A small cove tucked between cliffs in the very centre of Cascais, Praia da Rainha is little more than a slip of golden sand at the foot of a steep staircase from the seafront promenade. It is impossibly photogenic and busy in summer — the small size means it fills up fast. Best visited at low tide and outside July and August.
The water here is calm and quite clear, the sand fine, and a couple of cafés on the cliff above will serve you for as long as you like. Around the headland, larger and less picturesque town beaches (Praia dos Pescadores and Praia da Conceição) offer the same warm Atlantic water with more room.