ATLANTIC COAST SURF TRIP
Get ready to ride the big ones on Portugal’s wild, wave-lashed west coast – an alluring mix of sunshine, terrific surf, dune-backed beaches and nicely chilled towns.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
ESSENTIAL PHOTO
BEST TWO DAYS
IMAGE SOURCE / GETTY IMAGES ©
Atlantic Coast Surf Trip
If endless crashing surf sounds like your idea of heaven, you’ve come to the right country. Surfers and kitesurfers of all levels are in their element on Portugal’s sparkling Atlantic coast, which is thrashed by some of Europe’s biggest rollers. First-rate (and inexpensive) surf camps, gleaming white towns with authentic seafood restaurants, golden beaches fringed by dunes and pines, and memorable sunsets wrap up this little road trip nicely.
1 Praia do Guincho
Just half an hour’s drive west of Lisbon, Praia do Guincho is hammered by some terrific Atlantic waves. The site of previous World Surfing Championships, this long, wild, dune-backed beach holds plenty of pulling power for surfers, windsurfers and kitesurfers with its massive crashing rollers. Beware of the strong undertow which can be dangerous for swimmers and novice surfers. If you’re keen to ride the waves, check out the surfing course available at the highly rated Moana Surf School (
964 449 436; www.moanasurfschool.com; private surf class €40, group lesson €25, 4-lesson course €85), which arranges private lessons and group courses for all levels. It also rents out boards (€15/25 per half-/full day) and wetsuits (€10/15 per half-/full day).
The Drive » From Guincho, the scenic N247 swings north through the rippling, forest-cloaked mountains of the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, at its most atmospheric when veiled in early-morning mist. Roll down the window and breathe in that fresh air as you cruise north on the hour-long (51km) drive to Ericeira.
2 Ericeira
Picturesquely draped across sandstone cliffs with grandstand Atlantic views, sunny, whitewashed Ericeira has a string of golden beaches that have surfers itching to grab their boards and jump in. This is one of just four World Surfing Reserves, starring alongside Malibu and Santa Cruz in California and Manly Beach in Australia. The swells are reliable and the mightiest waves roll in to cliff-backed Praia da Ribeira d’Ilhas. A World Qualifying Series (WQS) site and frequent host to Portuguese national surfing championships, the beach is famous for having one of the best reef breaks in Europe. The other biggie is Coxos, a right-hand point break producing incredible barrels. Most amateurs will find the waves at the nearby Praia de São Sebastião challenging enough. Standing out among the surf camps in Ericeira, Rapture (0919 586 722; www.rapturecamps.com; Foz do Lizandro 6; surf lessons €30, board & wetsuit rental per day €10, dm incl half-board €29-39) offers nicely chilled digs right on the beach and lessons with proficient instructors. For a post-surf beer or cocktail, stop by Sunset Bamboo (Travessa Jogo da Bola; 
noon-8pm Sun-Tue & Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; 
).
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The Drive » From Ericeira, the N247 veers north close to the contours of the coast, taking you through gently rolling farmland and past sun-bleached aldeas (hamlets), orchards and pinewoods. After a pleasant hour (40km) behind the wheel, you emerge in Lourinhã.
LINK YOUR TRIP
31 Tasting the Dão
Wine after the waves? Detour inland 120km from Praia de Pedrogão to Santa Comba Dão for tastings and cellar tours in a deliciously rural setting.
32 Highlands & History in the Central Interior
Why not tag on a road trip of Portugal’s culture-loaded interior? The soulful university town of Coimbra is just a 77km drive northeast of Praia do Pedrógão.
3 Lourinhã
Lourinhã is lesser-known than other west-coast surfing hotspots, yet it deserves more than just a cursory glance. In the peaceful shoulder seasons, you’ll practically have its waves all to yourself on dune-fringed Praia Areal and Praia da Areia Branca. The former hosts national surfing events, while the latter is perfect for beginners and bodyboarders.
The Drive » It’s an easy 18km drive north on the countrified N247 and N114 to Peniche. The road takes you through softly undulating farmland, past bone-white hamlets and the odd ruin and windmill. To the west, you can often glimpse the hazy blue outline of the Atlantic.
