Algarve - Another Paradise for Surfers
The southern coast of Portugal and the Algarve district located here is a popular vacation area.
Picturesque nature, 200 kilometers of continuous beaches, a decent selection of activities, and opportunities for golf, tennis, and water sports all make Algarve attractive for tourists and adventurers.
A constant flow of surfing enthusiasts is drawn here by year-round waves, numerous surf spots, and surf schools.
Beach near Carvoeiro, Algarve
Recognized advantages of southern Portugal include the friendliness of locals, good service, affordable prices, and vibrant social scenes.
What Algarve Looks Like
What Algarve Looks Like
The coastline is dotted with cozy towns and fishing villages with excellent infrastructure.
In the western part are breathtakingly beautiful coves surrounded by cliffs, while the eastern part offers gentle sandy shores.
The beaches are diverse: vast and tiny or tucked between greenery-covered cliffs. Most beaches are accessed by long staircases.
During the summer, the beaches are not overcrowded with vacationers. One can always find a place with fewer people. The seabed occasionally features rocks and seaweed.
A bird's eye view of Algarve
Untouched nature: cliffs, reefs, grottos, almond and orange groves, and an exquisite view of the vast Atlantic Ocean create an unparalleled atmosphere of tranquility, serenity, and contemplation of beauty.
During the day, athletes move between surf spots searching for the right waves, cruise the waters, and later attend themed parties at nearby bars or gather on the beach to prepare food over coals.
How to Get There
How to Get to Algarve
From the capital, Lisbon, you can reach Algarve by train, bus, or plane. The distance is 270 km.
The cost of a train ticket from the Oriente station in Lisbon to the city of Faro is 18 euros, and the high-speed train reaches the destination in 2.5 hours.
Buses depart from the Sete Rios station, following a route along the coastline. A ticket to the small town of Albufeira costs 15 euros.
Planes land in Faro, the administrative center of the district, and passengers take buses from the airport to the city.
The train station and bus station in Faro are located nearby. From there, surfers head off to their respective surf camps.
Where to Stay
Where to Stay in Algarve
In Algarve, accommodations range from beds in modest hostels to five-star hotels or countryside villas with full service.
Even in 3-star hotels, cleanliness and delicious meals are guaranteed.
4-star hotels often offer water attractions, pools, and child-friendly zones.
At the Extreme Algarve school near Lagos and the family-friendly surf center Sagres Natura, visitors stay in cozy guesthouses.
Students at the Freeride school are accommodated by arrangement in the 4-star Memmo Baleeira hotel.
Peeking into the backyard of Memmo Baleeira, Algarve
Students of Algarve Watersport can choose between a beach house, a cottage, or a comfortable villa.
In the Flow House surf hostel, surfing lessons are provided upon request and with high quality.
In Aljezur, surfers often choose the Carpe Vita hotel.
Popular destinations among surfers include the resorts of Lagos, Albufeira, Alvor, Carvoeiro, and Portimão.
- Young travelers are drawn to the historic town of Albufeira, where during the summer, the calm sea and easier access to beaches make it convenient for families with children.
The Albufeira coastline, Algarve
The recognized party hub is the historic town of Lagos. Many Europeans vacation here.
The villas in Carvoeiro are genuinely stunning architectural masterpieces.
In the fishing village of Alvor, the high season boasts nightly celebrations that last all summer.
Strolling the picturesque streets of Alvor, Algarve
- Hostels in Algarve cost from 16 euros, while hotels start at 30 euros and upwards.
Climate and Surfing Seasons
The Climate of Algarve
The area, protected from the north by mountain ridges, has become a kind of warm oasis; this is the sunniest part of the country.
In summer, temperatures range from +24 to +30, while the water is quite cool – about +20.
In winter, it’s up to +14, with water temperatures around +16, requiring a long wetsuit with a thickness of 3/2 or more.
For surfers with over 3 years of experience, the large swells that arrive during the low season – winter and early spring – are of particular interest. Winds are stronger during this period, akin to those in England , with waves reaching heights of up to 4.5 meters; beaches are more deserted. Nonetheless, Ireland’s climate remains harsher than Portugal’s.
In the cooler season, most surfing takes place on the southern coast. Due to the variety of locations available, even beginners can find suitable spots in winter.
Summer is a time of smaller waves, up to 1.8 meters, making it safer for beginners. Beginners prefer to combine surfing lessons with beach relaxation and other leisure activities.
Surf Spots and Wave Features
Surf Spots of the Algarve
From the north, starting in Porto, heading south to Sagres, and then east along the Lagos–Albufeira–Faro line, there are dozens of surf spots, comparable to those found on the
best beaches in France
.
- On the southern coast, the winds are favorable, but the surf spots feature short and choppy waves (Zavial, Mareta, Praia da Rocha).
- In the western part, leading all the way to Cape St. Vincent, the waves are long and consistent.
These include beaches like Carriagem, Amoreira, Monte Clerigo, Arrifana, Praia do Amado, Tonel, Beliche.
