THE ULTIMATE

SURF GUIDE TO
PORTUGAL

Discover & Book Surf Experiences

in amazing Surf Locations
throughout the World
Surf Guide to PORTUGAL
Discover surfing in Portugal's best surf
towns

Quick Facts:
Population: 10 million
Location: South West Europe
Main surf area: 800km West Coast -
facing the Atlantic coastline
Language: Portuguese
Currency: Euro
Year round surf: Yes
Most consistent surf: September to
April (Winter)
Best time for Beginners: May to
October (Summer)

What's the surf like in Portugal?

Surfing Portugal's coastline will take you to beautiful unspoiled white sandy
beaches that are not on the regular well beaten tourist path. The sport has
exploded in the county over the last 10 years but there are still plenty of places to
find uncrowded waves, especially if you go in the shoulder and off season,

The country is home to some of Europe's most famous waves as well as dozens if
not hundreds of beginner & intermediates spots.

.A surf trip here mixes the new laid back surf culture with the old traditional way of
life in the unspoiled town like Ericeira and Sagres. The good value, delicious
seafood, great coffee (and Pastal de Nata custard tarts!!) and of course the
friendlieness of the people will make you never want to leave.

Explore surf towns in Portugal...

Cascais Sagres & Vicentina Coast
Ericeira Sintra
Lagos Porto
Lisbon Alentejo
Peniche Praia Da Areia Branca & Santa Cruz

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 Surfing in CASCAIS
Portugal's Spectacular Coastline

The Cascais coastline is arguably the most spectacular in Portugal. The town lies 30kms west of
Lisbon facing out onto the Atlantic Ocean. The stretch of land from Carcavelos surf beach to
Guincho surf beach takes in stunning beaches, lively promenades, incredible mansions, the
famous Estoril Casino, the protected park lands of Sintra and of course the beautiful
cosmopolitan town of Cascais.

Cascais town is a lively mix of cafes, bars & restaurants. Its cobblestone streets open out onto a
beautiful beach and marina - take in the sunshine by wandering around or just lounge in its
beach front cafés admiring the views.

The area has a mix of beach breaks, longboard breaks, point & reef breaks and both mellow &
advanced surf breaks. Travel west and you will find the beautiful Guincho beach, a fantastic surf
beach with a great bar/restaurant. To the East towards Lisbon you will find the many waves that
made Portugal famous such as Carcavelos.
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Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
Cascais is only 30kms from Lisbon airport. A taxi cost approx. €50. You can get a train from
Lisbon centre, it takes about 30 minutes.

Waves
Cascais is the perfect place to learn how to surf. The town is surrounded by many different
types of beaches. The best beginners/intermediate surf beach is  Guincho  (pronounced
Geenchew) 5 km's north west of Cascias town. It's a beautiful kilometre long stretch of beach.
Further north are two excellent beginners beaches  Praia das Macas  &  Praia Grande. They are
well worth the trip as they will take you past Cabo da Roca, mainland Europes most Western
Point with a pretty impressive cliff top view.

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Surf packages in Cascais...

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 Surfing in ERICEIRA
The Mecca of Portuguese Surf

Ericeira (pronounced Eery-Say-Reh) is the surf capital of Portugal, often described as a  'Surfing
Mecca'. It's a fantastic place to learn how to surf and for the more intermediate and advanced
there is so much choice you'll feel like a kid in a sweet shop!

Ericeira is a delightful picturesque village that sees an old traditional Portuguese way of life
mixing with the new modern surfing culture. You won't find any signs of mass tourism or
worldwide fast food chains. The area has 12 surf beaches within the 8km stretch of the town,
which has led it to become the number one place to surf in Portugal & in arguably Europe.
Some of the best Ericeira surf camp options are right on the beach so you never have far to go
for a surf.

A Surfing holiday Ericeira is a very laid back affair. You will spend most of your time time on the
beach, in and out of the water, lunching in the beach cafés and surfing whenever you feel like
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it. You will also want to make time for wandering around the old town's little squares and
narrow cobblestone streets that are filled with restaurants, cafés and bars. .

Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
Only 40 minutes drive from Lisbon centre and 30 minutes from the airport. You can get a bus
from the cente of Lisbon which takes about an hour.

Waves
In 2011 it was awarded the title of 'World Surf Reserve'. If it is your first surfing holiday to
Ericeira then head straight to  Foz do Lizandro  and  Sao Juliao  beaches south of town, they are
perfect beginner and intermediate surf spots. Closer to town is  Praia do Sul. Another great
beginner beach breaks. All best at mid tide but surfable at high and low tide also.

