Which spot to choose according to your level ?
It goes without saying that, due to the power of the waves, most of the surf spots in Portugal are intended for advanced surfers. Nevertheless, there are beaches accessible to beginners who wish to have a more gentle surfing experience. Between May and October, the weather conditions will be more favorable with slightly less powerful waves, but just as majestic.
In Viana do Castelo, Praia de Cabedelo benefits from an onshore wind and allows a gentle learning of surfing. In the same area, the waves of Praia da Arda and Praia de Afife can reach up to two meters in height. In Porto, Praia da Azurara (Vila do Conde), Praia de Matosinhos and Praia Internacional do Porto are also suitable for beginners. I Surf Portugal offers here a gentle introduction. In Figueira da Foz, the longest wave in the country can be more than 200 meters long, at the Buarcos spot. The beaches of Molhe Leste and do Medão, south of the Peniche peninsula in Estremadura, are known for their tubular waves, called "Supertubos". Every year, international professional surfers come to compete in October for a round of the Rip Curl Pro, a surfing competition not to be missed.
Coxos, next to Ericeira, considered the Mecca of surfers (12 beaches over 8 kilometers), is known worldwide for its long, fast and nervous right. It is preserved as much as possible from any artificial construction because any development that could have an impact on the coastline must be validated by the local committee of surfers. The water here is quite cold, averaging 13°C.
Legend has it that Portuguese surfing was born in Cascais, near Lisbon. The city is surrounded by beaches including Guincho, 5 kilometers north, Praia das Maças and Praia Grande. In Praia de Carcavelos, all levels are welcome.
The beaches of the Alentejo have an intimate character as they are not very crowded.
In the Algarve, spots such as Praia do Amado or Praia da Amoreira are accessible to all. The beach of Arrifana near Aljezur offers cool sessions. On the Vicentine coast, the currents can become violent very quickly.
Praia do Norte: the beach of all records!
For the past ten years, the fishing port of Praia do Norte in Nazaré, a hundred kilometers north of Lisbon, has been a meeting place for the world's best surfers, who tackle waves of up to 30 meters. They're known as the fat surfers. For an amateur, positioned near the lighthouse perched on the cliff, overlooking the ocean, the spectacle of the waves and the contact of the salt water on your face takes place out of the water, because the danger is very real. These giant waves are created by the convergence of the high Atlantic swell and the 500-metre-deep Nazaré underwater canyon, which sinks to the very foot of the cliff. This channels the waves and amplifies them to the point of creating these "Atlantic monsters". For surfers, rigorous preparation is a must. But how do you get to the starting point of the wave? The answer is towed surfing: the surfer is transported on a jet-ski hooked up to the back of his board, and then followed by the jet-ski, which ensures his safety in the event of a fall. On November1 , 2011, Hawaiian Garrett McNamara set the world surfing record for the highest wave at Praia do Norte. On that day, he jumped from a helicopter, was towed and surfed a wave estimated at 23.77 meters, the equivalent of around six storeys. His record is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records and by the World Surf League (WSL), which awards prizes in April for the best surfing performances of the year. On December 11, 2014, Frenchman Benjamin Sanchis took on a wave estimated at around 30 meters. Unfortunately, he fell mid-ride and got the fright of his life. This earned him the 2015 WSL wipe out award. On November 8, 2017, Brazilian Rodrigo Koxa officially breaks Garrett McNamara's record by surfing a wave at Nazaré 24.38 meters high. On October 29, 2020, Germany's Sebastian Steudtner set the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed, riding an 86-foot (26.2-meter) breaker to erase Rodrigo Koxa from the record books.
On the women's side, after numerous complaints and a petition signed by almost 20,000 people, Brazil's Maia Gabeira succeeded in having the record for the biggest wave surfed by a woman ratified. She won the award in 2018, surfing a 20.72-meter-high wave, again at Praia do Norte. In 2020, she surpassed this record by surfing a 22.4-metre wave. In 2020, France's Justine Dupont tamed a giant wave over 20 meters high, but this was not an official record. Nevertheless, the feat remains exceptional.
How to determine the formation of the dream wave?
From October to March approximately, at the time of winter storms, it is the time to watch the beacons that predict the swell. Applications like wisuki.com (surf conditions in the world) or more specifically Nazare Waves for the spot of Praia do Norte deliver tons of useful and reliable information on weather conditions, wind strength, swell ... up to three days. A good wave is measured according to four criteria: a swell above six meters, an interval between two successive waves of more than 14 seconds (so that the waves are high and powerful), a swell oriented to the west and a fairly weak wind going from the land to the sea, which digs the waves and makes them higher. Beginners will therefore prefer an offshore wind to an onshore wind to start with.
Other board sports are also popular
As soon as an area is windy enough, sail-drawn board sports are also practiced on the beaches. Near Lisbon, kitesurfing and windsurfing are popular at Praia de Carcavelos and Lagoa da Alfubeira (Sesimbra), as is water skiing. For the more experienced, Praia do Guincho is the place to be. Sea canoeing is another great thrill. On the Douro or Tagus rivers, you can enjoy canoeing. Kayaking is possible on rivers such as the Mondego, or on rivers throughout Portugal. Transserrano, for example, offers a 25 km trip down the Mondego to Coimbra.
And for those who don't have a surfboard at their disposal, here's a sport that requires no equipment other than your own body to glide over the waves (and a wetsuit to protect you from the cold water): body surfing. More recently, stand-up paddling has appeared on lakes, rivers and beaches around Lisbon at Praia de Carcavelos and Cascais, as well as in the north on Vila do Conde beach north of Porto.
