The beaches in Póvoa de Varzim are an extensive and continuous group of golden sandy beaches forming small bays or coves along the shoreline in northern Portugal. These do not have any barrier and are in fact a single beach, over 12 km long, under the name Praia da Póvoa de Varzim (Póvoa de Varzim Beach). Division may be arbitrary and serve localization porpoises.
Historically, the waterfront has been used for trading, fish industry, health and leisure since remote periods. The fish industry in Póvoa de Varzim developed during the Roman Empire and is one of the earliest tourist areas in Portugal attracting visitors since early 18th century. Some of its beaches are rich in marine life. In 2016, all its coastline were blue flag beaches, including all the urban area from Cape Santo André to the seaport. Most of these also meet criteria under "Praia com Qualidade de Ouro" (Gold Quality Beach) attributed by the Portuguese environmental organization Quercus, which is based in stricter criteria, including excellent water quality for five years in a row and better-scoring microbiological tests than those defined by the EU.
Beaches (called Praia in Portuguese) are managed by traditional Povoan families, known as Banheiros who are descendant of fishermen who left fishing for this business some generations ago. These families often exhibit their Siglas poveiras family mark in their belongings, in the same way as the fishermen did. Although most fishermen stopped using family marks, the Banheiros kept the tradition live to the present day.
History
In the beginning of the 18th century, Benedictine monks walked distances to take the "Baths of Póvoa", in search of iodine, considered invigorating, and cures for skin and bones problems throw sea and sun-baths. These monks were attracted by the large amounts of algae that ends up in the local beaches from the sheltered bay to Cape Santo André. By the 19th century, the popularity increased with people from the provinces of Minho, Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro that arrived by medical advice to cure several health problems, by breathing the air and diving in the rich iodine seawaters of Póvoa, in a popular movement that occurred in the European Atlantic coast since the 18th century.
During the Belle Epoque, this popularity is especially noticeable among the wealthiest classes and, especially, between the Portuguese-Brazilians (the Brasileiros). Several hotels, theaters and casinos opened. It then became the most popular holiday destination in Northern Portugal, Between the 1930s and the 1960s, beach-going became a popular holiday destination for the masses.
Beach variation
Fine sand vs medium sand
The Northwestern coast beaches are different from those in the southwestern. The south beaches are sided by the urban area, have medium sand, occasionally fine, and with granitic gneiss outcrops. The Northern ones have fine sand, occasionally with cobble in the swash zone, with little to no rocky outcrops and the area is completely dominated by sand dunes and rural.
Dissipative and reflective beaches
The southern beaches tend to be reflective beaches, and the northern ones are dissipative beaches, and there's transition between both types around the cape of Santo André.
Microclimate
The microclimate is also distinct. The southern ones have low diurnal temperature variation, just , while the Northern ones almost double that figure. in the South rainfall is significantly lower, solar irradiation higher and wind gusts from the prevailing northern winds are stronger. Yet, because of the fine sand of the Northern ones, these are more prone to sand blowing and dune transformation and evolution, the southern sands are not.
sand dunes
The Northwestern coast is completely dominated by the Dune system of Póvoa de Varzim, most of the foredunes are dynamic. There are dune recovery projects by the Portuguese Agency of the Environment, the Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente in areas where human activity was disruptive, including rehabitation of foredunes, using dune regenerators and grey dune preservation. Some foredunes suffered from Coastal erosion and, in an area, it was necessary to use sandbags to save it from collapsing.
The grey dunes ecosystems suffered significant damage due to human activity, agriculture or housing. The remaining sites are protected: including the Rio Alto grey dunes, near the estuary of Rio Alto in the civil parish of Estela, and Barranha grey dunes, in Aguçadoura, the late is open for visitation using boardwalks.