7 Amazing Surfing Spots in Portugal
Portugal is one of the most popular destinations in Europe for surfing.
It is an essential part of the countryโs tourism, and every year it attracts thousands of professionals, enthusiasts and amateurs from all over the world!
Most visitors concentrate in the Praia da Nazarรฉ, famous for its gigantic waves and the place where several surfing records were set.
However, with more than 1200 km of coast on the Atlantic Ocean alone, Portugal has many more amazing surfing spots to explore and enjoy the waves!
Starting from the north of the country and going all the way to the south, letโs take a look at the best surfing destinations you need to check out when visiting Portugal!
Take a look at the map for an overview of all the beaches we list in this Blog post:
Praia do Cabedelo
ยฉ FeelViana
Location: Viana do Castelo
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Coordinates: 41.679 - 8.832
This half-moon shaped beach is sandy, without a lot of rocks and has extremely strong winds that blow all year long from sea to shore. These conditions make it ideal for all water sports, especially surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing!
By the shore you will find several surfing schools that provide both lessons and gear. The best ones are the Arda Surf School and Viana Surf Club.
Along with the amazing beaches and ideal weather conditions, the city of Viana do Castelo is considered to be one the most beautiful in the north of Portugal. After enjoying the waves, we recommend you head up to the city center and enjoy the local cuisine!
Praia da Nazarรฉ
ยฉ viageira.com
Location: Nazarรฉ
Level: Expert!
Coordinates: 39.596 - 9.073
This one needs no introduction!
Known internationally for its gigantic waves and brutal currents, Nazarรฉ is the most extreme surfing location in Europe and one of the most challenging in the World.
This area is definitely off-limits to beginners and, especially when the tide is high, should only be surfed by professionals. However, itโs also a perfect spot for sports and nature photographers, or also just to enjoy the sun, the local town and the view of the enormous waves.
If youโre considering swimming there, be careful when entering the water. The giant swell is caused by an underwater canyon, which drops suddenly and very close to shore. This also causes the waves to break very close to the beach.
The beach is adjacent to the fishing town of Nazarรฉ. Youโll find plenty of good restaurants along the beach, and we recommend you visit the town and enjoy the freshly caught fish, especially grilled.
After trying multiple restaurants in the area, we can now say that our favourite restaurant in the whole of Nazarรฉ is Sitiado, and we 100% recommend that you give it a try!
Praia dos Supertubos
ยฉ Guia Waves
Location: Peniche
Level: Intermediate to Expert
Coordinates: 39.344 - 9.363
Famous, as the translated name suggests, for its awesome pipe waves!
Praia dos Supertubos is the most well known location after Nazarรฉ, and is home each October to the Rip Curl Pro Portugal Surf Contest.
For most of the year you can expect the beaches in Peniche to be less crowded than in Ericeira or Nazarรฉ, which makes it an ideal destination if you prefer surfing in a calmer setting.
The waves are good all year long, the beach is large and there are a lot of restaurants and bars in walking distance. Peniche is a fishing village so donโt miss out on exploring the surroundings and have a taste of the wonderful fresh cuisine!
Praia dos Coxos
ยฉ cm-mafra.pt
Location: Ribamar, Ericeira
Level: Expert
Coordinates: 39.004 - 9.425
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Ericeira is considered to be the Surfing Capital of Europe, and is the only European location on the World Surfing Reserves!
This small and calm beach, located on Ericeiraโs 8 km coast, is well known for its strong currents and huge waves.
Because of the absence of lifeguards, during all seasons except for summer, and the very dangerous currents, this beach is not suitable for swimming and will usually be very calm. This also means it is best for expert surfers only, especially at high tide.
Praia de Carcavelos
ยฉ surfholidays.com
Location: Carcavelos, Cascais
Level: Beginner
Coordinates: 38.679 - 9.336
Carcavelos is located 24 km from Lisbon, and is easily reachable by car or by train. It is huge and often very crowded because it is so accessible from the capital.
It offers several opportunities for learners with its many surf schools located right on the walkway behind the beach. The waves are also not as extreme as in other locations, making Carcavelos an ideal spot for beginners.
Itโs a good place to spend the day thanks to its facilities and many restaurants and bars located right by the beach!
Praia da Arrifana
ยฉ itinari.com
Location: Aljezur
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Coordinates: 37.292 - 8.864
Praia de Arrifana is a beautiful beach surrounded by impressive cliffs.
The relatively calm swell and closeness to local restaurants make it ideal to spend the day for amateur and expert surfers alike, as well as for families with kids!
The many surfing schools, along with the small to mid-sized waves, make it a great beach for learners and beginners.
It is easy enough to reach by car, but youโll have to walk a little to get to the beach because the closest parking area is reserved for restaurants and residents.
Praia do Amado
ยฉ visitalgarve.com
Location: Carrapateira, Aljezur
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Coordinates: 37.165 - 8.903
What sets this beach apart from the others is how remote it is.
Itโs located 2.5 km from the village of Carrapateira, but from there youโll have to reach it either by car or on foot. The village itself is about 23.5 km from the town of Aljezur, but there is a bus service that takes about 30 minutes to get there.
Even though it is difficult to reach without a car, this beach is often a surfing bucket list destination, and becomes very popular during the summer because it hosts several international competitions. It is ideal for beginners and youโll find two surf schools on the shore itself.
Even though this area has the warmest waters on this list, expect them to be cold.
Whether youโre a beginner, an amateur on vacation or a pro surfer looking for some challenging waves, Portugal is sure to have something for you! Despite being a small country, the long stretch of coast and the amazing weather give it a huge variety in wave size and power.
Because of this, it is to no surprise that Portugal continues to remain on top of the list as the best surfing destination in Europe and one of the best in the World!
๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ ?
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ด๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข๐ญ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ต๐ช๐ฑ๐ด !
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