Surfing Cascais & Estoril

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 1-6 ft · Crowd 5/5

W-SW swell, N-NE offshore wind, all tides; often flat in summer

Carcavelos is Lisbon's main surf beach, about 25 minutes by train from Cais do Sodré. It's a wide sandy bay that faces south-west into the mouth of the Tagus, so it needs a decent west or south-west swell to break, and in summer it's often flat. From autumn to spring it works much more often, from knee-high to overhead, with a north or north-east wind offshore.

There are softer banks for beginners and faster peaks for experienced surfers along the beach. Surf schools work here every day and it's always busy, but the bay is wide enough to spread people out. After heavy rain the water near the river mouth gets polluted, so give it a day or two.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 3-8 ft · Crowd 4/5

NW-W swell, strong thermal wind, all tides

Guincho is a wide, open beach west of Cascais, where the Sintra hills meet the Atlantic. It takes the full force of the swell and is one of the most powerful beach breaks near Lisbon.

It's also one of the windiest beaches in Portugal, which is why it's popular with kitesurfers. Surf early in the morning before the wind gets up. The currents and shorebreak are strong, so it's not a beach for beginners.

It's at its best in autumn and winter, early in the day, when a north-west swell meets light morning winds. In summer the northerly wind, the Nortada, blows hard on most afternoons, and the beach belongs to the kitesurfers.

Guincho is inside the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, with a big car park and a few restaurants above the beach, and Cascais is about fifteen minutes away by car or bus. If it's too big or too windy, Carcavelos, on the sheltered side of Cascais, is the usual backup.

Right Reef · Best Sep-Apr · 2-6 ft · Crowd 3/5

W-SW swell, N wind, all tides (left at high tide)

São Pedro do Estoril is a right-hand reef in the small bay at São Pedro, on the coast between Cascais and Lisbon. The rights break over a mix of rock and sand and can run a long way on a good swell. At high tide a left also breaks off the reef further down.

It needs a decent west or south-west swell to wake up, so it's mostly an autumn and winter wave, and north winds are offshore. The bottom is rock in places, which makes it a wave for intermediate and advanced surfers rather than a place to learn. Bica, a longer right, is just next door, and the lineup is mostly locals from Cascais and Estoril.

Right Point · Best Sep-Apr · 2-7 ft · Crowd 2/5

Clean SW-W swell, N wind, low tide

Bica is a right point on the rocky coast near Lisbon, with longer rides than the beach breaks around it. It needs a clean south-west to west swell, a north wind and low tide.

It's mostly surfed by Lisbon locals, who check it together with Bolina nearby. Suits intermediate and advanced surfers.

It's at its best in autumn and winter, when a clean swell wraps into the bay and the north wind is offshore. The point is close to the road between Cascais and Lisbon, so it's easy to check from the car. The local crowd knows it well, so be patient.

Right Point · Best Sep-Apr · 2-6 ft · Crowd 2/5

Clean groundswell, mid tide

Bolina is a slow right point on the cliff-lined coast near Lisbon, close to Bica. It's softer and longer than Bica, and suits surfers who prefer flowing rides to fast sections.

Local surfers usually check both and surf whichever is better. It needs a clean groundswell.

It works on a clean groundswell at mid tide, usually from autumn to spring. It's a good choice when Carcavelos is closing out or crowded. Cascais and Estoril, nearby, have plenty of places to stay and eat.

Right Point · Best Oct-Mar · 3-10 ft · Crowd 1/5

Big SW-W winter swell, N wind

Santo Amaro is a right point over reef at Santo Amaro de Oeiras, on the stretch of coast between Lisbon and Cascais. It sits inside the river mouth, so it needs a big swell to break, and it's one of the few waves near Lisbon that works when a south-west winter storm comes through.

When it's on, the rights are long and powerful and it suits advanced surfers. On normal days it's flat. The water near Lisbon can be polluted after heavy rain, so check before you go.

Beach Break · Best Year-round · 2-8 ft · Crowd 2/5

Exposed; NW swell, E wind, lower tides

Praia das Maçãs is a beach break on the Sintra coast north of Lisbon, in a small village at the end of the old tram line from Sintra. It faces the open Atlantic, so it picks up a lot of swell and works at any time of year.

It's best on a north-west swell with an east wind, usually at lower tides, and it suits intermediate surfers; surf schools also teach here on smaller days. When it's too busy or not working, Praia Grande is five minutes away by car. Sintra's misty, forested hills back the coast here, which gives it a different feel from the city beaches near Lisbon.

Beach Break · Best Sep-Apr · 2-7 ft · Crowd 3/5

Clean swell, N wind

Praia Grande is the main surf beach on the Sintra coast, north of Cascais, and a regular venue for surf and bodyboard contests. It's a consistent beach break with hollow peaks, and it's a little more sheltered from the north wind than the beaches around it.

It gets crowded quickly on good days, and the locals are competitive. If it's too busy, try Praia Pequena, the small beach at the southern end, or Praia das Maçãs to the north. Best on a clean swell with an east wind.