The project, valued at approximately €1 million, is expected to be completed in time for the 2027 bathing season, giving residents and visitors another option for outdoor recreation during the summer months.

This investment was announced by the Braga City Council during this year’s official ceremony marking the start of the bathing season at the municipality’s river beaches.

Speaking at the event, Mayor João Rodrigues said the Navarra development constitutes an ongoing programme to improve Braga’s riverside areas while increasing the number of recognised bathing sites from four to five.

National recognition

Once finalised, Navarra will join Adaúfe, Cavadinho, Merelim São Paio and Ponte do Bico, which currently form Braga’s network of river beaches.

Among these, Adaúfe and Ponte do Bico have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag certification, recognising high standards for water quality, safety and environmental management, while Merelim São Paio also holds Portugal’s Accessible Beach designation, reflecting facilities designed for visitors with reduced mobility.

The municipality added that demand for inland bathing areas has continued to grow as increasingly hot summers encourage more people to seek alternatives to the country’s crowded Atlantic coastline.

River beaches have become particularly popular across northern Portugal, where freshwater swimming spots are often located within protected natural landscapes and close to urban centres.

According to the deputy mayor, Altino Bessa, the council expects the municipality’s existing river beaches to attract more than 200,000 visitors during the current bathing season, and to support that demand, local authorities have increased investment in maintenance, lifeguard services, accessibility improvements and public infrastructure.

Leisure areas

In Navarra, the initiative is projected to comprise landscaped leisure areas, improved pedestrian access, upgraded riverside facilities and environmental enhancements designed to preserve the surrounding ecosystem while making the site suitable for supervised bathing.

Braga has invested heavily in recent years in regenerating its riverside corridors as part of wider efforts to refine the quality of life and promote sustainable tourism.

Alongside upgrades to parks, cycling routes and walking trails, expanding access to the River Cávado has become one of the municipality’s priorities as it encourages more use of natural public spaces.

Certified bathing areas are monitored throughout the summer by the Portuguese Environment Agency, with water quality tested regularly to ensure compliance with European Union standards, while Blue Flag beaches must also meet strict criteria covering environmental education, cleanliness, safety and visitor facilities.

If construction progresses on schedule, the new Navarra river beach is expected to welcome its first bathers when the 2027 summer season begins, reinforcing Braga’s position as one of northern Portugal’s leading destinations for inland outdoor recreation.