Praia de Odeceixe, Portugal
Surrounded by the unspoilt Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina nature park, Odeceixe rolls out from the mouth of the River Seixe. It’s a world away from the crowded Algarve beaches further south, and offers excellent surfing and bodyboarding, with the river shallows ideal for small children. Blue-flagged, with lifeguards in summer, the beach is overlooked by a village made up of little more than a handful of apartments around a tangle of streets. Settle in beneath the vivid parasols at Bar da Praia for platters of black pork chorizo, Portuguese clams or fresh oysters, and book a simple apartment at Casa Dorita (doubles from £69 B&B on booking.com), most with fantastic sea views.