Praia do Amado, Algarve
- The coastline offers all types of waves : reef breaks, point breaks, and beach breaks.
Odeceixe, Algarve
The main surf spots: Cordoama, Bordeira, Carrapateira, Praia do Amado, Odeceixe, Arrifana, Monte Clerico, Sagres.
In winter, at Sagres near the lighthouse – the southwesternmost point of Europe – huge waves crash against the shore, forming barrels.
- The main draws for surfers are the towns of Sagres, at the border of the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, and Lagos.
Surf Schools
Surf Schools in the Algarve
The Algarve’s surf schools operate year-round: FunRide near the village of Sagres, Algarve Watersport close to Lagos, Surf Holidays located in between the two, Atlantic Riders and Arrifana Surf Lodge near Aljezur, among others.
All surf schools in Portugal are certified, adhere to established teaching methods, employ experienced instructors, and provide boards and wetsuits.
Comprehensive packages prevail, where participants both learn and stay in surf camps. Most of the attendees are beginners who visit for one to two weeks, training twice a day for 2 hours per session.
Where you'd stay while training at Surf Holidays
Special programs include yoga sessions, rock-climbing lessons, and additional activities like trips to neighboring towns, spa centers, nightclubs, and even interactions with dolphins in the open sea. Lessons are conducted in English, Portuguese, Spanish (or even better – on surfing in Spain ), and in some places, in Russian.
Advanced riders can opt for sessions at various spots . One-day surf lessons are available.
A one-week stay at a camp during the low season costs from 320 euros.
This price includes transfers from the bus station to the school, from the camp to the beach; Wi-Fi, a barbecue party, breakfasts, and sometimes even lunches in the camp. Prices increase during the high season.
Infrastructure
Street in the Algarve
The coastline features scattered water attractions, restaurants, nightclubs, and shops.
- Prices are higher in small shops.
- In larger towns, groceries are more affordable at chain stores such as ALDI, Intermarch, Jumbo.
These stores offer good-quality products and a wide selection.
- Siesta in small shops lasts from 3 PM to 6 PM, while larger stores operate without interruption.
- Nearly every home in small towns has a restaurant or café. There is also a network of banks.
Portugal has high hygiene standards, maintaining cleanliness along the coastal areas and in public restrooms.
- On the beaches of the Algarve, there are no showers, except at Praia da Benagil.
It can be quite exhausting to climb up from the ocean via long staircases, especially with children.
Where to Eat
Where to Eat in the Algarve
In numerous affordable pubs, restaurants, and snack bars, a hearty dinner with drinks costs just 12 euros.
The Algarve is renowned for its seafood cuisine: expertly grilled sardines, sea bass, swordfish, and baked cod with vegetables.
It’s best to order food where locals dine – they prefer freshly caught fish. The Cozy Homestyle Cuisine. Restaurants serve fish soups, steaks, spaghetti, signature labeled port wines, and unmatched desserts: cookies and pastries.
You can grab a burger and a milkshake at a café for 6 euros.
What to Do Besides Surfing
Algarve in the evening
In Algarve, other water sports are also popular: stand-up paddleboarding ( SUP-boarding ), wakeboarding, diving, kiting, and windsurfing , as well as boating and yachting excursions.
You can try your hand at fishing for sharks and giant marlins.
Activities like tennis, golf, horseback riding, visiting water parks, and even bullfights in the town of Portimão – there are plenty of entertainment options.
The Most Interesting Attractions
Water slides in Algarve
The region has a wonderful local television channel – Algarve Travel – dedicated to showcasing interesting places.
Visit the ancient town of Lagos with its white houses and pedestrian streets.
From the scenic viewpoints of the nearby Ponta da Piedade headland, you can enjoy beautiful views of cliffs, grottos, and boats weaving among them with travelers aboard.
Children will love Zoomarine – an amusement park featuring not just an aquarium and ponds with fish and turtles, but also slides and carousels. Visitors are especially drawn to the cheerful shows with birds, sea lions, and dolphins.
Dolphin show, Zoomarine park
Near Armação de Pêra, the Fiesa International Sand Sculpture Festival has been held for over a decade, featuring sculptors from many countries. The exhibition is stunning in its craftsmanship, with themes changing yearly.
Sculptors' works at Fiesa, Algarve
The historic center of Faro is also worth a visit, with its monasteries and fortress. The walls of the famous Bone Chapel are embedded with the skulls of 1,200 Carmelite monks.
Along the seaside nature reserve Ria Formosa, boat tours are offered. You’ll see rare birds along the banks of its channels and lagoons, such as pink flamingos and storks, and you’ll discover how Portuguese people cultivate and harvest shellfish.
Ria Formosa Nature Reserve
Algarve is a province with vast tourist opportunities, stunning nature, and excellent service. Making new friends, discovering unexplored places, conquering the water, and overcoming your limits will deliver powerful and cherished memories! Surfing in Southern Portugal is a unique getaway that will be remembered for a lifetime!
