There are few better ways to escape the summer heat in Portugal than stopping for a swim at a local praia fluvial or river beach! Here are a few of our favourites nearby. In addition, you can always search on Google for “praia fluvial” to find your closest wild swimming spot when on the road!
Wild Swimming
Senhora da Ribeira
Senhora da Ribeira (seen above) is our closest river beach, providing a perfect destination for a convenient afternoon out. A dammed section of the Mondego river creates a lake-like setting with expansive beach areas, a marina, a restaurant, and a number of beach bars. In the summer, a floating jetty is set up for swimmers to dive from and there are sometimes live music events on the waterside. Those who want a little exercise can follow the beach to the left of the central area until they find signposts for a local walking track that meanders along the riverbank.
Praia Fluvial Coja
The historic town of Coja is around a 25-minute drive from Quinta Castanheira and offers a relaxing day-trip destination. Within the town itself, there is a quintessentially Portuguese flower-adorned square, served by a café that offers drinks, coffees, and an array of sweet delights. On the edge of town, beside the Bombeiros, or fire station, visitors can take a ramp down into a carpark, and then follow steps yet further down to a river-side restaurant and bar called the Lagar do Alva.
This ancient slate building was once an olive mill and it’s worth taking a peek inside into the dining space to see some of the old machinery still inside. However, in the summer, the main appeal of visiting this location is its famous river beach. A weir adjoins the restaurant and every summer sand is delivered to create an artificial beach.
Praia Fluvial de Avô
If spending the day on the banks of the river Alva, which features both Coja and Avô, then it can be fun to take in not one river beach but two. Avô is a picturesque village at the bottom of a winding valley. The river beach is situated right at the heart of the village and boasts a vibrant bar that draws young crowds in the summer.
Praia Fluvial do Vimieiro
Around a 25-minute drive from Quinta Castanheira, Praia Fluvial do Vimieiro is another lovely location with a weir, picnic tables, and a waterside bar-restaurant. This is perhaps a nice stop-off for those on their way to or from the city of Coimbra.
Fraga da Pena
Fraga da Pena, Benfeita, is a 48-minute drive from Quinta Castanheira, however, the route is divinely scenic, and the destination is located on the other side of Coja, making it an option to incorporate into a larger tour of the area. This incredible location is less a river beach and more a series of waterfalls and rock pools that step their way down a forested valley. Several of the pools are large enough to plunge into, and visitors can pause at moss-covered stone picnic tables.
Ancient water channels and slate stone huts with millstones hint at the history of Fraga da Pena. It’s a truly enchanting place, but not a wise choice for those who experience vertigo. The steps are steep and guardrails sparse, so children should be supervised. The surrounding woodland is laced with walking paths.
Fraga da Pena, image taken by Carla Marques da Silva, shared under licence CC BY-SA 4.0
We will keep updating this page as opportunity allows. Are we missing somewhere magical nearby? Get in touch to let us know!