Due to the mild climate, powerful waves and winds that are born near the coast, the beaches of southern Portugal are considered to be ideal for surfing at any time of the year. The combination of natural factors gives an excellent opportunity to communicate with the Atlantic Ocean, which embodies strength, freedom, and flight.
The diverse characteristics of the waves on the beaches of Algarve are suitable for surfers of different levels of training, creating optimal conditions for practicing water sports for both professionals and beginners. Here you will find everything that you need: organized tours, surf schools, and great weather! When planning a trip to Portugal, be sure to explore the beaches that are suitable for surfing. Keep in mind that many of them may be beyond the reach of public transport, so you will need to rent a vehicle. Thus, Zitauto car hire will be a good choice for traveling along the southern coast of Portugal, enjoying the majesty of the Atlantic waves…
Praia do Amado
(photo by André Pipa)
Praia does Amado is popular in all seasons, as surfers come there to enjoy the beauty of nature and the wonderful ocean waves – it even hosts international surfing competitions. On the coast, there are several surfing schools that can teach beginners, and also improve skills of already experienced boarders.
A local café and bar are perfect places to satisfy hunger. The nearest town is Carrapateira. The landscape of the beach itself is amazing. Ocean, sand, red rocks and green hills on the horizon create a perfect panorama.
In the summer, not only surf lovers come there, but also people who want to enjoy the ocean away from the crowded tourist beaches of the central Algarve.
Praia de Falesia
(photo byNisseLQ)
The beach takes its name from the red rocks that form the landscape of Falesia. The cliffs are not very high, so access to the beach is quite convenient – gentle ramps are built along the entire length of the coast. At the same time, Praia de Falesia is protected from the cold northerly winds that start in the fall, but this fact doesn’t prevent it from being a great place for surfers.
The beach is located west of Vilamoura and extends all the way to Albufeira. It’s equipped with changing rooms, toilets, lifeguard towers, restaurants, and bars.
Falesia has a large width, thus there’s enough space for everyone, even in high season. For the fans of water sports, there’s a rental station, providing catamarans, surfing boards, and related accessories.
Getting to the beach is very simple: you need to go west from the main harbor of Vilamoura. It will take you not more than 10 minutes driving by car.
Praia de Odeceixe
(photo by TablinumCarlson)
The beaches of Portugal, located on the west coast of Algarve combine the beauty of untouched nature and a small number of tourists.
Praia de Odeceixe is practically the northernmost beach of Algarve – it’s located 3 km away from Odeceixe. The road to the beach goes along the Seixe River, which flows into the ocean.
Swimming in the river is a favorite entertainment of small children. The water here is always calm, the depth is small. Also, there’s an opportunity to enjoy canoeing.
However, the major reason for visiting Praia de Odeceixe is its excellent surfing opportunities. Moreover, there’s a surfing school.
The cleanliness of the beach is confirmed by the Blue Flag. The coastline is part of the Vincentine Coast Natural Park. On the southern part of the beach, there is a small bay where naturalists like to relax.
The road to the beach ends with a rather steep descent from the hill. Not far from the descent is a zone with a viewing platform, cafes, and restaurants. In summer, a tourist train runs from Odeceixe to the beach.
Praia de Figueira
(photo by Dirk)
This surfers’ getaway is located 14 km away from Aljezur in the north-west of the Algarve region. The coastline attracts travelers with its wild and untouched beauty.
The beach is quite wide and covered with golden sand. In addition to surfers who enjoy the ocean waves, numerous holidaymakers also come there to swim and sunbathe. There are no buildings in Figueira area – only a small country road leads to the ocean.
The local nature is really wild and, if you are lucky, you can see the Iberian lynx in on the rocks. Swimmers should remember that the waters of Praia de Figueira are characterized by a very strong underwater current, so you need to be careful and evaluate your strength correctly.
Meia-Praia
(photo by JJ Hall)
Meia-Praia attracts tourists and locals for its size, clean sand, wonderful bars and excellent conditions for surfing. The Blue Flag confirms the purity of the beach.
Meia-Praia stretches for 4 km from the delta of the Arao and Odiaxere rivers to the Alvor Beach.
Gentle ramps lead to the beach, which makes the descent accessible to all categories of holidaymakers. On the western side, the visitors are offered a large number of water activities during the summer months. Here you can almost always see surfers and boarders in the water. The eastern part is calmer, and popular among naturalists.
