Praia do Lago (Estação Náutica de Moura-Alqueva)

The Praia do Lago is a lake beach built by the Câmara Municipal de Moura on the Alqueva reservoir, right next to the wall of the Alqueva dam. The reservoir is the largest artificial lake in Western Europe. The beach opened in June 2024 as part of the Estação Náutica de Moura-Alqueva (Moura’s nautical station), together with a leisure platform with a café and shops for tour operators, and a motorhome service area. The council spent more than €1.6 million on the beach, with EU funding.

What makes it different from other Alqueva beaches, and the reason it is on a list of pools, is the pair of floating pools. Two round pools sit in the lake, linked to each other and to both banks by a boardwalk. The smaller one, for children, is only 50 cm deep. The larger one is 1.5 m deep. You are swimming in lake water, but with a clear edge and a set depth, which suits children who are nervous of open water and parents who want to know exactly where the bottom is.

The beach runs along 253 metres of oval shoreline and is split into three zones: sand, natural lawn, and an unwatered meadow with picnic tables and benches for a quieter spot. There are thatched parasols (palhotas) and some natural shade.

A lifeguard tower covers the whole oval, and lifeguards watch a 100-metre stretch every day of the bathing season from 09:00 to 19:00. The beach held the Blue Flag in 2025 and again in 2026. It is also certified as an accessible beach (Praia + Acessível) for people with reduced mobility, with adapted paths. The water quality was rated excellent in 2025, according to data from the Portuguese Environment Agency.

In high summer the lake water gets warm, and a 2026 guide says it can be warmer than the sea in the Algarve. Toilets and showers are on site, along with a car park.

The nautical station’s central leisure platform is the base for private operators running stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), e-foil (an electric board that lifts out of the water) and themed boat trips on the lake, including sunset cruises. These are paid extras; check ages and prices with the operator on the day. Older children and teenagers who have tired of swimming will find the most to do here.

The café on the platform has a terrace looking over the lake, and serves coffee, drinks and Alentejo snacks.

The 2026 bathing season, when lifeguards are on duty, ran from 30 May to 13 September. Outside the season you can still go to the beach, but there are no lifeguards.

Bring hats, sun cream and plenty of water. In July and August temperatures here regularly go above 30 °C, and the parasols fill up on busy days. The meadow with picnic tables is the place for a packed lunch.

This is lake swimming, so there are no chlorinated pools, and the bottom of the lake is natural. The floating pools are small, so on a busy weekend expect to share. Shade is limited to parasols and some trees. It is out of town by the dam, so you’ll need a car. We found no charge for the beach, but check locally.

If you would rather swim in a classic outdoor pool, Moura’s council pool (Piscina Municipal de Moura) in the town opened on 1 July 1976 and celebrated 50 years in 2026. It reopened for the 2026 season on 30 May, after a brief closure to repair a pump. It opens from Saturday to Thursday, 10:00 to 20:00, and closes on Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 18:45 to 19:30 one lane of the main pool is kept for lane swimming. Around it is a wooded area (mata) with a lawn, beach volleyball, table tennis, and chess and draughts. The council has recently renovated the bar and added new awnings and parasols. Tickets are also sold online through the BOL ticket site.

The Alqueva dam visitor centre is next to the dam and explains how the lake was made, with models, machinery and a viewing platform. Across the water, the hilltop village of Monsaraz and the dark-sky observatories around the lake, such as the Lago Alqueva observatory, make a good evening. Serpa, south west of Moura, with its clock museum and free-for-children pools, is another option.

Are there pools at Praia do Lago?

Yes. Two round floating pools sit in the lake, joined by a boardwalk. The children’s pool is 50 cm deep and the other is 1.5 m deep.

Is Praia do Lago good for toddlers?

Yes, with an adult. The 50 cm floating pool gives small children a safe depth, and there’s sand and lawn to play on. Lifeguards are on duty from 09:00 to 19:00 in season.

Is it free?

We found no entry charge. Water sports and boat trips are paid.

When are there lifeguards?

Every day of the bathing season, 09:00 to 19:00. In 2026 the season ran from 30 May to 13 September.

Is it accessible for wheelchairs?

Yes. It’s certified as an accessible beach, with adapted paths.