Sailing Holidays in Portugal
A guide to the Marinas of Portugal
Sailing into the Sunset - Jefras
During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries Portuguese sailors carried out the greatest naval voyages of exploration and discovery of their time. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to sail down the coast of West Africa, to round the Cape of Good Hope, to reach India by sea from the west, to open trade routes with China and Japan and later sailed onto Brazil and South America.
The Portuguese developed a small, highly maneuverable, three-masted ship called the Caravel. The Caravel was essentially a smaller version of the four-masted Carrack. Because of its smaller size the Caravel was able to explore up river in shallow coastal waters.
Caravel Espirito Santo Brazil
Given Portugal´s history of naval exploration, it is only natural that its coastline should be one of the finest places to enjoy a sailing holiday. With Portugal´s western coast facing the Atlantic and the south coast providing an entrance into the Mediterranean, there is a range of sailing opportunities on offer.
The year round mild climate of the Algarve coast makes it the most popular region of Portugal for people seeking sun and sand. Along the coastline are several major marinas, including Lagos, Portimão, Vilamoura and Albufeira. Below we provide information about each marina with links to their respective websites.
Lagos Marina
The entrance into the Mediterranean
Sailing into the Sunset - Jefras
The Lagos Marinha is the most recently built marina in Portugal and the winner of the "Euromarina Anchor Award" and the "European Blue Flag".
To access the Marinha take a 282o course or follow the line marked out between the lighthouse on the western side of the harbour bar and the tower of the Igreja de Santo António, along the channel leading to the quay next to the lift bridge. You have to request the opening of the bridge by VHF radio on channel 62 - "Lagos Marina".
The bridge is in operation from 09.00 to 22.00 in the summer and from 09.00 to 19.00 in the winter. The marina has 462 berths and is equipped with 24-hour surveillance and medical care facilities. Besides the basic infrastructures, all the floating pontoons are equipped with separate disposal units for ordinary and recyclable waste, as well as emergency telephones connected to the reception and security services. At the entrance to each pontoon (access is by magnetic key) trolleys are available for the use of berth holders. Each day a weather report is issued in both Portuguese and English, and pinned to the notice board is a list of people specializing in different types of repairs....(More info.)
Portimão Marina
A high class marina offering a range of activities
Sailing
Portimão´s location at the mouth of the river Arade, and close to the entrance into the Mediterranean, has made it an important harbour for seafarers since the age of the Phoeonecians.
The marina is located within the Arade river estuary, with the entrance to the river historically protected by the forts of Santa Catrina and ao João. Deep water access allows boats to come and go regardless of the tides, and the marina is surrounded by quality hotels and restaurants. Leisure activities available include Sailing, Boat trips, Big Game Fishing and Scuba Diving....(More info.)
Vilamoura Marina
The largest in Portugal
Vilamoura Regata - Antonio Sachetti
The Marina at Vilamoura is the largest in the country with 1300 berths.
After passing through the entrance at the bar (which has never been closed), there is a safe anchorage protected by two jetties (the western one is 660 metres long and the eastern one 430 metres long). This provides access to the inner harbour via a small channel where the reception quay and fuel supply station are to be found.
The harbour is divided into two separate areas for boats with different draughts and is navigable by boats with draughts of up to 4 metres and up to 50 metres in length. However, as a precaution, boats that are more than 35 metres long and have draughts of more than 3 metres should contact the marina services by radio (VHF, channels 9 and 16) before entering, in order to obtain the latest information on the marina's depth. The marina has an extremely wide range of facilities for pleasure craft, including repair services (boatyard, electrical repairs, repairs to engines and sails) and has a 30-ton portal crane, 3-ton travelling crane and 1-ton electric crane, ramp and tidal grid.....(More info.)