Gay beach in lisbon
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When the road goes uphill, you have just passed the access you want to go! The 161 bus from Praca de Areeiro will also take you to Caparica.
Ferry to Lisbon Cacilhas
An alternative route includes a mini-cruise (15 min.) on the ferry from Cais do Sodréacross the river to Cacilhas.
Locals swarm to the village of Caparica, but just away from the village, tens of kilometres of white, unspoilt beaches are at your disposal!
Costa da Caparica beach in summertime.
Transpraia train
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Transpraia was taken out of service in 2020.
The upbeat nightlife, balmy climate, charming and lively outdoors atmosphere, sandy beaches nearby (including a predominantly gay beach that's considered one of Europe's best gay beaches), great cultural attractions, and intimate setting of pastel colors and narrow streets, create a gay-friendly ambience that has turned the city into an increasingly popular gay destination.
It’s some 2 miles of white sand beach and dunes!
By bus: from Praça de Espanha take bus 153 to Costa de Caparica busstation. In other words, don't expect Mykonos. This little fishermen’s village is the real Portugal, with some trendy beach cafés added to it.
GAY HANGOUTS
A few of the city's most popular bars and clubs (such as "Lux" - the best club in the city whether you're gay or straight) attract a significant gay crowd, and you don't need to go to strictly gay hangouts to meet gay locals -- a number of cafés in the Chiado district are popular meeting points for everyone, as well as the Armazéns do Chiado shopping mall.
Fonta da Telha can also be reached by bus from Cacilhas harbour.
MECO Beach
Even further south, about 10 kilometres from Fonte da Telha: Meco Beach, a real mecca for nudists & surfers
Beach 19
Beach 19 lies between the more traditionally named Praia da Bela Vista and Praia Fonte da Telha in Costa da Caparica.
Upon Bela Vista, walk south, to the left of the restaurant.
Chiado is one of the city's "gayborhoods," along with Bairro Alto and Principe Real.
The beaches south of the city are also popular gay hangouts in the summer months, especially Beach 19, so named for being the nineteenth stop of a train that runs by most beaches of the shore known as "Costa da Caparica".
If you want to escape the hassle and the heat of Lisbon on a hot summer day, try the beaches of Costa da Caparica, just across the Tejo river. The atmosphere is relaxed and laid-back, and everyone is free to be and act themselves. However, over time the beach has remained a nudist beach but has become almost exclusively gay.
AT NIGHT
See the list of gay bars in town, and also check out Trombeta Bath if you're looking for a sauna.
As for gay-friendly hotels, there's the romantic Palacete Chafariz Del Rei in Alfama, Solar dos Mouros offering city views by the castle, and the hip Bairro Alto Hotel, a boutique hotel by Bairro Alto.
On the whole, it's a fairly modern and accepting city (gay marriage became legal in Portugal in 2010), although the country remains one of the most closeted in Western Europe. It probably developed this way as this was one of the more remote stretches of the Costa da Caparica.
The backdrop to Beach 19 is the nature reserve of Paisagem Protegida da Arriba Fóssil.
Check our lists of hotels, hostels, and apartments for all accommodation choices. At almost every stop there’s a beachclub and the further south you go, the more you have the place to yourself.
The ‘Trans-Praia’ train.
World famous gay Beach 19
Stop (paragem) 19, also known as Beach 19 or Praia de Bela Vista, is where the nudist beach starts, also world famous for being Portugal’s most popular gay beach.
Gay clubs and parties in Lisbon
Beach 19
As everywhere in the world: where the nudist beach ends, the gay cruising begins and this is the largest in Portugal.
In the vast bushes behind the railway track, guys from all over Europe and beyond, meet for some fun and relaxation.
Beach 19Costa da Caparica Lisbon
HOW TO GET THERE
From Lisbon to Costa da Caparica: by car, go South to Caparica and south again all the way to the last access to the beaches.