Best Surfing Destinations in Portugal: 20 Surf Spots From Peniche to the Algarve (2027)

The best surf destinations in Portugal are Peniche (Supertubos and the gentler Baleal), Ericeira (Europe's first World Surfing Reserve), the Lisbon coast around Carcavelos and Guincho, and the west Algarve around Arrifana, Amado and Sagres. Nazaré is the one you watch from the cliff.

Visit Portugal calls surfing a 365 days a year activity along more than 850 km of coast. Surf-Forecast counts the most clean waves in winter at almost every break below, while summer goes small and friendly. The water is cool all year: SeaTemperature.org puts Peniche's monthly average between 14.4°C in March and 19.5°C in September, so pack a wetsuit.

From Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris, the practical way in is a flight to Lisbon, Porto or Faro. Below: 20 spots in one table, then each area in turn.

• 1. What are the best surf spots in Portugal?
• 2. Northern Portugal and Figueira da Foz
• 3. Nazaré (Central Portugal)
• 4. Peniche (Supertubos, Silver Coast)
• 5. Ericeira (Lisbon District)
• 6. Lisbon coast: Carcavelos and Guincho
• 7. Alentejo coast
• 8. Algarve: Arrifana, Amado and Sagres
• 9. Madeira and the Azores
• 10. Where should beginners surf in Portugal?
• 11. When is the best time to surf in Portugal?
• 12. Getting to Portugal
• 13. Where to stay
• 14. Showers, wetsuits and washing up
• 15. Locals and the environment
• 16. Summary
• 17. Frequently asked questions
• 18. Sources

What are the best surf spots in Portugal?

The best surf spots in Portugal are Supertubos, Baleal, Ribeira d'Ilhas, Coxos, Carcavelos, Guincho, Arrifana and Amado. "Works best on" comes from each spot's Surf-Forecast page ("varies" where it gives no value). "Best months" is when it counts the most clean waves, usually the biggest season too. "Level" is our own cautious reading, so ask a surf school on the day.

Spot	Region	Type	Level	Works best on	Best months
Matosinhos	North (Porto)	Beach, reef	Beginner on small days	W swell, E wind, low tide	Winter (Dec)
Espinho	North	Beach, jetty	Intermediate	W swell, E wind, tide varies	Winter (Dec)
Buarcos	Centre (Figueira da Foz)	Point	Intermediate	WSW swell, NE wind, tide varies	Winter (Jan), inconsistent
Nazaré	Centre	Beach	Experienced	W swell, E wind, all tides	Winter (Dec)
Supertubos	Peniche	Beach, reef	Advanced	SW swell, NE wind, tide varies	Winter (Feb), mostly flat in summer
Baleal	Peniche	Beach	Beginner	NNW swell, SE wind, all tides	Winter (Dec)
Ribeira d'Ilhas	Ericeira	Reef	Intermediate	WNW swell, SE wind, all tides	Winter (Dec)
Coxos	Ericeira	Reef	Advanced	NNW swell, SE wind, tide varies	Autumn, winter (Oct)
Foz do Lizandro	Ericeira	River mouth	Beginner on small days	SW swell, E wind, high tide	Winter (Dec), mostly flat in summer
Praia Grande	Lisbon coast (Sintra)	Beach	Intermediate	NW swell, E wind, all tides	Winter (Dec)
Guincho	Lisbon coast (Cascais)	Beach	Intermediate	WNW swell, E wind, all tides	Winter (Dec)
Carcavelos	Lisbon coast	Beach	All levels, by swell size	W swell, N wind, all tides	Mostly flat in summer
Costa da Caparica	Lisbon coast	Beach, jetty	Beginner	W swell, E wind, all tides	Winter (Dec)
São Torpes	Alentejo	Beach	Beginner	SW swell, NE wind, any tide	All year
Arrifana	Algarve (west)	Beach, reef	All levels	NW swell, NE wind, all tides	Winter (Jan), works all year
Praia do Amado	Algarve (west)	Beach	Beginner	NW swell, E wind, any tide	Winter (Dec)
Tonel	Algarve (Sagres)	Beach, point	Intermediate	WNW swell, NE wind, any tide	Winter (Dec)
Zavial	Algarve (south)	Beach	Intermediate	SSW swell, NW wind, mid tide	Winter (Mar), inconsistent
Jardim do Mar	Madeira	Reef	Advanced	W swell, NE wind, tide varies	Winter (Jan)
Ribeira Grande	Azores (São Miguel)	Beach, reef	Intermediate	NNW swell, SE wind, tide varies	Winter (Feb)

