Home › Portugal
Excellent: 559Good: 75Sufficient: 19Not classified: 17Poor: 12
⚠️ Rated Poor in Portugal — think twice
A Poor classification means persistent contamination across recent seasons. Authorities must advise against bathing, or ban it, at these sites.
- Almaceda Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Benfeita Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Bitetos Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Fragas de S. Simão Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Matosinhos Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Poças do Gomes-doca do Cavacas Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
- Poço do Lagar Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Ponte da Barca Poor
- Ponte do Sótão Poor
- Quinta do Lorde Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Relva da Reboleira Poor 📉 Going the wrong way — used to be Excellent
- Sandomil Poor ⚠ Rated Poor within the last 3 seasons
✅ The safest bets in Portugal
Sites that have held the top rating five seasons in a row — not a one-year fluke.
- Poça das Mujas Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Milícias Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Corvo/areia Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Praia Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Praia da Riviera Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Porto Pim Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Santa Cruz das Flores Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- São Lourenço Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Fábrica-mar Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Pego Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Agroal Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
- Belharucas Excellent ✅ Excellent five seasons straight
📈 Turned around
These were rated Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago and are Excellent today.
- Prado Faial Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Lugar de Baixo Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Ponta da Ferraria Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
- Banda D'além Excellent 📈 Turned around — was Poor or Sufficient a few seasons ago, Excellent now
📍 Destinations in Portugal
- Porto
61 excellent of 71 within 35 km - Albufeira
55 excellent of 58 within 35 km - Lisbon
46 excellent of 57 within 35 km - Lagos
51 excellent of 57 within 35 km - Cascais
41 excellent of 53 within 35 km - Madeira Funchal
42 excellent of 52 within 35 km - Faro
45 excellent of 46 within 35 km - Nazare
20 excellent of 21 within 35 km
Common questions about swimming in Portugal
Is it safe to swim in Portugal?
Mostly yes. 84% of Portugal's 682 officially monitored bathing sites hold the top "Excellent" class in the 2025 assessment, but 12 sites are rated Poor — bathing there is advised against or banned all season.
Which beaches in Portugal should I avoid?
The 12 rated Poor: Almaceda, Benfeita, Bitetos, Fragas de S. Simão, Matosinhos, Poças do Gomes-doca do Cavacas and 6 more. Poor means the site failed the minimum standard across four seasons of sampling.
Where is the water cleanest in Portugal?
513 sites have held the top rating five seasons running — a far better signal than a single good year. Around Porto, Albufeira, Lisbon you will find the densest clusters.
How often is water quality tested in Portugal?
Through the whole bathing season. National sanitary authorities sample each official site for E. coli and intestinal enterococci, report to the European Environment Agency, and the published class reflects the last four seasons combined.
Ratings are the official season-long classification, computed from the last four seasons of sampling — not a live reading. After a storm any site can be temporarily worse; local advisories win.