned back. Half a day. Early morning for space on the sand.

Honest expectations

No facilities whatsoever - carry water, food and shade, and take rubbish out. The climb back up is hard in heat. Summer access is restricted and shuttles are the only way in on many days. The beach is small and fills by mid-morning.

Nearby

Portinho da Arrábida and Galapos are along the same shore; Setúbal is east.