Praia do Ouro & Praia da Califórnia

The town beaches of Sesimbra, right on the doorstep of Casa Eugenia, are special for their south-facing location — offering a child-safe Atlantic.

Officially, the Gold Beach is to the right of the fort, and California Beach is to the left, spanning about three kilometers in total. The left side sometimes has stricter rules due to employed security, while the farther right you go, the more dogs you’ll see, and the cheaper the beach bars become. If you suddenly find you need a three-meter-long plastic crocodile or three liters of beer, you can find it all right on the promenade. During the season, there’s complete entertainment with all sorts of boat rentals, water sports, and even a bouncy castle in the sea.

The beach in front of the fort is also a popular film location: Gulliver gets tied up by the Lilliputians here, James Bond’s only marriage literally sinks here, and Elizabeth I plays battleship with the Spanish Armada.