Between Sines and Vila Nova de Milfontes, you’ll find the best beaches for surfing. Here, you can grab a board and enjoy the sea all year round, especially in the fall and spring. The best news is that there are enough waves for everyone: these beaches are not crowded.
As a general rule, the swell is bigger and more consistent in winter. In other words, the perfect conditions for those who want to challenge themselves and evolve. During the summer, the waves are smaller and gentler, ideal for those making their surfing debut or those who prefer to enjoy the sea in a quieter way. Nevertheless, even this season, there are still alternatives for more advanced surfers.
The water is cold almost all year round, so an insulated suit is a must.
Aivados Beach
A rocky and wild beach, it was once a hidden oasis for local surfers. Today, he is beginning to make a name for himself in the surfing world. The exposed beach break is usually a safe bet all year round.
This beach tends to receive distant bottom waves that break both to the left and to the right. The ideal swell direction is northwest, combined with a southerly offshore wind.
Here you can surf at all stages of the tide, and the sea is never too crowded.
Malhão Beach
One of the best surf spots in Milfontes is 7 km from the village. In addition to its incomparable natural beauty, Praia do Malhão has a wide choice of peaks due to its sandy bottom. For these reasons and others (there’s a school on the beach where you can take lessons and rent equipment), it’s an ideal beach for any level of surfer.
Furnas Beach
From this river beach on the south bank of the River Mira, you can enjoy a magnificent view over the estuary and the town.
This is one of the surf spots that allows you to surf all year round, even in winter. Being a sandy beach and less exposed to the swell, it offers ideal surfing conditions for young and old alike.
São Torpes Beach
In summer, bathers and surfers flock to Praia de S. Torpes, making it the most popular beach in the region.
With its warm waters and relaxed atmosphere, this is a place where those who are, are well. There’s no shortage of entertainment, starting with surfing, which is always a fun option for people of all ages and levels of expertise.
In the north, next to the refineries, the beach is more sheltered, with a gentler swell and greater protection from northerly winds.
Occasionally, the sea gets bigger and the swell gets more powerful. When this happens, here’s the tip: head further south, where the rocks and coves offer a variety of peaks.
Although it’s a well-known beach for visitors and loved by locals, it’s never completely crowded. In addition, surfing is possible here at any time of year for people of all levels, but the best conditions occur when a south-westerly swell combines with a north-easterly offshore wind.
Vieirinha Beach
The long sandy beach characterizes it. The small rocks form coves in the sea. The good conditions for surfing and bodyboarding make it famous among surfers. Praia da Vieirinha, or Pedra da Casca, is a guarded beach with parking and easy access, where you can also find a restaurant and a surf school.
Burrinho Beach
On the old road from São Torpes to Porto Covo before reaching Praia Grande, Praia do Burrinho is hidden away. To find it, just ask. Any fisherman or local can tell you where this treasure is.
If the swell is big enough, you’ll know you’ve reached the spot when you see a perfect wave breaking in the middle of the sea. For surfing, the best conditions are when a westerly swell combines with an easterly offshore wind. This is a beach for more experienced and daring surfers who are willing to paddle out a long way to ride big waves.
