Praia das Maçãs (the Apple Beach) as also Praia Grande are more sandy beaches mostly populated by surfers, tourists and the rich who is living in Cascais and enjoying life at the beach nearby. Both do have some nice dunes I unfortunately don´t have pictures of. 

Adraga on the other hand is a pretty small area with really beautiful incoming waves and some interesting rocks on both shoreline. Still I find it difficult to fine a great composition. At the picture below you can also imagine how tough it can be to take pictures along atlantic coast. Wellies are a must. 

 Adraga - South Side:

Also sandy but nice during low tide : Praia da Ilhas, which is one of the more touristic beaches in the area around Ericeira. 

Pretty similar also Praia Sebastian located at the North side of Ericeira. Well - pretty much all the beaches between Ericeira and the peninsula of Peniche do look the same. Well beside Praia São Bernardino where are pretty interesting rock formations which are visible during low tide.

Also the climb to the North Side of the rocky and narrow beach is worth a look:

Back to the more intersting beaches:

Magoito for example.  I love that one - even the view when arriving at the parking place is awesome, for you have a great lookout from the parking place down to the beach south. At the further end of the shoreline you also can guess the big rocks from Ursa. 

Such a great place to take pictures of. Once expirienced a Storm there - all was so exciting. 

 There are nice rock formations in the first part of it - with some great lines. 

Once again - it can be dangerous: 

 So here a tip: LOOK WAS THE FISHERMAN ARE DOING! Do they go - Go! Or ask for areas to be aware of. Despite all my prejudices there are Portuguese who are speaking English. Even once met one who talked German. So Ask! Too many naive tourists did not ... 

 Nearby Magoito there is also Azenhas do Mar. Not really a beach this picturesk village at the steep coast does have a lovely tide pool. I always imagine myself swimming there and enjoying a lazy day in Portugal, which unfortunately never happened. 

Even if there are Atlantic waves - this pool can be calm and be a sourse of reflections and stucture thus providing an excellent subject to take pictures of. 

At this place I also got a picture which is showing the problem you have when shooting beaches in Portugal: Artificial light. Quite often there are different sorces of light: The yellow red from the parking places, light from houses, restaurants and and and. If there is a beach - there is civilization and white-balance can be problematic. Or you include the effects in the photographic subject:

 A beach without the problem of artificial light is Praia Ursa. But for this beach - you need to have time, strenght and well ... torsches. North of the lighthouse of Rabo da Roca is located one of the most beautiful beaches around the Lisbon/Sintra area. But it is also one of the more dangerous one to get to - for a not secured path leads down from the hills town to the beach. This walk takes about 30 minutes and you have to beware of every step. Well - it´s worth every step. The Bay is beautiful and surrounded by big rocks.

 "Ursa at 6 am"

 "Sunset at Ursa"

 The even more dangerous walk is the one to the sister beach at the south side of Cabo da Roca: Plaia Manana:

Great round stones provide a nice foreground while big rocks built an interesting background. Would recommend going there with the tide on the lower side. 

Well. Both previous mentioned beaches are imo the most ones attracted by photographers. Else there is  always Rabo Raso - A lighthouse with a rocky shoreline where you can find some interesting compositions. 

"Lighthouse of Cabo Raso"

Or there is Lizandro. 

 Well. I admit there are still many places/beaches to be explored. But these are my Portuguese Sea Adventures - besides the ones nearby Porto, which are goibng to have an extra post.