Portimão Marina was named ‘Best Marina in Southern Europe’ at the World Luxury Travel Awards 2025, held in Barcelona last Saturday.
This distinction is the result of a public vote and the assessment of an international panel of experts, recognising its “excellence of service, attention to detail, quality of infrastructure, style and design, efficiency, customer feedback, marketing, diversity, location and reputation”.
Created to celebrate excellence and innovation in luxury tourism, the World Luxury Travel Awards are one of the most prestigious distinctions in the sector, annually rewarding hotels, resorts, spas and, more recently, marinas around the world. Competitors are evaluated at various levels – country, region, continent and global – and recognised for the quality of the experience they provide to visitors.
Located next to the Arade estuary, Portimão Marina stands out for its modern infrastructure, with capacity for 620 boats, including super yachts up to 50 metres, offering a comprehensive and personalised service. Open 365 days a year, it welcomes boats from more than 20 countries with direct access to some of the most beautiful beaches and caves in the region.
In addition to its nautical facilities, the marina offers technical support services, with a boat maintenance yard, a 50-tonne travel-lift and another 300-tonne travel-lift, the largest gantry crane in Portugal.
In terms of restaurants and leisure, the marina includes a commercial area, a concessioned beach and an ocean pool, facilities that are unique in Portugal and valued by most tourists. In terms of hospitality, it has a four-star hotel, the NH Hotel Marina Portimão.
“A pioneer in environmental sustainability practices”, Portimão Marina features selective waste collection systems, wastewater treatment, solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations and environmental education programmes, reinforcing its commitment to protecting the marine environment.
Ricardo José, operational director at Portimão Marina, said: “This distinction is a source of great pride for the entire Portimão Marina team and recognition of the daily work we do to ensure unique and memorable experiences for those who visit us.”
For João Machado da Silva, CEO of Portimão Marina, “Being considered the Best Marina in Southern Europe is a testament to the dedication of everyone who contributes to this project, but also to the potential that Portimão and the Algarve have to establish themselves as nautical destinations of choice, capable of competing at the highest international level. We intend to invest increasingly in quality, innovation, sustainability and internationalisation, reinforcing our position as a benchmark in luxury nautical tourism and in the economic and tourist development of the region,” he adds.
Another recent achievement included the ‘SuperYacht Ready Marina’ distinction, awarded by The Yacht Harbour Association and the Marina Industries Association, making Portimão Marina the first marina in Portugal to be certified with this prestigious international award.
The recognition distinguishes marinas that offer exceptional conditions for receiving superyachts, assessing criteria such as the quality of technical and operational infrastructure, safety and accessibility for large vessels, specialised services and excellent customer service, as well as integration with the Global Gold Anchor programme, which assesses the overall quality of marinas.
Other awards include the Jack Nichol Award, the ‘5 Gold Anchors’ status from The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA), the Blue Flag and the International Clean Marina award, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to quality, sustainability and protection of the marine environment.
