A Portuguese beach has just been voted Best Beach in Europe 2026, and it isn’t one of the usual Algarve poster spots packed with umbrella rows and cocktail bars.
Instead, it sits on Portugal’s wilder Atlantic edge, inside a protected natural park, where cliffs glow gold at sunset and development is tightly controlled.
Portugal’s Best Beach in Europe 2026
The beach in question is Praia de Monte Clérigo on the western Algarve coast.
Selected as Best Beach in Europe 2026 by European Best Destinations, Monte Clérigo has steadily gained recognition for its raw Atlantic setting and low-key atmosphere.
It lies within the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina, which limits large-scale construction and helps preserve the coastline.
Locals often refer to it as a “Sunset Beach”, and that reputation hasn’t come from marketing hype. It’s simply what happens when west-facing cliffs meet the open Atlantic.
Why Monte Clérigo ranks number one
The Algarve most people picture sits along the southern coast, with sheltered coves and limestone arches. Monte Clérigo is different. It faces directly onto the Atlantic and feels more elemental.
Set just north of Aljezur, the beach forms part of the Costa Vicentina. This is a stretch of coastline that remains far less developed than central Algarve towns and is a great road trip route.
It attracts travellers looking for authenticity and space rather than nightlife and marina views.
Monte Clérigo at sunset
As the sun dips into the Atlantic, locals and visitors gather at O Sargo restaurant for a spot of live music, often barefoot after a swim. It’s informal, sociable and centred on the sea rather than on spectacle.
Monte Clerigo: surf destination
The Atlantic swell gives Monte Clerigo its reputation among those who like to surf, boasting a surf school right on the beachfront.
Conditions vary with tide and wind, but the beach regularly draws surfers exploring the wider Costa Vicentina surf spots. Compared with some busier Algarve breaks, the atmosphere here stays relatively relaxed, partly because the surrounding area remains lightly developed.
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