Northern Portugal and Figueira da Foz

The north is worth it if you can handle colder water: Matosinhos, Espinho and Figueira da Foz all work on a west swell with an east wind, says Surf-Forecast.

Matosinhos, next to Porto, is best around low tide, and its hazard list is long for a town beach: urchins, rips, rocks and pollution. Espinho breaks off a jetty and has dangerous rips. At Figueira da Foz, Visit Portugal says the winter waves at Buarcos are believed to be the longest in Europe, but Surf-Forecast rates the point inconsistent, so treat it as a bonus. Pack for cold: SeaTemperature.org's Porto averages run from 13.8°C in February to 18.3°C in September.

Nazaré (Central Portugal)

Nazaré is for watching, unless you're a trained big-wave surfer with a team behind you.

Visit Portugal explains that the Nazaré Canyon, 5,000 metres deep, "allows the formation of perfect giant waves" at Praia do Norte, where Garrett McNamara rode one of about 30 metres in 2011. Picture a ten-storey building made of water. That's why surfers get towed in, and why Visit Portugal calls these waves "only for the most intrepid".

What are the best surf spots in Nazaré?

For most of us, the best spot is on dry land: Sítio, the headland above town, which Visit Portugal says you can reach on foot or by funicular. Surf-Forecast does list an exposed beach break at Nazaré, but if you're unsure, drive on to Peniche.

Peniche (Supertubos, Silver Coast)

Peniche is Portugal's most flexible base, because its beaches face different ways and one of them is usually clean.

Surf-Forecast's numbers show it: the offshore wind is north-east at Supertubos and south-east at Baleal. So you check the wind over breakfast and pick a side.

What are the best surf spots in Peniche?

At Supertubos, Visit Portugal describes "perfectly shaped tubular waves" on Praia do Medão, home of the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, a World Surf League stage. Surf-Forecast warns it "can even get crowded enough to be dangerous", so if steep take-offs aren't your thing, watch from the sand. Baleal is the opposite: "a broad sweep of sand bathed by calm waters", says Visit Portugal, and a sheltered beach break at all tides. Schools pack the Cantinho da Baía corner, so walk along for space. More in our Peniche surf spot guide.

Visit Portugal lists showers at both beaches, but often you'll change in a car park and drive back with everything damp in one bag. A solid bar suits that: one bar for hair, body and face, and nothing to leak.

From Lisbon, Visit Portugal's route to Peniche is the A8 then the IP6, and the same A8 leads to Ericeira.

Ericeira (Lisbon District)

Ericeira is the place for variety: Save The Waves made it Europe's first World Surfing Reserve in 2011.

Its waves "offer consistent opportunities for all levels of surfers, from beginners to professionals", says Save The Waves, and Visit Portugal puts the village about 40 km from Lisbon, around half an hour by car.

What are the best surf spots in Ericeira?

Ribeira d'Ilhas is the headline right-hand reef, working at all tides. Mind the rocks and the crowd. Coxos is the heavy one, an exposed reef with rips, best watched unless you're experienced. Learning? Foz do Lizandro is a river mouth that Surf-Forecast says is best at high tide and mostly flat in summer. Watch the currents there. Our Ericeira surf spot guide covers the rest.

Lisbon coast: Carcavelos, Guincho, Praia Grande and Costa da Caparica

The best surf spots near Lisbon are Carcavelos, Guincho, Praia Grande and Costa da Caparica, and Carcavelos is the one you can reach by train.

Visit Portugal explains that the train from Cais do Sodré in Lisbon runs through Carcavelos to Cascais, so you can stay in the city and surf without a hire car.

What are the best surf spots near Lisbon?

