Lagoons and reefs where children can walk hundreds of metres without losing the bottom.
We compared average water temperature, hours of sun and median accommodation price across 40 coasts, month by month. The result contradicts the calendar: water holds summer heat long after schools reopen.
Each entry below gives the water temperature in the first week of October, the cheapest flight from Lisbon and one specific beach worth the trip.
Less than 30 minutes by car.