Let’s take a road trip along the stunning coast of Portugal. There are more than 20 surf breaks suitable for beginners along the way. If you count secret breaks, you could surf at 100 different places. If you want to become a surfer, check out all the best surfing spots for beginners in Portugal.
- 1 When should you go on a surf trip to Portugal?
- 2 Which surf spots are must-visits?
- 3 1. Baleal, Peniche
- 4 2. Foz do Lizandro, Ericeira
- 5 3. Praia Grande, Sintra
- 6 4. Praia Arrifana, Algarve
- 7 5. Praia de Matosinhos, Porto
- 8 6. Espinho Beach, close to Porto
- 9 7. Praia do Tonel, Sagres
- 10 8. Praia do Amado, Algarve
- 11 9. Costa de Caparica, Lisbon
- 12 10. Praia Area Branca, Lourinha
- 13 11. Magoito, close to Ericeira
- 14 Final words on Best surfing in Portugal for beginners
When should you go on a surf trip to Portugal?
June through September is the summer season, and the waves are smaller and more beginner-friendly. Portugal has great waves in the winter as well, but they can often be too big and too stormy. If you want to go surfing in the winter, I recommend going to the Algarve.
April-May and October can also be epic, with nice weather and great surf conditions.
Do you want to learn even more about Surfing in Portugal, read our article .
Which surf spots are must-visits?
Portugal has many well-known beginner surfing spots, so we start by taking a look at them. Choosing one or a couple of them will be a great choice for soaking up surf culture. But if you want to surf uncrowded waves, you need to get off the beaten path and pick one of the places further down my list. They see fewer surfers, and you will have more waves to yourself.
Go on a surfing road trip
Portugal is not a big country, you can drive from the south to the north in 10 hours. So it is perfect for going on a road trip. You could even rent a van and try van life.
1. Baleal, Peniche
This is a wide sandy beach without rocks and with incredibly soft sand. The beach stretches for a kilometer, so there is plenty of space for both beginner surfers and more advanced surfers. In the summer, the waves are usually small and beginner-friendly. Baleal is also a great place to practice in the white water.
In the winter, the waves are bigger, but there are still plenty of nice surfable days.
The surf scene
There is a bit of a surf scene going on, with one or two bars where all the surfers meet up in the evening. There are several big surf shops, so this is a good place to stack up on gear before you visit more remote beaches.
This wast beach is undoubtfully the number one surfing spot in Portugal for beginners.
2. Foz do Lizandro, Ericeira
Ericeira is the surf mecca of Portugal, it is a former fishing village with lots of world-class breaks within a few kilometers.
You should not miss it since you will learn a lot about surfing by mingling with all the other dedicated surfers. In the summertime, it is a lot of fun with outdoor music events and surf film festivals.
Foz do Lizandro
This wide sandy beach is one of the most popular spots for beginners since there are no rocks and plenty of space.
Just walk towards the right, facing the ocean, and you will find less crowded breaks, which are perfect for learning to ride the waves.
Foz do Lizandro is a swell magnet (in other words, the waves tend to be too big.) The best time to come here is in the summer.
3. Praia Grande, Sintra
Ericeira gets busy in the summertime, but with a car, it is surprisingly easy to escape the crowd.
Praia Grande break picks up a lot of swell, so when the waves are small and crowded in Ericeira a trip here is well worth the effort.
Learn to surf close to Sintra
You could also spend your whole holiday in this area. The mellow waves of Praia Grande will give you plenty of practice.
When you have enough waves for the day, The world UNESCO site Sintra is a 30-minute drive away. Explore the fairytale castles and explosive greenery.
4. Praia Arrifana, Algarve
This is one of the most popular beginner’s breaks in the south of Portugal. It is a must on our road trip along the Portuguese coast. The beach faces west, so it is protected from the north wind.
Why is Praia Arrifana good for beginners?
The waves are consistent and usually small, the bottom is sandy and there are no surprises such as currents or rocks.
The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. In other words, it is perfect for a week of immersing yourself in the Atlantic.
Surf schools and surf rental
On top of the cliff, there are boards to rent, and you can sign up for surf lessons should you need some extra pointers.
Unexpected winter surf
If you are traveling in Portugal during the winter months and looking for the best surfing for beginners, this beach is exactly what you need.