Carcavelos is an exposed beach break, good at all tides on a west swell and a north wind. It's often crowded, Surf-Forecast notes pollution may be a hazard, and summer is mostly flat. Guincho, past Cascais, is reliable all year, but Visit Portugal also calls it the top windsurfing beach, so go early. Praia Grande in Sintra has some shelter from north winds. Across the Tagus, Costa da Caparica comes with a Surf-Forecast warning: "beware of rocks and locals".

Alentejo coast

The Alentejo is the quiet stretch: São Torpes near Sines is a consistent beach break that Surf-Forecast says is unlikely to be crowded.

It works on a south-west swell with a north-east wind at any tide. Visit Portugal also rates Almograve for surfing and bodyboarding. From Porto Covo south you're inside the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park: over 100 km of protected coast reaching Burgau in the Algarve, according to Visit Portugal.

Algarve: Arrifana, Amado and Sagres

In the Algarve, stay on the west coast: Arrifana and Amado are the consistent ones, and Sagres gives you somewhere to hide when the wind turns.

Arrifana is a consistent beach and reef break with some shelter from north winds, good at all tides. Watch the rocks. Praia do Amado is rated very consistent, and one Surf-Forecast reviewer calls it really crowded in August.

What are the best surf spots around Arrifana and Sagres?

Around Arrifana you can rotate between Amoreira (rocks and rips), Monte Clérigo and Vale Figueiras, where Surf-Forecast sees few surfers even on good days but warns of rips and undertow. At Sagres you get two coasts: Tonel is exposed with strong rips, Beliche is a sheltered left point, and Zavial on the south coast only works once in a while. Our Algarve surf spot guide has the full list.

Madeira and the Azores

Both have surf, but think reef and experience, not first lessons. On Madeira, Visit Portugal names Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar, and Surf-Forecast describes Jardim do Mar as an exposed right-hand reef with rips and rocks. In the Azores, Ribeira Grande on São Miguel is a consistent beach and reef break that rarely gets crowded.

Where should beginners surf in Portugal?

Beginners do best at Baleal, Foz do Lizandro on a small day, Carcavelos or Costa da Caparica, and Arrifana or Amado, between June and September.

Be honest with yourself: the months Surf-Forecast ranks "best" are winter, when waves are biggest. When it says Supertubos or Carcavelos is "mostly flat" in summer, read "small enough to learn on". Visit Portugal notes that many schools teach beginners around Peniche. For more options, see the best places to learn to surf in Europe.

Beginner

Pick sand, stay near lifeguards and surf schools, and ask before guessing at rips.

Intermediate

If every wave works you over, it's too big today. Move somewhere more sheltered.

Advanced

Read the rips, rocks and exits before paddling out at the reefs, and believe locals who say it's dangerous.

When is the best time to surf in Portugal?

September to November is our pick: the water is warmest and the swell is back. Winter is biggest, and summer is for learning.

Period	Swell	Water temp (°C)	Wetsuit	Verdict
Sep to Nov	Returning. October is cleanest at Coxos	17.7 to 19.5 (Peniche), 19.3 to 21.3 (Sagres)	3/2 (Sagres), 4/3 (Peniche)	Our pick
Dec to Feb	Biggest. Cleanest season, but often blown out	14.6 to 16.1, 16.1 to 17.7	4/3	Experienced surfers
Mar to May	Varies	14.4 to 16.9, 16.1 to 18.3	4/3	Flexible dates
Jun to Aug	Smallest. Supertubos and Carcavelos mostly flat	18.3 to 19.3, 19.9 to 20.9	3/2 or 4/3	Beginners

Temperatures are SeaTemperature.org's monthly averages for Peniche and Sagres. The wetsuit column blends its advice (a 4/3 for Peniche and a 3/2 for Sagres when we checked in October) with O'Neill's guide, which suggests a 3/2 or 4/3 for 12 to 17°C. Our wetsuit thickness guide explains the numbers. See also our October surf destinations and warm-water winter escapes.

Getting to Portugal from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris

Flying is the practical way: Lisbon for the centre and the Lisbon coast, Faro for the Algarve, Porto for the north.

