Porto Covo about 1400 inhabitants as of 2008. It is located at the coast, about 8 miles south of the port of Sines. Since 1990, it has become a popular destination for tourism due to its beaches (many of them being only small coves between rocks), natural beauty and fine dining. During the summer the population almost increases tenfold with people coming from all over the country to their vacation homes, rented apartments and campgrounds. Pessegueiro Island, with its fort, geographically departs from the territory of the freguesia of Porto Covo.

Porto Covo is a popular holiday destination among the Portuguese. No mass tourism, but in summer just pretty busy.

There are no beaches as the beaches of Porto Covo, one of the most beautiful villages of the country, and, for certain, one of the most beautiful coasts. Praia Grande and the Beach of Pessegueiro Island are the widest and the most accessible, but the whole parish’s coast is full of small beaches with fine sand and clear waters, separated by large rocks, that look like they were made to create a feeling of intimacy and exclusivity. The beaches are for everyone, but we feel like saying: choose yours!

Vieirinha, Oliveirinha, Foz, Burrinho, Samouqueira (the magnificent Samouqueira…), Pequena, Espingardeiro, Búzios, are some of the names of these treasures as small as they are precious. All these beaches have good sanitary conditions, but some of them have a difficult access and have no permanent surveillance. Pessegueiro Island is one of the municipality’s most interesting places, either from the historic or from the landscape point of view. The island has ruins of a Roman port and in the cliff in front of it stands the Pessegueiro Fort. A channel separates the island from mainland, crating a beautiful beach with good conditions for windsurfing and spear-fishing. During summer it’s possible to visit the island on organized boat trips from Sines and Porto Covo.