For Intermediates you have the reliable and safe reef break  Ribeira d'Ilhas, which host the WSL
World qualifying series surf championships every year. And for the more adventurous you have
the world class Coxos. That's just naming a few, there are too many surf breaks to mention here!

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Surf packages in Ericeira...

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 Surfing in LAGOS
Surf Portugal's Warmest Waters

Lagos is an ancient maritime town with more than 2,000 years of history. It is from here that
Portugal began to explore and discover the rest of the world in the 15th century. It sits on the
Western corner of the Algarve, at the start of the National Reserve that makes up the South
West coast of Portugal. It is a fantastic town to base yourself for a surf holiday due to its lively
mix of cafés, restaurants & bars and stunning beaches, coves & cliffs. Much more touisty than
Ericeira which is both a good and a bad thing.

You will mostly surf along the West coast on the stunning surf beaches of the National Reserve
parkland (protected from development). It is one of Europe's best kept secrets.

A year round surf destination and thanks to its position at the Western corner of the Algarve it
offers waves for beginners, intermediates & advanced surfers. For 8 months of the year the
temperature is above 20 degrees making surfing holidays in Lagos an excellent choice!
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Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
Lagos is less than an hour’s drive from Faro airport and 3 hours from Lisbon airport. You can get
a train from Faro centre, a realy nice jouney that takes under 2 hours.

Waves
Surf Lessons often occur at the areas best and most reliable surf beaches,  Praia do
Amado  and  Praia do Amoreira, 20-30 minutes from Lagos. Depending on conditions you may
surf at any number of surf beaches nearby such as Maia Praia, Castalejo, Arrifana, Zavial,
Cabanas and Porto de Mos. The town itself is't renowned for waves, it just acts as an excellent
accommodation base for the area.

Lagos is a  year round surf destination  thanks to its position at the corner of the Algarve. It also
has the warmest water in Portugal and the winter temperature is warm enough for t-shirts. In
the summer the temperature is in the late 20s and stay bright until 10pm.

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Surf packages in Lagos...

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 Surfing in LISBON
Culture, History, The Age Of Discovery & Surf

Lisbon, or Lisboa, is the capital of Portugal and means "enchanted port". A Lisbon surf holiday is
probably not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of the city however Lisbon is
surrounded by dozens of beaches that offer some of the best surf in Europe.

The city was completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 and rebuilt over time to become
one of Euorpe's most charming cities boasting fantastic restaurants & the famous Bairro Alto
nightlife area.

Thanks to its position on the Atlantic Coast Lisbon gets some of the best swells in Europe. It's
most famous surf spot is Carcavelos, a very reliable beach break that suits all standards.

Across the spectacular "5 de Abril Bridge" lies the sandy beaches of Costa Caparica. West of the
city are a variety of different surf spots including one of Portugal's best point breaks Santo
Amaro de Oeiras, the longboarders heaven Sao Pedro and the beach breaks Caxais & Guincho.
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Experience surfing in Lisbon by day and exploring the city by night...

Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
Lisbon centre is just 20 minutes from the airport (longer at peak traffic times). There is an
undergound metro directly at the airport that will also take you there.

Waves
Downtown Lisbon city itself does not have a beach and walking around siteseeing you may be
oblivious to the fact that dozens of beautiful white sandy surf beaches are only a 5 minute car
drive away (Or 4 train stops!)

The surrounding beaches pick up all the swells the Atlantic have to offer making it one of the
most consistent surf destinations in the World. The area has a good selection for all standards.
Closest to the city would be Caxias & Santo Amaro de Oeiras. Caxias is a beautiful beach that on
its day can produce perfect lefthander barrels. Oeiras is more of a winter wave and is one of the
best waves in Portugal. Te famus beach vbreak Carcavelos is just 20 minues fom the city.

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Surf packages in Lisbon...

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 Surfing in PENICHE
Home To Europe's Best Beach Breaks

Peniche is home to some of Portugal's most consistent surf beaches including arguably
Portugal's most famous wave - Supertubos. On the north side of town is an area called Baleal
and its beach Cantinho da Baia, is one of Portugal's best beginner and intermediate surf
beaches. It is here that some of the best surf camps are located, all within a 2km stretch of road
facing out onto the beach. So no matter where you are staying you can easily just walk to the
surf.

A surfing holiday in Peniche will be all about spending time surfing, relaxing on the beach and
chilling out on the beach bars such as Bruno's. The main town is not as charming as Ericeira or
Cascais, the big attraction here are the beaches. 

