The spots
14 spotsArrifana
Sheltered bay south of Aljezur with a high-quality right-hand point on the north side. The Algarve's most reliable winter wave.
Beliche
Sheltered beach beneath cliffs just east of Cabo de São Vicente. Quality lefts and rights when it's too small or too windy elsewhere.
Castelejo
Cliff-bound beach just north of Cordoama with hollow, fast peaks. Picks up huge swell and shouldn't be underestimated.
Cordoama
Powerful beach below dramatic cliffs north of Sagres. Heavy peaks when the swell is up — for confident surfers only.
Mareta
South-facing beach in central Sagres. Sheltered, beginner-friendly, and a fallback when N winds blow out the west coast.
Praia da Bordeira
Wild, sprawling beach with a lagoon at its north end. Plenty of room to spread out and quality peaks on most W swells.
Praia da Luz
Sheltered south-facing town beach near Lagos. Beginner-friendly small wave that needs a real SW swell to come alive.
Praia do Amado
Premier west-coast Algarve beach for all levels. Friendly peaks at the south end and punchier banks toward the cliffs at the north.
Praia do Burgau
Small sheltered cove near Lagos. Easy wave on south swells, primarily a learner spot.
Praia do Monte Clérigo
Charming bay with a wide beach near Aljezur. Friendlier and less crowded than Arrifana, with peaks all along the sand.
Praia do Telheiro
Small, remote beach near Cabo de São Vicente. Heavy, isolated — a wave for explorers willing to walk down the cliff path.
Praia do Zavial
Small bay between Sagres and Lagos with a punchy right reef at the east end. One of the best south-coast waves on a SW swell.
Tonel
West-facing beach at Sagres that picks up far more swell than the south coast. Reliable peaks on small-to-medium days.
Vale Figueiras
Isolated beach reached by a long dirt track. Big, exposed and uncrowded — for adventurous intermediates.