The main town beach, Praia do Ouro, is long, south-facing, and sheltered — the warmest swimming on the Lisbon coast. East of town along the coast road is a string of smaller coves: Califórnia, Lagosteiros, Ribeiro do Cavalo (accessible only by boat or a steep descent), and the dramatic Praia dos Lagosteiros at the foot of Cabo Espichel.
West of town, beyond the harbour, the coast turns wilder and the beaches more remote — Praia do Meco, where naturism is permitted at the southern end, is the best of them, about fifteen minutes by car. All of these are unguarded and exposed to the open Atlantic; the swimming is colder and the swell stronger than at the protected town beach.