Portugal is a country resolutely turned towards the Atlantic, a nation with a history marked by the ocean, a land of fishermen and sailors.
And a land of surfers, for whom the territory is above all a huge beach, a perfect playground to indulge in their passion.
All along the coast, famous spots attract surfers from all over the world, who come to rub shoulders with some of the best waves in Europe.
We have chosen seven of them, among the most emblematic.
To discover
Partner stay Portugal |
8 days |
Douro Valley Cruise
Figaro stay in the Azores |
11 days |
The jewels of the Atlantic
Trips to Portugal: tailor-made tours, hotels and stays from our partners
And to validate our selection, we interviewed Justine Dupont, champion with an impressive track record (best big wave surfer in the world, stand up paddle world champion and longboard world vice-champion).
La Bordelaise, who lives a large part of the year in Portugal, knows its very varied coastline well and brings us her technical point of view, but not only: "
In Portugal, localism is neither more nor less important than somewhere else.
As everywhere, it's good to say hello with a smile when you arrive at the peak
.
»
Espino
Justine Dupont on a longboard in Espinho.
Fredo David
This small fishing town located 20 km from Porto is known to surfing enthusiasts for its
Praia da Baia
spot , protected by two dikes and considered the best wave in the north of the country.
Under ideal conditions, the straight that forms at the pier turns into a perfect, long and powerful tube.
Further south, the waves are short, but numerous and go to the right and to the left.
A
point break
that will suit both beginners and experienced surfers.
Justine Dupont's opinion:
“
It's a wave that I really like.
You have to manage the currents and the tide, which influences the sandbanks.
You have to adapt, be attentive.
The conditions change a lot.
It's instinctual surfing, less thoughtful.
A short wave where you focus on your maneuver.
»
Read alsoWOW Porto, what to do in the new cultural and leisure district
Barge
The Supertubos spot and its legendary hits.
Fredo David
It is in Peniche, more precisely at
Supertubos
beach , that there is THE Portuguese wave, the one that all young practitioners in the country dream of riding one day, to imitate their idols.
Every year, the World Surf League organizes a round of the world championship there and Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Johanne Defay and Carissa Moore compete there in a merciless fight.
When the conditions are right, the fast, powerful and tubular waves of this
beach break
become epic and demand a solid level.
Justine Dupont's opinion:
“
Supertubos is a bit like La Gravière in France.
The wave is powerful, hollow, there are tubes everywhere.
It's engaged surfing!
The spot works well with north/northwest winds, which are the prevailing winds in the region.
On the other hand, there are a lot of people in the water, you have to fight to get your wave
.
»
Ericeira
The wave of Ribeira de Ilhas, in Ericeira, is one of the best known in the country.
Fredo David
A small seaside town near Lisbon (50 km), Ericeira is, with its 4 km of coastline, a temple to Portuguese surfing, a wave that sees some of the best specialists in the discipline pass by.
In particular the Japanese Kanoa Igarashi, silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, who lives there when he is not surfing all over the world.
The spots are numerous, but the most popular is undoubtedly the
point break
of
Ribeira de Ilhas
, an emblematic straight line, long and consistent.
Ericeira was classified as a "World Surfing Reserve" in 2011, the first in Europe, by the organization Save The Waves.
Justine Dupont's opinion:
“
Ribeira de Ilhas is a super straight line, long, accessible to everyone, even if you have to be careful with the rocks.
It's a good point break, with a wave that's great, you can express yourself, do lots of maneuvers, repeat them.
It's interesting to work on.
»
Sintra
Surfing in Portugal means following in the footsteps of Italo Ferreira, WSL world champion and Olympic gold medalist.
Johan Ricou / Le Figaro
The wild coast of the Sintra region is conducive to the practice of skiing.
The heaviest wave breaks at
Praia Grande
, a very popular spot within the local surfing community which is very busy in the summer.
Its three peaks make it a versatile
beach break
, but very exposed to the swell.
