Researchers are now studying 12 dinosaur footprints at Portugal’s Arrifes Beach, in the hope UNESCO will officially recognise the surrounding area as a Global Geopark, the Portugal News reports The 120 million-year-old footprints belong to five individual dinosaurs from three different species Located in a small cove on Portugal’s southernmost coastline the Lower Cretaceous-era footprints are only accessible at low tide they were then covered by limestone and sand – allowing the natural mould of the footprint to remain Tectonic movements later twisted the rocks into their current Some of the footprints were discovered by an unknown person in the mid-2010s, scientific advisor for the Algarvensis Geopark project But the Universidade Nova de Lisboa palaeontologist believed that he himself discovered more of the collection – specifically footprints belonging to a herbivorous ornithopod – in June this year [See more: Torrential rains reveal a near-complete dinosaur skeleton in Brazil] Albufeira and Silves territory as a “geosite of global importance” revealing that both small and large sauropods – including the highly recognisable long-necked brontosaurus – once roamed this area along with other herbivores and carnivorous dinosaurs The president of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, Guy Martini, has said he was optimistic about the aspiring Algarvensis Geopark’s application and of its potential to “create a more egalitarian economy in the territory”. However, Martini also noted that there was about 20 more years worth of work to do at the site before it could be ready for inclusion. He said the project’s objective should first be to develop a “population that can defend its values and its nature”. Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email. A site with 12 footprints from different dinosaurs has been discovered at Praia dos Arrifes, in Albufeira, among other discoveries, elevating this site within the territory of the Algarvensis Geopark project to a global geosite, a researcher has said.  In addition to the set of 12 footprints, belonging to five dinosaurs from three different species, which roamed the area around 120 million years ago, Praia dos Arrifes hides other treasures, invisible to the eyes of tourists who go swimming in the small cove, whose sand almost disappears at high tide. The scientific advisor for the Algarvensis Geopark project, Octávio Mateus, said that these rocks are recorded as being "a few million years old", with marks from crustaceans, shells, whelks and single-celled beings, although the most impressive are the marks left by dinosaurs in the lower Cretaceous period. Only accessible at low tide and to those willing to climb over rocks, the site with 12 footprints, some of which are in sequence and three-dimensional, reveals the presence of large sauropods, including the brontosaurus, the long-necked dinosaurs popularized in cinema. However, this enormous dinosaur, whose footprints reach half a meter in length, is joined on this trail by small sauropods, also herbivores, and three carnivores, all in a crack between two layers in the cliff, made when those rocks were still horizontal. 120 million years ago, the footprints were imprinted in the mud, which was covered with limestone and sand, and after the sediment below had eroded, the natural shape of the footprint was left. The cliffs 'rotated' to their current position due to tectonic movement, explained the paleontologist, a professor at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa. "There are tectonic forces related to salt deposits, or by the plates, crustal movements, causing it to bend and roll, and what was horizontal became vertical", he explained, stressing that this is a "major discovery", which makes this beach in the Faro district a "geosite of global importance". At the beginning of the trail, a rock shows the seabed from a few million years ago, bearing witness to the trail of crustaceans, similar to crabs and lobsters, which made galleries and excavated the sand that, over time, was filled with more sand. Further ahead, heading east, on the face of another cliff also threatened by the action of the sea, four footprints are revealed forming a trail, all over 20 centimetres, of an ornithopod dinosaur that would have been four metres long. The first deposit had been documented since 2016, but had not been studied, a task that is now being carried out as part of the application for the territory of Loulé, Albufeira and Silves to become a global geopark of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). "[The current scientific coordinator of the Algarvensis Geopark] Paulo Fernandes said that it had been discovered in one of his field classes by a student, but I don't know the date. It must have been between 2014 and 2016. The deposit of sauropod footprints in the crevice was mentioned for the first time in a summary of a conference in 2016, but it does not mention who discovered them", said Octávio Mateus. However, as far as he knows, the ornithopod footprints are "absolutely new" and were discovered by him on June 12 of this year. During a working visit to the Algarve to check the progress of the application, the president of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, Guy Martini, said he believed in the potential of the Algarve application, stressing that there was still much to be done. For Guy Martini, the future geopark, which is a project "for the next 20 years", can help "create a new flow of movement, including tourists, from the coast, where they are currently concentrated, to the interior. "I think this will create a more egalitarian economy in the territory", said the Frenchman, one of the main creators of the geopark concept, noting that the objective "should be a population that can defend its values and its nature". Artur Sá, coordinator of the UNESCO Chair of Geoparks - Sustainable Regional Development and Healthy Lifestyles, at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), also highlighted the importance of the project for the interior of the region. "This is a holistic approach to the territory, everything that is identifying and differentiating in the territory [...]