The WSL Surf tour comes to Peniche every year in October for the Rip Curl Pro. It's always a
great week, watching the worlds best surfers such as Kelly Slater & Gabriel Medina battle it out
to win the event. Its also a great time to visit (temperature still 22-25 degrees) and the surf is
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always consistent.
Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
Peniche lies 90km's north of Lisbon (1 hour's drive from the airport). A bus goes every hour from
Sete Rios in Lisbon centre and cost just a few euros. All buses take surfboards.

Waves
The best thing about the Peniche & Baleal peninsula is that the beaches face both north and
south, and are all within a few kilometres of each other. So on nearly all conditions there is surf.

The areas main surf beach is called  Cantinho da Baía, its starts in Peniche and ends up in the
area knows as Baleal. The 4km beach is famous for its consistency and for being ideal for
beginners and intermediate surfers. Protected from the bigger swell by the headland makes it’s
almost always possible to surf here even when there is big swell hitting the coast.

On the south side of the Peninsula is Supertubos and we don't need to tell you how good it is.

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Surf packages in Peniche...

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 Surfing in SAGRES
Portugal's Secret West Coast Paradise

Sagres and the Vicentina Coast is all protected from development because of its status as a
National Park. The coastal area is home to many protected species of wildlife as well as
beauitful long sandy beaches. And you guessed it, the beaches happen to have some of the best
waves in Europe, with a mix of beach breaks and reef that will suit all standards.

The atmosphere around these Sagres surf beaches will take you back to another age when
surfing was as much about discovered new areas as it was about finding waves. Far from any
modern buildings or development you will be surfing in waters surrounded by only mountains,
hillsides, forest and beautiful blue skies.

The UK's Independent newspaper sums it up best: "Here is one of Europe's undiscovered
treasures - thankfully protected by a 120km-long Parque Natural, which helps ensure that
"tourist development" mostly means a café in a shack on a beach. It all seems like a fabulous
secret."
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Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
Sagres & the Vicentina coast is 1 hour 20 minutes from Faro airport and 3 hours from Lisbon
airport. Your best bet is to book a bus transfer or even hire a car

Waves
This area of Portugal is a year round surf destination and has the  warmest sea water  in the
country. In the summer months you can surf in just shorts or a shortie and it doesn't get dark
until 10pm so you can surf all day long!

The coastline is part of the protected natural park with 50 kilometres of protected beaches with
no large towns or high rise tourist accommodations. Instead you will discover beautiful pristine
beaches and small traditional towns a far cry from the main overrun Algarve tourist spots.

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Surf packages in Sagres...

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 Surfing in SINTRA
Where The Old World Meets The New

Sintra is home to two of the most reliable surf beaches in Portugal, Praia das Macas and Praia
Grande, making sintra surf holidays a great choice. And away from these beaches are a dozen
hidden surf spots & coves that are waiting to be discovered! As the poet and traveller Lord
Byron famously said in the 19th century "Sintra is the most beautiful place in the world".

Sintra and its surrounds are a dedicated national parkland that stretch from the coastline and
inland down to the town of Cascais. In 1995 it was granted status as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site due to its historic collection of Palaces, Castles, royal retreats and classic buildings dating
back to the 8th century. Most famous of these is the Pena National Palace, the spectacular
summer residence of the Portuguese monarchy in the 18th and 19th century. It sits
magnificently on top of Sintra mountain and can be seen from as far away as Lisbon, Cascais
and Ericeira.

Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

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Getting There
The old town of Sintra is linked to Lisbon via train from Rossio station. It takes about 25
minutes. The beaches are a 10 minute drive from the old town centre which a few kms inland.

Waves
Sintra's two main beaches are  Praia das Macas and Praia Grande. Both are perfect
beginner/intermediate beaches and are some of the most consistent surf beaches in the whole
Lisbon-Sintra area. North and South of these beaches are many small coves and beautiful
hidden beaches that provide any exploring surfer with plenty to get excited about!

Close by is  Praia Guincho, a spectacular long beach with different peaks, perfect for learning
and can get big and windy in the afternoon, so morning is always the best bet here.

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Surf packages in Sintra...

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 Surfing in PORTO
Discover Porto's Best Waves

Portugal's second city, or if you ask any local its the first! Like any country the first (Lisbon) and
second city (Porto) are great rivals, and when it comes to surfing Porto is a real contender for
the title of best surfing capital in Europe.

Porto has enjoyed a mini renaissance in recent years. Its fantastic restaurant and bar scene has
rejuvenated the city. It is less built up than its Southern counterparts and surrounded by green
hills with long stretches of beaches both North and South of the city.

