Holiday Destinations: How Your Portugal Surf Holiday Becomes the Highlight of the Year

For 20 years surfing has been my great passion that I have on my blog

Surf no made with all wave junkies parts. My surf blog is the central info portal for all German wave riders and those who want to become one. As a surf-adventurous traveler, you will find many valuable tips on how to improve your surfing skills and travel the world with your surfboard.

Just recently I have published the Surf guide Portugal, which is specifically designed to meet the needs of German surfers. The over 160 pages of Portugal know-how provide you with all the practical surf and travel tips you need to know for an unforgettable Portugal surf holiday.

Why a Portugal surf holiday simply rocks

Perfect waves, offshore winds and a lot of sunshine - with a Portugal surf holiday you live like bacon!

In addition to the numerous well-known beach breaks on the Wild West coast of the country, the warm Algarve is blessed with a multitude of top-class surf spots, which show their great potential, especially in the autumn.

What I like on the over 1,000 kilometers long Atlantic coast of Portugal but particularly well, are the almost paradise conditions for an unforgettable Road trip in the Bully or Campervan. Almost at every beach car park you can camp wild and stay undisturbed, to jump first in the morning in the waves. Also for surfing, you'll find in hardly a country better conditions than in Portugal, where many German and international surf camps have the whole year season.

Whether with or without surfboard Portugal is simply the perfect Raise land to have a super cool time with a little coal. In addition to all the delights in terms of surfing, Portugal also convinces with the very moderate cost of living, cheap flights, car rentals and surfing. Even the typical money-slingers, like eating out or party-making, are absolutely affordable in Portugal, even for economical travelers.

Many good tips, which also work in Portugal, can be found in Felicia's extensive eBook "Save better, more travel".

It's on baby: The best travel time for Wellen junkies in Portugal

What is special about a Portugal surf holiday?

There is hardly a day on the Atlantic coast, which is more than 1000 km long, without a surfable wave peeling out of the endless ocean. For the perfect travel time, however, you should still be able to estimate the level you already have on the surfboard.

If it is your first Portugal surf holiday destination and you travel as a blood surfing beginner at the southwestern tip of Europe, the summer months June, July and August are probably the best choices. The often cool Atlantic is then much warmer and the waves break even more gently than in the rest of the year.

If you are on the surfboard a bit longer, the months April and May as well as September and October make the most sense. Further advantages of a Portugal surf holiday in the off-season are moderate prices, deserted beaches and many windy days, which are extremely valuable for wave riders. Contrary to most Portugal-Newbie’s, the typical Passes wind is especially active in the Portuguese summer.

All you can surf: Many surf camps in Portugal are open all year

For a Portugal surf holiday, there are a lot of good reasons. One of them is the wide selection of surf camps, which also have a winter season and offer year-round inexpensive surfing, including beach accommodation.

Because Portugal has at least felt the world's largest density of German and international surf camps for fast learners and professional surf guiding, you should only go into the hands of professional surf coaches, which teach you in small groups with a maximum of 6 students and provide individual tips for your surf level.

So do not make your selection according to the price. Otherwise, you will be fed up with patched surfboards, giddy neoprene suits and useless sayings from arrogant surfing instructors. If you want to improve your surfing skills really fast, the surf camp of your choice should also have a professional video analysis within the program.

At Surf guide Portugal, you will also find a comprehensive overview of the smaller surf camps, which offer a pleasant family atmosphere and are tailored to their guests. Surf camps, which are based on mass processing and large course groups, do not occur in the guide. In order to get an impression of what Surf camp is best suited to your needs, you will also find all current prices and services, which are especially important for the quality of the surf school.

As a first guide I have listed here for you a small overview of proven surf camps in Portugal:

Goodtime Surf camp (Gelfa near Porto)

Surf guiding Peniche (Peniche near Lisbon)

Três Ondas (Ericeira near Lisbon)

Algarve Adventure Surf camp (Arrifana in the Algarve)

Life is better when you surf: The best surf spots for surfers

In order to make sure that you feel really comfortable and not without a break in your Portugal surfing holiday, you will find my two absolute favorite surf spots, which offer the perfect conditions for surfers on medium waves.

Arrifana: The surfer paradise in the south

The Bay of Arrifana is framed by picturesque cliffs, making it one of the few sheltered beach breaks on the west coast of the Algarve. Especially in the summer, when the traffic winds around the surrounding surf spots for chaotic waves, the beautiful beach bay of Arrifana for surfing often offers the best conditions.

All in all, Arrifana is the perfect place for your first attempts in the green wave. With small to medium-sized waves there is almost no current and the gentle surf forgives one or the other beginner's fault.

Parking is prohibited on the small road down to the beach. In the summer you can also use the specially designed shuttle for the surfers, which brings you from the cliff free down to the surf beach. After the Surf session, you can enjoy a sundowner at the Arrifana Beach bar for chillier live music.

Prainha & Cantinho da Baia: Surfmekka between Lisbon and Porto

In terms of constant waves and varied surfing conditions, the two Beach breaks Prainha and Cantinho da Baia are located in Surfmekka Peniche the place to be.

There is the chance of good beginners' waves easy with almost every wind and wave direction. Also the spots at the eastern and western end of the endless sand beach Praia do Baleal are somewhat more protected against the open surf and therefore perfect for surfing beginners. Because of the different orientation, you can always choose the waves that best fit your surf level.

Bikini, Neo and Sun blocker: These Surf gadgets you need for your Portugal Surfurlaub

WHEREVER

What is missing in a carefree Portugal surfing holiday is by no means the right neoprene suit. The water on Portugal's coasts is quite cool, especially in early summer. So that there is no big surprise, you should check out the site seatemparature.org, where you can find the typical water temperature of your target destination in Portugal for each surf month. If you have any questions regarding Neo-Thickness, Material, and Warmth, you will find all the important Dos to the Don'ts for the search for your dream-neo.

Your own surfboard is hardly worthwhile for your Portugal surf holiday. In most surf camps the equipment is already included and you can save yourself the towing and the expensive transportation in the plane.

BIKINI & BOARDSHORTS

Surfing in bikini or board shorts - this is only possible in Portugal in the Algarve, and only if you go to the hippo in late summer. Otherwise, the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal is simply not warm enough to withstand neoprene for long periods of time in the water.

SUNBLOCKER

In order to avoid the safe sundown on the first day of the surfing, you should also have a waterproof Sun blocker with at least LSF 30 in the luggage. In the meantime, there is even specially designed for surfers developed sun protection, with which you also in longer Surf sessions of unsightly skin burns spared. My tip: The SWOX TRIPLE specially designed for surfers (also available on Amazon).

CONCLUSION

Portugal is one of the best surfing destinations in Europe. You can find good waves here not only in the famous surfing resorts of Peniche and Ericeira but also on the south coast of the sunny Algarve, where you will find warm weather and excellent surfing conditions until late autumn. Apart from the good surfing conditions all year round, Portugal is also a super-beautiful, versatile and climatically pleasant surfing destination, which you will look back on all winter.

For more information on when and where the best waves run in Portugal and on which beach it is best to stay with the Campervan, you can also find in the Surf guide Portugal.