Praia das Maçãs is at the mouth of the Colares river, on the coast of the parish of Colares, municipality of Sintra, Central Portugal
The name of the beach originated from the apples that arrived on the sand transported by the Ribeira de Colares that flows here.
Praia das Maçãs has a stream that runs from the Sintra mountains and runs down the left corner of the beach and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Legend tells that in autumn the river carried many apples to the sand from the farms it crossed, giving the beach its name.
Praia das Maçãs has a spacious sandy beach that hosts a range of sporting activities and a strong sea with good conditions for surfing and bodyboarding.
North of Praia das Maçãs is a rugged coastline of cliffs and rocky headlands and the town rises up into the cliffs
The beach has soft, golden sand and clear sea waters and fills the river valley and stretches for almost 200 m at the back providing space even in summer.
On the south side of the beach is the Ribeira de Colares river (more of a creek) and the shallow waters (15 cm) are children's favorite to play in.
The beach faces the Atlantic Ocean and therefore the waves and currents can be very strong, which is why it is very popular with water sports enthusiasts.
The beach is frequented by people from the surrounding area and by families who have their holiday homes here.
In the vicinity of the beach of around 250 meters we can see lots of restaurants, cafes and terraces with excellent food such as squid, lobster and seafood.
Praia das Maçãs has direct access during the summer months from the town of Sintra provided by the traditional tram whose route was recently restored.
One of the attractions of this area is the famous tram ride and the route starts in the Estefânia area next to the Sintra Museum of Modern Art and passes through the parish of Colares and ends at the seaside at Praia das Maçãs.
On the beach there is a saltwater swimming pool, a children's playground and a picnic area.
At the ends of the beach, both on the left and right side, there are slabs/rocks where you can fish with some stability.
The beach has a car park, bar-restaurant, external bathrooms and showers, awning/parasol area, beach guarded by a lifeguard during the bathing season.
Praia das Maçãs has a stream that runs from the Sintra mountains and runs down the left corner of the beach and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Legend tells that in autumn the river carried many apples to the sand from the farms it crossed, giving the beach its name.
Praia das Maçãs has a spacious sandy beach that hosts a range of sporting activities and a strong sea with good conditions for surfing and bodyboarding.
North of Praia das Maçãs is a rugged coastline of cliffs and rocky headlands and the town rises up into the cliffs
The beach has soft, golden sand and clear sea waters and fills the river valley and stretches for almost 200 m at the back providing space even in summer.
On the south side of the beach is the Ribeira de Colares river (more of a creek) and the shallow waters (15 cm) are children's favorite to play in.
The beach faces the Atlantic Ocean and therefore the waves and currents can be very strong, which is why it is very popular with water sports enthusiasts.
The beach is frequented by people from the surrounding area and by families who have their holiday homes here.
In the vicinity of the beach of around 250 meters we can see lots of restaurants, cafes and terraces with excellent food such as squid, lobster and seafood.
Praia das Maçãs has direct access during the summer months from the town of Sintra provided by the traditional tram whose route was recently restored.
One of the attractions of this area is the famous tram ride and the route starts in the Estefânia area next to the Sintra Museum of Modern Art and passes through the parish of Colares and ends at the seaside at Praia das Maçãs.
On the beach there is a saltwater swimming pool, a children's playground and a picnic area.
At the ends of the beach, both on the left and right side, there are slabs/rocks where you can fish with some stability.
The beach has a car park, bar-restaurant, external bathrooms and showers, awning/parasol area, beach guarded by a lifeguard during the bathing season.
