{"id":9866,"date":"2022-02-09T08:42:26","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T08:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/sao-jacinto-dunes-natural-reserve-portugal\/"},"modified":"2024-01-18T14:24:37","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T14:24:37","slug":"sao-jacinto-dunes-natural-reserve-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/sao-jacinto-dunes-natural-reserve-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"The S\u00e3o Jacinto Dunes Natural Reserve near Porto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The S\u00e3o Jacinto Dunes Natural Reserve in a nutshell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nestled at the end of the peninsula formed by the Ria de Aveiro, a 45 kilometer long coastal lagoon, the the S\u00e3o Jacinto Dunes Natural Reserve ( Reserva Natural das Dunas de S\u00e3o Jacinto<\/em>) heaven on earth for nature lovers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between white sand beaches, dunes, pine forests and marshes,\nthe landscapes are quite simply spectacular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The S\u00e3o Jacinto Dunes Natural Reserve is also one of Portugal’s hotspot for surf enthusiasts! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain\u2019s tip<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83e\uddd0 Want to know more about Porto’s history?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses highly recommends this free guided tour of the city<\/a><\/mark>. It\u2019s up to you to choose how much you wish to tip the tour guide!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Looking for an hotel in Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s article: Where to stay in Porto? Advice & recommendations<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Planning your trip to Porto?<\/strong> Be sure to check out Captain Ulysses’ complete article on what to see and do in the city: a Guide to Porto<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc76 Planning a family adventure to Porto?<\/strong> Discover all of the Captain\u2019s top tips in the article: Exploring Porto with the Kids: Family-Friendly Activities<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Getting to Sao Jacinto <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Located in the district of Aveiro, the S\u00e3o Jacinto Dunes Natural Reserve\nJacinto is quite easy to get to from Porto or Aveiro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– from Aveiro<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

From Aveiro, you can take the ferry\ncrossing the Ria de Aveiro to S\u00e3o Jacinto. If you’re driving,\nyou can embark your vehicle on the ferry. Otherwise,\nCaptain Ulysses recommends renting bikes: you’ll be able to\nget to Praia de S\u00e3o Jacinto (located 2 km\nfrom the pier) and to the entrance to the nature reserve (4 km) quite easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– from Porto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Driving is undoubtedly the easiest way\nto get from Porto to S\u00e3o Jacinto. It’ll take you an hour or so\nto get to the nature reserve from Porto (roughly 65\nkilometers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, you can also access S\u00e3o Jacinto without being motorized, but the journey will be quite the adventure! You’ll first need to take the train to Aveiro (at S\u00e3o Bento station<\/a>, in the center of Porto, or Campanh\u00e3 station, in Porto’s periphery). Once in Aveiro, the Captain recommends renting bikes before boarding the ferry that crosses the Ria de Aveiro (the lagoon), to connect Aveiro to S\u00e3o Jacinto. You’ll then be able to go to Praia de S\u00e3o Jacinto, located 2 kilometers from the ferry terminal, or cycle the 3.7 kilometers to the entrance to the Nature Reserve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain’s tip \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Renting a car is undoubtedly one of the most practical options to explore Portugal.<\/strong> Captain Ulysse suggests checking out Rentalcars<\/a> for your car rental needs, as it allows you to compare offers from multiple car rental companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When choosing your vehicle, don’t forget to take fuel consumption into account. You might be better off opting for a car that is a little more expensive to rent, but which is more fuel efficient!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49 Check out rental car deals<\/strong><\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Sao Jacinto <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Praia de Sao Jacinto <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2 kilometers from the pier, on the other side of the\npeninsula, the beach of S\u00e3o Jacinto (Praia de S\u00e3o Jacinto) is a little\nparadise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With its white sand dunes, this vast protected beach\nhas remained incredibly well preserved and is a refuge as well as a breeding ground\nfor many species of birds, including herons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praia de S\u00e3o Jacinto is well worth\nvisiting while exploring the north of Portugal. You’ll also access\nparticularly popular with surfers, but be warned: the beach\nis not always supervised and swimming can be dangerous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hiking in the S\u00e3o Jacinto Natural Reserve <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To explore the hiking trails criss-crossing the reserve,\nhead for the interpretation centre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once there, a guide will briefly introduce the reserve and\nwill advise which trail to choose according to what you’re looking for. There are\nfour trails in total (40 minutes to 3 hours). Each footpath is\nindicated by a color code (red, yellow, green and blue) and very easy to\nto follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the reserve, you’ll also find two observation platforms\nnestled near water points and designed for bird\nwatching! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All trails are super easy to hike and will perfectly suit\nbeginner walkers! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Admission to the S\u00e3o Jacinto Nature Reserve is free. It is open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udc49 Skip the lines: book your tickets and visits in Porto!<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udc49 Looking for a place to stay in Porto?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n