• Lifeguards in bathing season, with a flag system, so check the flag before kids go in
• Stairs down to the sand, so leave the stroller up top or plan to carry it
• Tiny at high tide, when the sand shrinks to a strip by the cliffs, so aim for low tide on busy summer days

Praia da Rainha is a sandy cove about 50 meters long, tucked between cliffs in the middle of Cascais. The rocks shelter it, so the water is usually calm enough for paddling and first swims.

A stairway leads down to the sand, and a snack bar with outdoor seating sits nearby. It is named for Queen Amélia, who favored it during royal stays in the town.