Extensive beaches of fine white sand, sheltered by dune slopes and pine forests, flanked by a deep blue sea… this is the coast of Central Portugal. You can discover these beautiful landscapes on a coastal drive from Figueira da Foz and Mira to Aveiro.

From Figueira to Mira

Figueira da Foz is a lively and vibrant city, full of entertainment and one of the most important seaside resorts. Besides the vast sandy beach, where you can play soccer or volleyball and enjoy all kinds of other activities, this seaside resort is also known for its casino. The casino opened in the late 19th century, when the aristocracy still filled its elegant halls. Today, many sporting events are held there, from surfing to motorized water sports, from sailing competitions to beach rugby. The city has maintained its cosmopolitan character. Both summer and winter, you'll see cyclists and skaters on the coastal road leading to Buarcos Beach. This beach is protected from the cold north wind by Cape Mondego.

Following the forest road, you'll reach Quiaios beach, a charming village with small houses. Further north, you'll find the Vela and Braças lagoons, where you can picnic and spot waterfowl. A little further up, you'll find Tocha Beach. Here, you'll admire the ingenious construction of the old haystacks. These huts sit on pine trunks and were built by fishermen using wood from the region's forests. They were used to store fishing gear and today serve as vacation homes. The golden sand stretches all the way to the wild and nearly deserted Palheirão Beach, a patch of untouched nature surrounded by a pine forest.

The forest road eventually leads to Praia de Mira, which was a small fishing village until the first half of the 20th century. Both here and at Praia da Vagueira, traditional fishing is still practiced in colorful boats, using trawl nets. Today, the nets are pulled ashore by tractors instead of oxen, as was the case in the past.

Near Aveiro

The typical wooden barns of Praia da Costa Nova are painted with colorful stripes. A picturesque sight that most tourists love to photograph. Praia da Barra boasts a lighthouse over a century old, the tallest in Portugal. Here, the Ria del Ria flows into the sea, at the tip of a promontory that begins several kilometers south, in Areão. Although Ílhavo is located further inland, on one of the Ria's arms, this town is nevertheless intimately linked to the sea. Its inhabitants played a significant role in cod fishing in the icy seas of Newfoundland. Remnants of this centuries-old history are clearly visible at the Ílhavo Maritime Museum and in the local cuisine.

Aveiro is surrounded by the Ria, a unique interplay between land and sea, whose arms branch out into countless canals between the houses. If you cross the Ria by boat, you'll almost immediately reach the São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve, a large nature reserve along the coast. In this protected area, you can admire the natural beauty and, in particular, spot waterfowl that have found a sanctuary here to breed. Another attraction is also found here: São Jacinto Beach, a beach of endless, nearly untouched sand.

Don't miss:

• Sports on the sands of Figueira da Foz
• Eat grilled fish on a seaside terrace
• Take a boat ride on a moliceiro boat in the Ria de Aveiro
• Waterfowl watching in the São Jacinto Dunes Nature Reserve
• Watch the fishing boats arrive at the beaches of Mira or Praia da Vagueira
• Try the Ovar sponge cake

From Quinta da Palmeira – Country House Retreat & Spa, the white sand beaches of Figueira da Foz, Mira and Aveiro are a 60 to 75-minute drive away.