Holidays to Praia de Rocha are ideal for everyone looking for a summer holiday and if a sandy beach is what you are looking for Praia de Rocha is the place for you. Praia de Rocha also offers good nightlife and great restaurants, so if you are still not sure where to go try Praia de Rocha for a great summer holiday.
Bustle, beach and bags of fun – that's the long and short of holidays in Praia da Rocha. We're sure you'll have seen the pictures. Golden sand stretching as far as the eye can see, with towering rock formations marching across the beach towards the sea. There's no trick of the camera here, for this beach is truly superb. Caves, tunnels and arches sculpted from red and yellow sandstone lead to idyllic sandy coves, and beach facilities abound.
Pulsing with energy on the clifftops high above the beach lies the town itself. Whether you've bagged a last minute holiday to Praia da Rocha, or looked forward to it all year, this holiday resort will not disappoint. Restaurants from every corner of the world. Shops selling everything from beach gear to designer wear. Waterparks, horse-riding, windsurfing…need we go on! Summer holidays to Praia da Rocha are all about getting out and having fun – whether it's a ride on the resort's miniature train or dancing into the wee hours in a music bar.
Praia da Rocha, the beach next to Portimão marina, is a bustling holiday resort in its own right. It became a tourist centre at the end of the 19th century, when it was the favoured summer resort of families from, not only Portimão, but also the rest of the Algarve and Andalusia; and in the winter with English visitors. The Hotel da Bela Vista with its Belle Epoque architecture, dates from this time and stands out amongst the modern buildings along the beach front.
The beach itself is vast, even in the middle of summer there is always plenty of space. The avenue, Tomás Cabreira, which runs along the top of the beach, is full of restaurants, cafes, and shops and is particularly lively at night with a variety of bars, and clubs to choose from. At the end of the avenue is the Fortress of Santa Catarina de Ribamar, which was part of Portimão's defences against corsairs and pirates. It was built in the 17th and 18th centuries and gives a wonderful view of the beach and the cliffs on one side and the marina on the other.