Due to the myth of it not being as sunny as down south Porto is not always the first choice.
With summer temperatures of 28 degrees, and empty set ups it should be first on your list.

The main old town is a mix of narrow cobblestone streets, colourful tiled old houses, delightful
plazas and the medieval quarter. Its charm is its run down building, unchanged by time and
mass tourism, go for a little wander and pretty soon you will only see locals and feel like one
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yourself!

Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
The city is only a 10km from Porto airport. Get a bus or the metro, takes about 30 minutes.

Waves
The best time to surf Porto is between Spring through to Autumn. It's main surf beach
is  Matosinhos beach, the best surf spot in Porto for beginner and intermediates. Its a long 1km
sandy beach with a few different points on it. The set up is a mix of beach break and reef break
and parts of it are sheltered so it handles larger swell. Easy to get to and consistent.

Next to Matosinhos is  International Beach. A lovely spot that begins where the city park ends.
Its also a great learner spot, and a great place to hang out both during day and at night. Further
north is Leca, a very consistent beach break protected by the harbour.

Espinho & Esmoriz ae a 20 minute drive away and always worth a look.

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Surf packages in Porto...

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 Surfing in ALENTEJO
Discover Alentejo's Uncrowded Waves

If you are looking for a real escape, an adventure through local towns & villages, away from the
tourism routes, then a Surf Holiday in the Alentejo is the one for you!

The Alentejo region is the South West/Central part of Portugal, above the Algarve and below
Lisbon. The coastal region remains largely undeveloped and far from the tourism mecca that is
the Algarve or Lisbon. It is a world away from busy city life and home to some of Portugal's
most beautiful uncrowded beaches.

The name means "Beyond the Tagus". The Tagus river runs from Spain across the centre of
Portugal to its exit point at the Capital Lisbon. The main towns along the coastline are
Comporta, Sines, Vila Nova de Milfontes, Zambujeira do Mar and Odeceixe. All delightful small
traditional towns (Sines is a bit bigger and more industrial), and all surrounded by beautiful
uncrowded beach breaks, bays and reefs.
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Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

Getting There
The Alentejo region is 130 kms long so where you fly to depends on whether you are coming to
surf the north or further south.
The north part of the Alentejo is 1hr from Lisbon airport, while the South is 2 hours from Faro
airport.city is only a 10km from Porto airport. Get a bus or the metro, takes about 30 minutes.

Waves
The Alentejo region is a year round destination. Autumn to Spring is the most consistent and
summer is great for learning and progressing. It offers endless possibilities for all standards,
some hard to get to secrets, others beautiful open beaches! There are some many waves along
this 130 km coastline that it is impossible to describe, below are just a few to note and look out
for..

The north part of the region starts with Comporta and the beautiful  Carvalhal  beach. A great
beginners beach, which picks up nice swell for the more advanced in the autumn.

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Surf camps in Alentejo...

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 Praia Da Areia Branca &
Santa Cruz
Uncrowded Portuguese Coastline With Amazing Surf

Praia da Areia Branca to Santa Cruz is a beautiful pristine coastline that offers great surf along
the uncrowded central Portugal coastline.

Praia da Areia Branca is a really calm and peaceful village where you can really observe an old
traditional Portuguese way of life, and live the travel experience as a local. You won't find any
signs of mass tourism or worldwide fast food or hotel chains. The area has lots of surf beaches
and is a great place to learn how to surf, with many quality surf schools in the area.

Santa Cruz is a small town North of Ericeira with great beach breaks offering waves for all levels
of surfing. With a number of surf schools this is a great base for your holiday and being so close
to Ericeira and on such a fantastic coastline offers peace and tranquility with great surf.

Surf Conditions Weather Conditions

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Getting There
The Praia da Areia Branca & Santa Cruz area is only a 50 minute drive from Lisbon airport. You
can get the public bus up from Lisbon centre or a private transfer from the airport. Thee is no
train link

Waves
This amazing uncrowded coastline between  Santa Cruz  to  Praia da Areia Branca  offers many
beach breaks and reefs. With beach breaks in each town suitable for learning and many off the
beaten track waves along the coastline it is a great place to explore without the concern for
large crowds.

Santa Cruz beach break gets good swell and waves are great on small to medium west swells. It
can get crowded in the summer months but you only have to walk five minutes to find a peak
that is quieter. Praia da Areia Branca  gets consistent surf and can work at any time of the year.
Works best in offshore winds and best around low tide when the tide is falling. Even when there
are waves, it's not likely to be crowded. Take care of urchins and rocks.

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Surf packages in Praia Da Areia Branca & Santa Cruz...

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