37.29° N · 8.87° W · Costa Vicentina
Arrifana is a shell-shaped bay, sheltered by the north cliff, where the waves break in an orderly way over sand. That is why it is the learning beach of the Costa Vicentina. Arrifana Surf School has a hut on the sand from May to October and 2-hour group lessons from €45.
Part of Costa Vicentina
Who offers it
Independent companies: you book with them, on their terms. Prices are as they publish them and may change.
Step by step
You put on the wetsuit, choose a soft board and the instructor explains how the wave and the day's currents work.
You practise the movement of standing up on the board, on dry land.
You go into the whitewater with the instructor beside you, first lying down and then trying to stand up.
You leave the board and wetsuit at the hut. If you do the 3-hour lesson, you have more time in the water to repeat.
You go down to the beach by the fortress road and find a closed bay with a needle of rock at one end. The waves at the shore are gentle most of the year and the cliff blocks the north wind.
Arrifana is one of the best-known surf beaches on the west coast of the Algarve, within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast natural park. Its shell shape, closed by high cliffs, protects it from the wind and orders the waves, which break over a sandy bottom. For beginners, that means constant whitewater near the shore and fewer scares than on a beach open to the Atlantic.
Arrifana Surf School & Camp has been teaching here for more than 18 years, with local instructors, and has a hut on the sand from May to October. The lessons are based there and equipment is hired from there. The office and the camp are in the Arrifamar development, above the beach.
For beginners who can swim and want to learn the basics in a couple of sessions. The 2-hour group lesson is designed for starting from zero; the 3-hour one gives more time in the water; the private one is for progressing quickly with an instructor all to yourself. The school says it adapts lessons to all levels. If you are bringing children or teenagers, ask the minimum age when booking: it does not publish it.
If you already surf, you can go straight to the hut, hire a board and wetsuit and get in the water when you see good conditions.
Arrifana is in the municipality of Aljezur, a few minutes by car from the town on the coast road. The road goes down to the beach past the fortress. Below, the car park is small; above, next to the fortress, there is more room and a long staircase to the sand. If you are staying in the Arrifamar area or at the school's camp, you walk down.
The hut is open from May to October, every day from 8:30 to 19:30. In high summer the beach fills up and so does the car park: go down early. In May, June, September and October there is more room on the sand and in the water. Here you always surf in a wetsuit.
The 2-hour group lesson, from €45 (reduced price; the normal rate is €55). The 3-hour one, €65. The private one, €220. The school also puts together tailor-made packages and a seven-day camp with daily surfing, accommodation near the beach and breakfast, with the price on request. Add lunch at the beach or development bars.
In a very big sea or with no waves, the lesson may change time or beach: the school moves according to conditions. If the day is not right for surfing, the stage of the Fishermen's Trail between Monte Clérigo and Arrifana passes above the beach and shows you the bay from above.
Who it's for
You want to try surfing for the first time on a sheltered beach, you can swim and you fancy repeating it on another day.
You cannot swim or you are uncomfortable with cold Atlantic water.
What to bring
More to do
Itineraries
Tips
In summer the beach car park is small and fills up. Above, next to the fortress, there is more room and a long staircase.
It gives time to catch more waves in the same session.
Depending on the tide the lesson may be brought forward or put back.
The 2-hour lesson is €45 instead of €55 when booked on its website.
Questions
No. The group lessons are for starting from scratch; you only need to be able to swim.
From €45 for the 2-hour group lesson, €65 for the 3-hour one and €220 for the private one.
The beach hut is open from May to October. Outside those dates, ask the school.
Because it is a sheltered bay with a sandy bottom. If there are no waves here, the schools move to beaches such as Amado or Monte Clérigo.
From May to October, every day from 8:30 to 19:30.
Yes. Boards and wetsuits are hired at the hut to go on your own.
Yes. The school has a seven-day camp with accommodation near the beach, breakfast and daily surfing.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/algarve/costa-vicentina/things-to-do/arrifana-surf-lesson