The crowd is much smaller in the winter and we have had some lovely January afternoons enjoying the sunset with just a few people in the water.
5. Praia de Matosinhos, Porto
No Portugal trip is complete without a visit to Porto. Some people even prefer Porto over Lisbon. There is a certain genuine Portuguese charm that you only find in the north; go there and find out what I mean.
Take the metro to the surf
Yes, there is a metro station next to the beach, so you can enjoy the nightlife of Porto and spend the next day practicing your pop-ups.
The mix of culture and surf makes this the perfect destination for anyone who doesn’t want to go full-on beach bum on their holiday.
The beach is almost 2 kilometers long with plenty of space despite the surf schools.
6. Espinho Beach, close to Porto
Naturally, the break adjacent to Porto gets a bit crowded. Espinho is a small beach town 30 30-minute drive from Porto. It is worth spending a couple of nights here if you are looking for the best beginner surf in Portugal.
Favorable sand banks
Espinho is a small beach break, actually two breaks. But unlike many of the other beach breaks I mentioned in this article, the waves only break on the sandbanks. There are no lines of white water coming in. The bay is also relatively protected, so the waves are usually a good size for beginners.
Espinho Beach is not the place to practice in the white water; here, you will have to take the “real” wave.
The biggest selling point is that it’s not crowded since Espinho is not a surf destination. But that’s exactly what makes it a good place for surfing in Portugal for beginners.
7. Praia do Tonel, Sagres
In the south, Sagres is the place for every surfer and every aspiring surfer. The small charming surf town of Sagres is the perfect place to enjoy a cold Imperial with your fellow surfers.
Tonel is a short walk from the small town of Sagres.
The town itself hosts a lively surf community in the summer season. The winter months, on the other hand, are quiet and much warmer than the rest of Portugal.
A winter getaway
If you are looking for a winter getaway, to soak up some sun and sharpen your surf skills, I recommend basing yourself in Sagres. Ideally, you would have a car, since many good breaks are a short drive from Sagres.
8. Praia do Amado, Algarve
Here are some bonus tips since you are exploring the Algarve and the south of Portugal. Praia do Amado is more remote than Tonel, in other words, less crowded. This beginner-friendly beach is accessible by driving from Sagres.
9. Costa de Caparica, Lisbon
This beach is incredibly long, you feel like you can walk for hours without reaching the end. If you want to come to Portugal in the winter, this beach should be one of your stops, with a bit of luck the waves will be small enough since this beach picks up less swell than the more exposed area around Ericeira.
Summer in Costa Caparica
In the summertime, this beach is so much fun, offering great bars and some of the best beginner surfing in Portugal. Have a Caipirinha and watch the pros rip.
It is located 40 minutes from Lisbon. There are many peaks to pick from, it is also great for white water practice.
10. Praia Area Branca, Lourinha
Now, we will take a look at two lesser-known surf breaks. Getting away from the crowd is one of the most important parts of being able to develop as a beginner surfer. If you want more tips, check out my article, .
Why visit Praia Area Branca?
On a good day, this beautiful beach has easy beginner-friendly waves. The ideal wave size is 1-1.5.
You can stay close to the break and have a good time since there is a lively boardwalk with restaurants and cafes. It comes to life in the summertime. There is usually only one surf school out in the water and a few friendly locals.
This surf break is a bit under the radar when it comes to surf spots along Portugal’s coast.
11. Magoito, close to Ericeira
As is the case with many secret breaks, Magoito needs pretty specific conditions to present you with a slow beginner beginner-friendly point break.
A point break with little competition is ideal for developing as a surfer. You know where to position yourself to catch the wave.
Magoito is good in the summer months. There should be as little wind as possible and the ideal swell size is 0.9-1.5. Anything bigger and the break gets maxed out.
Final words on Best surfing in Portugal for beginners
In the wintertime, it’s better to go to the South of Portugal. In the summertime, the area around Ericeira, as well as North of Portugal offers beginner-friendly surf. At peak summer such as August Ericeira is your best bet since it is a swell magnet and other places can be flat.
The best way to learn to surf in Portugal is to have plenty of time and a bit of flexibility so that you can adjust your travel plans according to the swell.
If you are a complete beginner, Portugal has many great surf camps and teachers. There is a real passion for surfing present in all Portuguese coastal towns.