DETOUR:
BERLENGA GRANDE
Start: 4 Peniche
Sitting about 10km offshore from Peniche, Berlenga Grande is a spectacular, rocky and remote island, with twisting, shocked-rock formations and gaping caverns. It’s the only island of the Berlenga archipelago you can visit – the group consists of three tiny islands surrounded by clear, calm, dark-blue waters full of shipwrecks that are great for snorkelling and diving, for instance with Acuasuboeste (918 393 444; www.acuasuboeste.com; Porto de Pesca; diving intro course €80, single dive €30-35).
In the 16th century Berlenga Grande was home to a monastery, but now the most famous inhabitants are thousands of nesting seabirds, especially guillemots. The birds take priority over visitors and development has been confined to housing for a small fishing community and a lighthouse.
A number of boats make the short hop between Peniche and the island in the summer months.
RUI ALMEIDA FOTOGRAFIA / GETTY IMAGES ©
4 Peniche
Ask a local to rattle off Portugal’s top surfing spots and Peniche invariably makes the grade. Straddling a headland with the sea on all sides, it is popular for its long fabulous town beach and nearby surf strands, with the added charm of a pretty walled historic centre and a 16th-century fortress. But it’s the waves you are here for – and what epic waves they are! Long a favourite of clued-up surfers, Peniche shot to celebrity status when Supertubos beach, south of town, was selected as a stop on the ASP World Tour. Supertubos has some of Europe’s best beach and reef breaks. Conditions are great year-round. Kitesurfing is also big. On the far side of high dunes about 500m east of the old town, Peniche Kite & Surf Center (919 424 951; www.penichekitecenter.com; Av Monsenhor Bastos, Praia de Peniche de Cima; surf & kitesurf lesson €30) offers surfing and kitesurfing lessons.
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The Drive » About 5km to the northeast of Peniche is the scenic island-village of Baleal, connected to the mainland village of Casais do Baleal by a causeway.
5 Baleal
A fine swoop of pale golden sand protected by dunes, Baleal is a paradise of challenging but, above all, consistent waves that make it an ideal learners’ beach. Depending on the season, surf camps here charge between €240 to €550 for a week of classes, including equipment and self-catering lodging. Well-established picks include Baleal Surfcamp (262 769 277; www.balealsurfcamp.com; Rua Amigos do Baleal 2; 1-/3-/5-day course €60/95/145) and Peniche Surfcamp (962 336 295; www.penichesurfcamp.com; Av do Mar 162, Casais do Baleal; 1/2/10 surf classes €30/50/225). You can also rent boards and wetsuits (€30/175 per day/week).
The Drive » From Baleal, connect up with the N114, taking you onto the A8 north, before veering west onto the N360. The road makes a sweeping arc, leading through pine forest and past farmland and low-rise hills. It skirts the impressive fortified city of Óbidos, where you might want to factor in a pitstop. It’s around a 38km drive.
CULTURE FIX
If you can tear yourself away from the surf for a minute, factor in a detour to some of the hinterland’s cultural treasures. Here are three worth the drive.
Óbidos
A 25km drive east of Peniche, this fortified wonder conceals a historic centre that is a maze of cobbled streets and flower-bedecked, whitewashed houses livened up with dashes of vivid yellow and blue paint. A hill lifts a medieval castle high above town.
Batalha
A detour off the road between Nazaré and São Pedro de Moel, Batalha’s crowning glory is its Manueline monastery, a riot of flying buttresses and pinnacles, with gold stone carved into forms as delicate as snowflakes and as pliable as twisted rope.
Alcobaça
A 17km drive east of Nazaré, Alcobaça conceals a charming centre that is dwarfed by the magnificence of the 12th-century Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça, one of Portugal’s most memorable Unesco World Heritage sites.
6 Foz do Arelho
With a vast, gorgeous swoop of sandy beach backed by a river-mouth estuary ideal for windsurfing, Foz do Arelho remains remarkably undeveloped. It makes a fine place to laze in the sun, and outside July and August it’ll often be just you and the local fishermen. The beach has a row of relaxed bars and restaurants.
