Praia da Rocha

Praia da Rocha (“Beach of the Rock”) is the regularly picked location for publicity photographs to promote Algarve tourism. This high level of publicity makes the area one of the most popular resorts in southern Portugal. Positioned at the mouth of the Arade river, Rocha beach stretches over a huge area of sand, nearly three kilometres long broken up only by odd rock formations that the sea has carved from the cliffs.
Rocha Beach is equipped with the facilities for a number of different sports including basketball, football, volleyball and aerobics. Bathed by a calm, warm sea it also provides a risk-free swimming environment. The rock formations create many areas that are fascinating to explore. Rocha beach was award the Blue Flag for 2005, a European symbol guaranteeing the quality of the water and sand.

Cliff views
Praia da Rocha has undergone some major renovation work which has led to ‘danger areas’ on the cliff tops being cordoned off, better lighting (especially around the beach) and improved conditions for pedestrians.
In some areas of the beach there are over 30 steep steps down to the sand, which may make it difficult for families with buggies or the disabled, but once you’re down there the beach is smooth and flat. With plenty of bars and restaurants along the esplanade it is also a good place to sit and take in the nice sea view. Some of the best sunsets in the Algarve can be enjoyed from the top of the cliffs overlooking Rocha beach.

Larging it

After a day of lounging on the wide stretch of white sands that is the Praia de Rocha, followed closely no doubt by a little afternoon siesta, what better way to spend the rest of your day (and some of the next) than having a huge night out in the Rocha’s main strip?
We slapped on some after-sun lotion and headed out to Praia de Rocha’s main street, Av Tomás Cabreira. At the western end we found a block of bars that shares a long patio at the back overlooking the beach. Here you can enjoy the local beer, Sagres, feel the cool sea breezes gently caress your sun-scorched skin and watch the sunset. All of these bars provide great tunes and have lively atmospheres, but our favourite was the Moonlight Bar, with its funky 60s-inspired décor. While we were there a huge local football game was on the telly, and the locals were out in force to support their favourite teams. We drank beer, cheered when the locals cheered, groaned when they groaned and generally enjoyed the good natured, relaxed way in which Portuguese people watch football.
At full time we were starting to feel a bit peckish so we strolled along the main street looking for a bite to eat. There was plenty to choose from but in the end we let a nice young man dressed as a cowboy lure us into Sitting Bull restaurant. An American-style steakhouse, it’s not exactly the genuine Portuguese experience, but then neither is the Praia de Rocha! Sitting Bull (O Boi Sentado) provides enormous helpings of tasty Texan food in a typically American setting – well, you’re surrounded by Texan-style trinkets and photographs of cowboys. We started with buffalo wings in a yummy BBQ sauce and one of the best shrimp cocktails we’d tasted. We followed that with the Espetada Lady Luck and the Frango Kentucky – both chicken, both served with far too many chips (in a good way) and both delicious. We ordered a mixed salad too, just to convince ourselves that we were being healthy.
And the great service wasn’t just at the door – all the young cowboys took very good care of us.
Sitting Bull would be a great place to take kids, but later in the evening the place was full of groups of young people, tourists and locals alike, obviously having a night out, giving the restaurant a nice buzz.
So, after satisfying grumbly tummies and downing some more Sagres, what else is there to do in Praia de Rocha? Actually, after dinner is when things really get going. Clubs like Kathedral, on the third floor above the Kathedral pub, don’t open until 1am. The entrance at the side heads straight up to the disco. At Kathedral you can dance away among cages suspended from the ceiling until the wee small hours. Or for the less energetic among you, there’s a small bar out on the terrace where you can find a quiet spot and take in more delightful sea views.