Quião Beach (Praia do Quião in Portuguese) is an extensive maritime beach of Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, located just South of Cape Santo André in the area of A Ver-o-Mar. It has fine to medium sand and several rocky outcrops. The beach is a coastal dune habitat and a rich and diverse marine ecosystem, including large honeycomb reefs. It has a popular beach restaurant, Praia do Mestre.
In northern section of Quião beach, where the waterfront street ends, the traditional Sargassum seaweed gathering is still practiced; it is spread and laid in the beach for sun drying,[1] leaving a pleasant sargassum breeze in the beach, before being pilled to make "medas". This area is protected by dunes, the gneiss. Given its quietude, can be occasionally used naturists, and as a flirting area. It is increasingly popular by other groups of people. In 2016, a boardwalk was built crossing all Cape Santo André, allowing an easy cross of Northern Quião, it is used by the Portuguese Coastal Way of Saint James.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Sargaceiros da Póvoa resistem, mas temem extinção" (in Portuguese). TSF. August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- ^ "Passadiço liga Quião a Santo André" (in Portuguese). mais Semanário. August 10, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2017.