When the sea swells, the best compete there in prowess.
Justine Dupont's opinion: “
Praia Grande reminds me a bit of Lacanau.
The spot depends a lot on the sandbanks, the tide has a big impact, you clearly feel that you are surfing different banks at high tide and at low tide.
There is a lot of space, it allows to share sessions with more people.
A good beach for everyday surfing, for all levels.
»
Read alsoSintra: palaces, castles... Our must-sees at the gates of Lisbon
Carcavelos
Every year, the Portuguese stage of the World Surf League World Championship welcomes the best surfers in the world, such as Kelly Slater.
Johan Ricou / Le Figaro
Carcavelos
beach
is not the best spot in the country, but it has an undeniable advantage, which makes it very popular with young Lisbon people: you can get there directly by train from Lisbon.
The countless surf schools there bear witness to its popularity and allow everyone to try their hand at the discipline.
The perfect place to treat yourself to a baptism in the foam.
In winter, this
beach break
sometimes turns into a huge and furious tube, to the delight of the most technical surfers.
Justine Dupont's opinion:
“Carcavelos is yet another direction.
This is also what is great in Portugal, the coast is very varied, a bit like in the Basque Country.
There are rocks, sand, point breaks, long and short waves, rights and lefts.
Carcavelos is a good fallback spot, and when it works, it's magnificent.
You can have a super left.
»
Read alsoSix good reasons to visit Setúbal, a charming destination south of Lisbon
Costa da Caparica
Justine Dupont takes off on the waves of the Costa da Caparica.
Fredo David
The Costa da Caparica, in the suburbs of Lisbon, on the south bank of the Tagus, is a long sandy stretch of some fifteen kilometers, arbitrarily divided into twenty beaches.
So many spots to explore, with very different conditions and adapted to all levels.
More experienced surfers find themselves at
Cova do Vapor
beach , a tubular, fast and demanding wave.
Justine Dupont's opinion:
“
The dykes have a big influence on these spots.
When there are big swells, it is easy to find fallback solutions.
And when it's smaller, there's always a more exposed spot.
At the Costa da Caparica, there is always a way to surf, always a place to get out of the game.”
Read alsoConfidential hotels in Lisbon: to sleep happily, sleep hidden!
Algarve (between Aljezur and Sagres)
The Algarve is not just a paradise for golfers… Fredo David
The Algarve brings together conditions close to perfection: waves, a magnificent natural setting and water at a temperature significantly higher than that offered by the rest of the Portuguese coast.
The coast between Aljezur and Sagres, however, brings together the best spots, including
Arrifana
, the pearl of the region.
This very popular (and busy) beach offers fast waves at low tide and is suitable for all levels of water sports enthusiasts.
Except when the swell gets bigger and experience speaks to the right of Arrifana.
Further down, between Sagres and Lagos, the coast changes and sees the swells coming from the south.
Justine Dupont's opinion:
“
Already,
the water is warmer, it's pleasant in Portugal.
Above Sagres, the spots are well exposed and the surf regular, for example at Praia do Castelejo, Praia do Amado or Praia da Bandeira.
And of course there is the right of Arrifana, a famous super wave.
Further south, from Beliche beach and especially towards Lagos, the exposure is completely different, the swells are not the same, you are protected from the north.
»
Read alsoThe wildest beaches and coves in the Algarve: our selection
NAZARE, THE BONUS SPOT
Justine Dupont, on one of the biggest waves of her career, in Nazaré, in October 2021. Johan Ricou / Le Figaro
In case of XXL swell, Nazaré and its giant waves are a unique spectacle in the world, which deserves a detour.
But as a spectator!
This small Portuguese seaside resort, where the biggest waves in the world break from October to March, is a paradise for surfers.
Its unique natural phenomenon, its gastronomy, its beaches and its World Heritage monuments make it an ideal destination for a winter weekend, full season of giant swells.
Read alsoWeekend in Nazaré, in the footsteps of giant waves