By plane. From Lisbon airport the metro reaches downtown in about 20 minutes, and Gare do Oriente station is about 10 minutes away. Porto airport is on Metro Line E. From Faro airport, buses 14 and 16 run to the city centre and its train station, and the Vamus Aerobus serves Lagos.

Travelling with hand luggage only? A solid bar isn't a liquid at airport security, so it stays out of your liquids bag. See can you take soap on a plane.

By train. It can be done, but allow a few days. Eurostar links Amsterdam and Brussels with Paris, and SNCF Connect lists direct TGVs from Paris-Montparnasse to Hendaye on the Spanish border. Beyond that, plan leg by leg with Renfe and CP. Closer ideas are in surf trips without flying.

By car or van. You drive down through France and northern Spain. In Portugal, some motorways have electronic tolls with no barrier, and Portugal Tolls, run by Infraestruturas de Portugal, lists the payment options for foreign vehicles. Our surf van trips guide covers the drive.

Where to stay

Pick one base that matches your level.

• Peniche and Baleal: beginners and mixed groups.
• Ericeira: intermediates and up, half an hour from Lisbon.
• Lisbon or Cascais: a city trip with surf by train.
• Arrifana or Sagres: a slower week in warmer water. You'll want a car.

First time? Read what to expect at your first surf camp.

Showers, wetsuits and washing up

Some town beaches have showers and the wild ones may not, so plan your rinse.

On the park beaches, bring fresh water in the car. Don't rinse shampoo or soap directly into the ocean or into beach showers that drain to the sea. Lather only where the water goes into a drain, usually back at your room. Here's how to rinse off after a surf.

That wash often happens in a tiny surf camp bathroom, with a shelf full of other people's bottles. One solid bar for hair, body and face needs one small spot.

Your wetsuit needs a fresh-water rinse too. Here's how to get rid of wetsuit smell, and what to expect from surf camp showers.

Surf spots in Portugal: locals and the environment

Respect the locals

Surf-Forecast flags crowds at Supertubos, Coxos, Carcavelos and Caparica, and these are home breaks. Watch the line-up first, don't drop in or snake, and give lesson groups space. Our surf etiquette guide explains the rules.

Respect the environment

Stay on marked paths: Rota Vicentina says they protect the habitat of hundreds of animals and plants. The natural park covers 75,000 hectares, which Visit Portugal calls the finest preserved stretch of European coastline. Take everything home, wax scraps included, and check the rules before sleeping in a van there.

Summary

Portugal can be whatever surf trip you want: barrels at Supertubos, lessons at Baleal, a reef a day in Ericeira, a train to Carcavelos, or quiet weeks at Arrifana and Amado.

Comparing countries? See the best surfing destinations in Europe, or cross the border to the best surfing destinations in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

The facts in this article are based on the sources below, checked in October 2026.

1. Surfing and bodyboarding, Surfing and other activities, Surfing in the Center of Portugal, Nazaré, Peniche, Praia de Medão, Supertubos, Praia do Baleal, Ericeira, Surfing Reserve, Cascais and the Estoril Coast, Alentejo Coast, Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina. Visit Portugal, 2026.
2. Ericeira World Surfing Reserve. Save The Waves Coalition, 2026.
3. Spot guides: Matosinhos, Espinho, Buarcos, Nazaré, Supertubos, Baleal, Cantinho, Ribeira d'Ilhas, Coxos, Foz do Lizandro, Praia Grande, Guincho, Carcavelos, Caparica, São Torpes, Arrifana, Amoreira, Monte Clérigo, Vale Figueira, Amado, Tonel, Beliche, Zavial, Jardim do Mar, Ribeira Grande. Surf-Forecast.com, 2026.
4. Sea temperatures: Porto, Peniche, Sagres. SeaTemperature.org, 2026.
5. Wetsuit season guide. O'Neill, 2026.
6. Public transport: Lisbon, Porto, Faro. Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports, 2026.
7. Destinations. Eurostar, 2026.
8. Paris to Hendaye timetable. SNCF Connect, 2026.
9. Portugal Tolls. Infraestruturas de Portugal, 2026.
10. Responsible travel. Rota Vicentina, 2026.