Escola de Vela da Lagoa (962 568 005, 262 978 592; www.escoladeveladalagoa.com; Rua do Penedo Furado; 10am-sunset daily Jun-Sep, shorter hrs in low season) hires out sailboats (€16 per hour), canoes (€10), windsurf boards (from €15) and catamarans (from €20). The school also provides windsurfing and sailing lessons (two hours, €60 for one, €90 for two) and kayak lessons (€14 per person for a three-hour session). From Foz do Arelho village, it’s a 2.8km drive: turn left on the road that follows the lagoon’s inland edge past the rock called Penedo Furado and continue.
The Drive » A minor road, the Estrada Atlântica, hugs the coastline as it threads north to Santo Martinho do Porto, a drive of around 16km.
7 Santo Martinho do Porto
Fancy some time to hang out on the beach? Unlike nearby Nazaré, Santo Martinho do Porto is no party town, but it’s a cheery place with a half-moon bay, perfect for swimming and just slowing the pace a notch or two.
The Drive » Back behind the wheel, you’ll be edging your way north on the N242 through pine woods and farmland before crossing the Río Alcobaça and arriving in Nazaré, 14.5km away.
8 Nazaré
With a warren of narrow, cobbled lanes running down to a wide, cliff-backed beach, Nazaré is Estremadura’s most scenic coastal resort. The sands are packed with multicoloured umbrellas in July and August and the town centre is jammed with seafood restaurants and bars with a party vibe.
Nazaré hit headlines in recent years for the monster waves that roll in just north of town at Praia do Norte and the record-breaking feats of the gutsy surfers that ride them. We’re talking seriously big waves and steep, hollow peaks and strong currents here. Given the right conditions, they can be over 30m high – think an eight-storey office building. The official world record of 23.77m for the biggest wave surfed was set here in 2011 by Garrett McNamara, who nearly bettered the feat with another giant in 2013.
Storms and winds in the Atlantic can generate mighty waves, but Nazaré has a peculiarity that multiplies this potential: an offshore underwater canyon some 5km deep pointing right at Praia do Norte beach, which produces the massive rollers.
Smaller and less intimidating are the waves on the main beach in town, which is less exposed.
To get an entirely different perspective of Nazaré, take the funicular up to Promontório do Sítio, where picture-postcard coastal views unfold from the 110m-high cliffs, gazing down to the thrashing waves on one side and the village on the other. From Rua do Elevador, an ascensor (Funicular; adult/child €1.20/0.90; every 15min 7.15am-9.30pm, every 30min 9.30pm-midnight) climbs up the hill. It’s nice to walk back down, escaping the crowds of trinket sellers.
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The Drive » From Nazaré, the small, coast-hugging Estrada Atlântica heads 21km north through pockets of pine forest and past high sand dunes, affording the occasional tantalising glimpse of ocean. Wind down those windows for delicious breezes.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
THE INSIDE SCOOP ON SURFING
Read on for the lowdown on when to surf, what to take, surf tuition and rentals.
WHEN TO SURF
Spring and autumn tend to be the best for surfing action. Waves at this time range from 2m to 4.5m high. This is also the low season, meaning you’ll pay less for accommodation, and the beaches will be far less crowded. Even during the summer, however, the coast gets good waves (1m to 1.5m on average) and, despite the crowds, it’s fairly easy to head off and find your own spots (you can often be on your own stretch of beach just by driving a few minutes up the road).
WHAT TO TAKE
The water temperature here is colder than it is in most other southern European countries, and even in the summer you’ll probably want a wetsuit. Board and wetsuit hire are widely available at surf shops and surf camps: you can usually score a discount if you rent long-term, otherwise, you’ll be paying around €20 to €30 per day for a board and wetsuit, or €15 to €25 per day for the board alone.
TUITION
There are dozens of schools that run lessons and courses for surfers of all levels. Surf camps mostly offer weekly packages including simple accommodation (dorms, bungalows or camping), meals and transport to the beach.
SURF SITES
www.magicseaweed.com International site with English-language surf reports for many Portuguese beaches.
www.wannasurf.com Global site with the lowdown on surfing hotspots along Portugal’s coast. Navigate by interactive map.
www.surfingportugal.com Official site of the Portuguese Surfing Federation.
www.surftotal.com/pt Portuguese-language site with news about the national surf scene and webcams showing conditions at a dozen popular beaches around Portugal.
