Inside Loop - Dispatch #4 | My favourite beach restaurants within 1 hour of Lisbon

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Welcome to dispatch #4 of “Inside Loop” - a bespoke travel consultancy, tailored just for you. This newsletter will be arriving in your inbox every two weeks, and all the editions will be archived and live here.

This fourth newsletter is timely, as Lisbon weather has changed into high gear and is full speed ahead for the summer. I thought it would be fun to do a round-up of my favourite beach restaurants - the catch is that they are all within 1 hour of Lisbon. I get asked all the time for beach recommendations when people come to Lisbon for a long weekend but don’t necessarily want to rent a car to get out on the Atlantic, so this is a short list (in no particular order) of the beach restaurants I frequent the most, which are (almost) all within Uber distance of the capital city.

As a reminder for those still booking summer holidays - I get amazing rates on all hotels worldwide too, so definitely let me know if you want access to this!

1. Bar do Fundo

Praia Grande is a beach northwest of Lisbon and a stone’s throw from Sintra - it’s loved by locals, and many of my friends grew up spending their summers at family houses here. Not only is it a fantastic wide and sprawling beach, but it has one of the best beach restaurants. Ever. Bar do Fundo is a bit of an institution and has some of the best seafood on offer - and they make it super easy to book a table online or call for a reservation. Sit on the terrace on a beautiful sunny day with some seabass and Alvarinho, and you will think you’ve hit the jackpot. One thing to note is the weather on this side of the Atlantic can have a bit of a microclimate, so it might be sunny in Lisbon and cloudy there, and vice versa. Always good to check the wind and the beach cams to know what you are dealing with weather-wise! Another note - parking is virtually impossible, so Uber here if you can!

🧡 Perfect to pair with: a tourist morning discovering Sintra - skip the Pena Palace and visit the old Moorish castle instead.

2. Princesa

Photo Credit: Princesa - google maps link

Before the days of Uber, the only people who could get to Caparica beach were locals and surf road trippers, because without a rental car you could get dropped off there by a Lisbon taxi but would have no way of coming back. Now, Caparica has become completely accessible to tourists spending the weekend in Lisbon, and the demand for restaurants has only gone up. That said, the beach is so long (30km!!) and 300m wide that it never gets that crowded. Princesa is my absolute favourite lunch spot on this beach - and recently Google reminded me that I have made 31 bookings here in the last 3 years… Everything about it is perfect; the setting, the music (not too loud, not too club-y), the service, and the overall environment. But first and foremost, the food is incredible - my favourite dish is their black cuttlefish rice, which comes in a big paella pan. Throughout the summer they have some sunset parties, so it’s always fun to book a late lunch and stay on!

🧡 Top tip: if you don’t like lying on the sand and you don’t want to rent Princesa’s pricier sunbeds, grab some low-key loungers next door at Coco Beach for €20 each, and then walk over to Princesa for lunch.

3. Piscina

Photo Credit: Piscina - google maps link

Fonte da Telha is on the same 30km beach as Caparica (above) but has its own identity and feel. This is a super local beach, and actually gets a bit narrower so it feels less sprawling. Piscina is a new-ish restaurant started by the old owner of Pôsto da Onda - but much more relaxed. In terms of setting, this is the one restaurant that really feels like you are sitting on top of the ocean. They have big wooden chairs on the beach in case you wanted to sunbathe after a post-lunch swim. They serve all the seafood classics but also have a full sushi menu (sounds odd, but weirdly works quite well!) Weekends are usually busy with families and children, locals, and expats. It has a great overall feel!

🧡 Great to pair with this hike, right above the beach, along the bluff. You can then walk back along the beach into the naturist part (very few people actually go fully nude) and then you have the beach to yourself!

4. Bar do Peixe

Photo Credit: Expresso News - google maps link

Bar do Peixe is a longtime local favourite on the stunning Meco beach (still the same beach as Caparica / Fonte da Telha, but right at the very end). This original site very sadly burnt down 3 years ago and temporarily relocated down the beach as a pop-up “Hangar do Peixe”, but is now up and running and as good as ever! Meco is one of the most amazing beaches accessible from Lisbon (although it’s right on the 59-minute driving time cusp…) and never disappoints. Bar do Peixe has two terraces, so depending on if you’re there for lunch or dinner, you will be perfectly positioned to enjoy the sunset and sea views from up high.

🧡 Great to pair with a kite surfing session at the nearby lagoon Lagoa de Albufeira (kiting is allowed here all year until swimming season starts on June 1, but it’s still fun to check-out!)

5. Bar do Guincho

Photo Credit: Bar do Guincho - google maps link

Last but not least - Bar do Guincho! I grew up spending every single weekend of my childhood on this beach, and eating at this beach bar. It’s not a “restaurant” in the sense that it’s semi-self-service and the food is not thatttt delicious (disclaimer: this experience is targeted mostly at surfers who will love to surf on Guincho beach and want lunch after! Don’t come here just for the food…) but it has a lot of soul and charm. That said, you can’t go wrong with a grilled cheese sandwich and a cold beer, or even a big salad. The views are amazing, and it’s quite literally dug out of a huge cliff / sand dune - bonus, it’s only 25 mins from Lisbon, which makes it hard to beat. Guincho can be quite windy (it’s a huge surfing, wind surfing, and kite surfing spot) but you can rent sun loungers and wind protectors right on the beach. Always check the beach cam for this place too, as the weather can be different from Lisbon / Caparica side.

…and that’s all! If you enjoyed reading this newsletter, please do encourage friends to also subscribe. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you want tailored travel tips on any upcoming trips!

🧡 Camilla