. Furthermore, it brings new opportunities for development to those who live here", he stressed. We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to, we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small. You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time. It would be nice if you showed a photo of the footprints. They discovered the first footprints ten years ago, nothing happened then recently they discovered a funding application for a GeoPark, money and more tourists and now they're doing something. So much of beautiful Portugal is ignored until it can be monitised Send us your comments or opinion on this article. Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal, written in English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Turkish and Chinese. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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This is our pick of the best beaches in and around the town This isn’t just one of the most beautiful beaches near Albufeira but regularly pops up on lists of the most beautiful beaches in the world The 6km (4mi) beach is one of the longest in the country and is defined by its bright-red cliffs topped with pine trees that tower over golden sands and clear blue waters The beach also takes its name – which translates as “beach of cliffs” – from these colourful cliffs The east end of the beach is where you’ll find watersports jet-skiing and some of the region’s best surfing it was a bustling fishing town and the beach is named after the fishermen who once launched boats from its shore If you’re looking for a quieter, more secluded beach near Albufeira, head to Praia da Coelha, located between Albufeira and Armação de Pêra This pretty cove is only accessible via a footpath through bamboo olive groves and carob trees that leads to timber steps which makes access slightly tricky and keeps crowds away even in peak summer months The beach is surrounded by large cliffs that protect the beach from wind – but remember not to sit directly beneath the rocks as it can be dangerous including sun loungers and parasols for rent The name of this beach near the village resort of Sesmarias might translate as “Castle Beach” but there’s no castles nearby today – rather, the name comes from a long-gone watchtower that protected Albufeira’s coast in the 16th century and a large rock formation on the east side of the beach that resembles a castle The crystal-clear waters are watched over by lifeguards in the summer making it a popular spot for swimming and snorkelling This tiny slice of sand framed by low cliffs might be the smallest of Albufeira’s beaches but what it lacks in size it makes up for in natural beauty The three large rock formations that sit just off the shore make it an excellent destination for snorkelling and it’s protected from the wind by the cliffs as there are a lot of rocks near the shore it’s possible to explore the nearby coves as well as the many tidal rock pools Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy To the west of Albufeira’s old town you’ll find Praia dos Alemães. This long, Blue Flag-rated beach is one of the less developed main beaches in Albufeira It’s particularly popular with families thanks to a floating inflatable playground while there’s a seasonal lifeguard on duty during summer months There are also pedal boats and kayaks for hire and the opportunity to take an exhilarating ride on a banana boat Rent one of the shaded sun loungers that line the beach or head to one of the many beachside restaurants or bars Looking for a dog-friendly beach in the Algarve? Head to Praia do Barranco. This secluded beach is located down the coast from Albufeira on the western tip of the Algarve near Sagres The calm waters are ideal for swimming and the cliffs provide shelter from the wind The beach is ideal for letting dogs off leash with plenty of sand at low tide there’s no amenities on the beach so you’ll need to bring everything you need with you This peaceful beach to the eastern end of Falésia Beach is perhaps better known by its nickname “Praia dos Tomates” thanks to the tomato plants growing by one of the entrances The beach is split into two parts – the east and the west The western part of the beach sits next to the mouth of the River Quarteira and the upmarket resort town of Vilamoura lies on the other side The Vilamoura Marina is home to luxurious boutiques making it the perfect destination for a spot of shopping This tiny cove near the village of Galé is popular with Portugal’s rich and famous – not only because of its clear waters and secluded atmosphere This renowned eatery opened its doors in 1986 and is located directly on the beachfront Squid Evaristo and lobster from the Algarve coast It even offers a maritime transfer service for guests needing to reach the shore from boats this pretty stretch of sand can be easily reached by following a narrow footpath from the resort town of Olhos de Água While it might seem to be in a fairly secluded location it’s often busy due to the Club Med da Balaia resort that sits on top of the red cliffs that surround the beach sun loungers and watersports equipment for hire while there’s a beachside restaurant with a shaded terrace serving traditional dishes Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? 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