Praia D’El Rey, which is about a twenty minute drive from Óbidos, is famous for its golf course, often referred to as being one of the best in Europe. Even though we didn’t visit Praia D’El Rey to golf, we did find it to be a great spot for rest and relaxation. If you’re looking for a quiet, low-key vacation or mini-break, this is a great place to consider.

Driving along the silver coast never disappoints. It’s beach, beach, and more beach. This is when we knew we were close to Praia D’El Rey as we saw it poking out from over the palm trees.

We visited in August, and admittedly it was a bit cloudy for the first few days. Still, it was beautiful and restful, and still worth a visit. When the sun came out, it was even better since we could enjoy more beach and pool time.

Where to Stay in Praia D’El Rey

There are many places to stay along the coast. You can choose from hotels, townhomes, and villas.

The main ones are:

Praia D’El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort

This Marriott sits right on the beachfront. It is the central hub of the area. Depending on where you stay, you will be granted access to use the Marriott pool during the day, and anyone can take advantage of their dinner buffet. We did the latter, and it was lovely. The food was great and the views even better.

The Beachfront

This townhouse complex is about a 10-minute drive north of the Marriott, and where we stayed. When booking, you can choose whether you want a two or three bedroom villa. The two-bedroom villas are slightly closer to the beach, and the three-bedroom villas are further back BUT the views are still incredible, and from what we could see, no one’s view was obstructed.

The villas are new, modern, and spacious. Bonus: you get your own parking spot. Everyone who is a guest has access to the facilities, which include a gym, and a pool. What was great about this was that the pool was very peaceful and you can walk to the beach in minutes, should you want a change of scenery.

The Village

There are various apartments are near The Beachfront and surrounding area. We didn’t go inside any of them, but we did do some investigating. From what we could see, these ranged from one to three bedrooms, had views to the ocean, and guests could use their separate facilities, which included a pool. On our first night in Praia D’El Rey, when we began our adventure, we actually stumbled on The Village pool by mistake and were impressed with it.

What to Do in Praia D’El Rey

The most obvious thing to do when visiting this area is to golf, but what else can you do?

Relax.

This is where we set up when it was an overcast day. A lounge chair, a book, a chihuahua.

There are things nearby, such as surfing in Peniche, but we found Praia D’El Rey is more about golf and relaxing. We did go on a long walk (we may or may not have walked onto a golf course when we weren’t supposed to ;))and let ourselves wander, which was a luxury.

There are miles of beach and lots of sand dunes.

Pepe, our dog, may not have loved the walk we took him on.

We found an abandoned house by the sea, which was fascinating. We couldn’t help but wonder, who lived here?

Where to Eat in Praia D’El Rey

Since many people rent apartments, it is common for people to pick up some groceries in the nearby town, but if you want to go out for dinner, there are a few options.

Restaurants to Choose From

If you stay at the Marriott, then your choices for restaurant dining are numerous. They have a series of restaurants, including those specializing in tapas, seafood, and of course, their nightly buffet. They also have pool side restaurants open for lunch, and club house restaurants that stay open late at night.

If you stay at the Beachfront, the sole restaurant that is walking distance is Mare. This is the same one that offers a breakfast buffet for 13 Euros. This is where we had our morning coffee each day.

The dinners served were all very good and they changed from night to night. Their specialty is seafood. What’s great about this restaurant is the view of the ocean, which you can get when you sit on the big patio.

As for the apartments, everyone has access to the above-mentioned places. You can choose to drive to the Marriott for the nightly buffet or walk to Mare and enjoy seafood and a view. You can’t go wrong with either.

When we want a quiet weekend away, we’ll return to Praia D’El Rey. Maybe we’ll even learn how to golf so we have more reason to go back.

Have you ever been to Praia D’El Rey? Would you want to visit?

Let us know in the comments below.

-Isabel & Marilyn