9 São Pedro de Moel
For a more offbeat experience than Nazaré, turn your gaze north to São Pedro de Moel, which sees some pretty good waves (both lefts and rights) but receives just a trickle of surfers by comparison. The surf here is fairly consistent year-round, though bear the rocks in mind. The village itself is a pretty whitewashed number, with a low-key vibe and some knockout sunsets.
Spreading immediately north of São Pedro de Moel is the Pinhal de Leiria. First planted by a forward-looking monarch some 700 years ago, this vast forest of towering pines backs one of the loveliest stretches of Portugal’s Atlantic coast. Dom Dinis expanded it significantly as a barrier against encroaching dunes and also as a source of timber for the maritime industry – a great boon during the Age of Discovery.
The Drive » Continue north on the pretty Estrada Atlântica for the 15km drive to Praia da Vieira. The narrow road cuts through the pine woods of Pinhal de Leiria and scrubby dunes, with the occasional glimpse of ocean.
a Praia da Vieira
Backed by the sun-dappled Pinhal de Leiria, Praia da Vieira entices with broad golden sands and consistent surf with beach breaks. Come during the week rather than at the weekend to experience it at its tranquil best.
The Drive » From Praia da Vieira, it’s a cruisy 5km drive north to Praia do Pedrógão, taking you once again through lush green coastal pinewoods.
b Praia do Pedrógão
Your final stop on this road trip is Pedrógão, which has lovely broad, dune-backed sands, few surfers and some pretty impressive beach breaks (both to the left and right). After all those big waves, you might want to take the chance just to kick back and watch in wonder as the Atlantic rolls in before you.
EATING & SLEEPING
Ericeira 2
5 Mar d’Areia Seafood €€
(261 862 222; Rua Fonte do Cabo 48; mains €9-13; noon-4pm & 7-11pm Tue-Sun; 
) They keep the decor simple – blue-and-white checked tablecloths and tile designs of fish in nets – and let the excellent grilled fish do the talking at this locally popular, family-friendly seafood eatery adjacent to the Mercado Municipal.
4 Blue Buddha Hostel €
(910 658 849; www.bluebuddhahostel.com; Moinhos do Mar; dm €25, d with private/shared bathroom €69/60; 
) Like your very own beach house, this hostel has a bright, spacious living room with couches, cable TV, DVD player and free internet, plus a guest kitchen and barbecue area. Multilingual proprietress Luzia is generous in sharing her knowledge of the area, and her attention to detail really shows, including comfortable mattresses and bold happy colours on the walls. Surf lessons available.
Peniche 4
5 Restaurante A Sardinha Seafood €
(262 781 820; Rua Vasco da Gama 81; mains €6-14; 11.30am-4pm & 6.30-10.30pm) This no-frills place on a narrow street parallel to Largo da Ribeira does a roaring trade in mains like simply grilled fish and caldeirada (fish stew) done well.
4 Peniche Hostel Hostel €
(969 008 689; www.penichehostel.com; Rua Arquitecto Paulino Montês 6; dm/d €20/50; ) This cosy little hostel, only steps from the tourist office and a five-minute walk from the bus station, has colourfully decorated and breezy rooms. Surfboards and bikes are available for hire, and there’s an attached surf school. The friendly owners make you feel at home immediately, as do the comfortable common areas and small sundeck.
Nazaré 8
5 A Tasquinha Seafood €
(262 551 945; Rua Adrião Batalha 54; mains €6-10; noon-3pm & 7-10.30pm Tue-Sun) This exceptionally friendly family affair serves high quality seafood in a pair of snug but pretty tiled dining rooms. Expect queues on summer nights. However many people there are, the delightful owners always try and squeeze you in, even if it’s at someone else’s table! Top value.
4 Magic Art Hotel Hotel € €
(262 569 040; http://hotelmagic.pt; Rua Mouzinho de Albuquerque 58; s €70-85, d €75-90; 
) Close to the action, this breezy, newish hotel has gone for the chic modern look. Clean-lined, well-equipped white rooms with artily presented photos of oldtime Nazaré contrast with appealing black slate bathrooms.