Situated on the Island of Culatra, this beach owes its name to the lighthouse that stands on the far western tip, at Barra Nova next to Santa Maria Cape. This harbour, stabilised by breakwaters, marks an inflection in the coastline’s orientation: the barrier islands are now orientated to the south-east, exposed to the hot east wind and its waves.
When you reach the quay, you will see that there are lots of buildings and tourist activity but the beach is huge and becomes progressively quieter as you walk eastwards. The large breakwater in the harbour is used by the diving schools for their lessons, and for scuba and line fishing.
About 1.5 km to the east, you will find Praia dos Hangares, a beach that can be reached either by boat or by walking from Farol. There is still an old bunker here and lots of barbed wire, a legacy of the times when the Navy anchored its seaplanes at the island. There is a small hamlet, mostly consisting of summer holiday homes, facing the estuary. The line of dunes is immense, hot and dry, and the beach is very peaceful.
Turismo do Algarve
Algarve Promotion
Algarve Nature Fest
