Praia da Rocha

Travel Guide
Rocha Beach showing a sandy beach, general coastal views and rocky coastline
Praia da Rocha is an all year round holiday destination, known internationally for having one of the most beautiful coastlines in the Algarve. One of its most popular stretches of sand, Rock’s Beach, owes its name to the rocks that rise between the sand and the sea.

Praia da Rocha is also a cosmopolitan resort with a buzzing nightlife, restaurants, water activities, sports and shops. Since the 19th century, Praia da Rocha has had a long tradition of tourism, not only in summer with Portuguese families but also during the winter when it attracts waves of Brits looks to escape the rain. The Palace, which houses the Bela Vista Hotel, was one of the first hotels to open on Rocha's beach in 1934.

Avenida Tomás Cabreira

The Avenida Tomás Cabreira is a long avenue that follows the coastline to the Fort of Santa Catarina, and is one of the most popular areas of Praia da Rocha. It’s lined with an incredible selection of of restaurants, hotels and even has a casino.

St. Catarina Fort

The St. Catarina Fort was built by the Governor of the Algarvean Kingdom in 1621 to protect the city from pirates. Located near the Marina on the far eastern part of the Praia da Rocha, it is accessible by a staircase carved into the cliffs. It also has a bar and provides stunning views overlooking Praia da Rocha.

Marina

Located at the eastern end of Praia da Rocha, the Marina is the place to be. Here you can join a boat tour for a little dolphin-watching, get into some water sports or simply have a meal. With its great selection of restaurants and bars, the marina is lively both day and night.

Things to do in Praia da Rocha

During summer, Praia da Rocha holds the annual Mundialito, an international beach soccer tournament, organized by Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW). The nearby Arade River also plays host to powerboat racing and jet-skiing events during the summer months.

One of the Algarve's biggest attractions are golf resorts and Praia da Rocha is no exception. It has several golf courses within a 10 minute drive, including the three courses designed by Sir Henry Cotton at Le Méridien Penina Golf Resort and Morgado do Reguengo Resort.

Visit the nearby city, Silves, a historic town with a beautiful Moorish castle. Make the journey by boat down the River Arade and enjoy the one hour trip to the largest castle in the Algarve on the water.

Shopping

Praia da Rocha is also a shopping paradise, with a nearby shopping mall that’s home to around 100 stores. You’ll also find a great selection of stores that specialize in local handicrafts and souvenirs along the main streets.

RR Hotel da Rocha
RR Hotel da Rocha
4 out of 5
Ave Tomas Cabreira, Praia da Rocha, Portimão
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is S$113 per night from 1 Apr to 2 Apr
S$113
per night
1 Apr - 2 Apr
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in Portimão. Enjoy free WiFi, a beach locale, and room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our ...
9/10 Wonderful! (855 reviews)
Good hotel for Moto GP
"Fantastic location and staff friendly and welcoming"

Reviewed on 26 Mar,2024

RR Hotel da Rocha
Hotel Algarve Casino
Hotel Algarve Casino
5 out of 5
Avenida Tomas Cabreira, Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Faro
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is S$152 per night from 1 Apr to 2 Apr
S$152
per night
1 Apr - 2 Apr
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Portimão. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the breakfast and the pool in our reviews. ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (993 reviews)
Lovely March stay
"Lovely stay. Excellent location to attend the Motogp. Hotel lovely and clean and staff all very pleasant and accommodating. Nothing to fault"

Reviewed on 25 Mar,2024

Hotel Algarve Casino
Jupiter Algarve Hotel
Jupiter Algarve Hotel
4 out of 5
Avenida Tomas Cabreira, Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Faro
The price is S$138 per night from 10 Apr to 11 Apr
S$138
per night
10 Apr - 11 Apr
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in Portimão. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our ...
9/10 Wonderful! (679 reviews)
"The property was close to the beach and restaurants. It has an excellent breakfast. The area that could use improvement is around the pool area. The enclosure needs to be replaced."

Reviewed on 24 Mar,2024

Jupiter Algarve Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Flor da Rocha
Flor da Rocha
3 out of 5
Rua das Conchas, Sitio dos Castelos, Portimão
Stay at this 3-star aparthotel in Portimão. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 2 outdoor pools. Popular attractions Algarve Casino and Três Castelos Beach are ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (191 reviews)
"Nice spacious 1 bedroom. Clean and comfortable. The noise from outside and upstairs moving furniture around can occasionally be loud. Mentioned to them re problems with kitchen and bathroom faucets and it was fixed by the time we returned. Overall, very nice"

Reviewed on 10 Nov,2023

Flor da Rocha
NH Marina Portimao Resort
NH Marina Portimao Resort
4 out of 5
Marina Portimao, Portimão
Stay at this 4-star family-friendly aparthotel in Portimão. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (701 reviews)
"Enjoyed the NH Marina Portimão. Friendly staff. The room was spacious, a bit older, but very clean. We were in the Marina side. There is also Deck & Sun side. The brunch was really delicious and lots of options. Would recommend staying there."

Reviewed on 12 Mar,2024

NH Marina Portimao Resort
Apartamentos Jardins da Rocha
Apartamentos Jardins da Rocha
3 out of 5
Edificio Jardins da Rocha, Avenida V3, Portimão, Faro
Stay at this 3-star family-friendly aparthotel in Portimão. Enjoy free parking, 2 outdoor pools, and WiFi. Popular attractions Rocha Beach and Alvor Beach are ...
8/10 Very Good! (195 reviews)
"The hotel hallway is dark, light is too dim. Location is convenient, with a mini market and cafe right across the hotel. We booked 2 rooms, only one is with sea view."

Reviewed on 24 Oct,2023

Apartamentos Jardins da Rocha
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Praia da Rocha

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
44
" "5 - Excellent 60.273972602739725%
4 - Good
25
" "4 - Good 34.24657534246575%
3 - Okay
2
" "3 - Okay 2.73972602739726%
2 - Disappointing
2
" "2 - Disappointing 2.73972602739726%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
4 Mar 2020

Go after April for a full experience

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
23 Feb 2020

Beautiful coastline, great place for some winter sun.

5/5 - Excellent

Anno
19 Oct 2019

Enjoy returning every year to beautiful beach and boardwalk Its always a quiet, relaxing break just before winter starts.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
17 Oct 2019

There is a lot of new buildings going up,which will spoil the area,if they are all inclusive they do not help the local community. It is starting to look like Benidorm

5/5 - Excellent

Shirley
29 Sep 2019

Praia Da Rocha is beautiful. We have been 5 times and this wss 1st time we were disappointed with anything.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
12 Sep 2019

Its a beatiful part of Portugal, the beach is beautful, restaurants are plentiful with lots of choice. Will definitely be back and will be returning to the A17 apartments, a few minutes walk to the shops, beach and restaurants!