Praia do Meco
Sesimbra, south of Lisbon · Portugal
Portugal's original naturist beach: surfers, families and a long strip of nude sand under the cliffs.
- Status
- Official nude beach
- Crowd
- Naturist
- Country
- Portugal
- City
- Lisbon
- Water
- Sea
- Best time
- June to September
- Confidence
- Medium
Find it
38.4830° N, 9.1895° WCrowd A nude beach with no particular gay crowd. Families, couples and regulars. Go for the sun and the swim, not the scene.
Getting there
Forty-five minutes by car from Lisbon over the bridge. Park at Aldeia do Meco and walk down.
The rules
Official nude beach. Designated by law or by the council. Nudity is allowed and expected on the marked stretch, and nobody will ask you to cover up.
No photos of anyone, sunscreen everywhere, cover up the moment you leave the nude stretch, and go home with the light. It is a beach: sunbathe, swim, talk, flirt. Anything more belongs somewhere private.
Questions people ask
Is Praia do Meco a gay beach?
Not especially. A nude beach with no particular gay crowd. Families, couples and regulars. Go for the sun and the swim, not the scene. Portugal's original naturist beach: surfers, families and a long strip of nude sand under the cliffs.
Is it legal to be nude at Praia do Meco?
Yes, on the marked stretch. Designated by law or by the council. Nudity is allowed and expected on the marked stretch, and nobody will ask you to cover up.
How do I get to Praia do Meco?
Forty-five minutes by car from Lisbon over the bridge. Park at Aldeia do Meco and walk down. Best time: June to September.
More in Portugal
Method
Status says what the law and the locals allow; crowd says who is on the sand. Both come from gay-travel guides, the national naturist federations and members who were just there, scored on sources, recency, crowd, legal footing and safety. How we rank. Pins mark the beach; the gay end is described above. Last reviewed September 2026.