The giant waves of Praia do Norte from the fort
3 hEveryone; with children, away from the edgeOctober to March, big-sea days only
Viewpoint · 2–4 h · October to March · Free
Stay1–2 nights
AccessCar or bus from Lisbon, about 1 hr 30
Giant wavesOctober – March
BeachJune – September
What to do
What to do in Nazaré
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Going up to the Sítio on the 1889 funicular or up the hillside
1 h · 318 mEveryoneAll year
Funicular · 3 min · 318 m · From the beach to the viewpoint
Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo and the Surfer Wall
45 minEveryone; teenagers get hookedAll year
A fort from 1577 beneath the Nazaré lighthouse with the Surfer Wall and views of the giant waves at Praia do Norte. Open daily; cheap admission.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Nazaré, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Nazaré
Two different trips: from June to September, beach in the sheltered bay; from October to March, storms and, on some days, giant waves at Praia do Norte. For the waves, follow the forecast and go at short notice.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Nazaré your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Nazaré by car, from the Sítio to Alcobaça
With a car, Nazaré combines in a short while with Alcobaça monastery, 13 km away, and you reach Praia do Norte without depending on the funicular on wave days. In the town itself, though, the car is a hindrance: the Praia is covered on foot and the Sítio is reached by funicular.
60–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Mar Bravo, facing the…
- Getting aroundFrom Lisbon, the A8, a…
- Where to eatMar Bravo Restaurant, kitchen open…
- ServicesFunicular from the Praia to…
Where to stay
- Hotel Mar Bravo, facing the beach; ask about parking
- Miramar Hotel Spa & Apartments, high up in Pederneira, with a spa
- Ohai Nazaré, campsite and bungalows 4 km away, first car included
Getting around
- From Lisbon, the A8, a little over an hour and a half
- On big-wave days, leave the car below and take the funicular up
- Alcobaça, about 20 minutes
Where to eat
- Mar Bravo Restaurant, kitchen open from 12:00 to 22:30
- Taberna d'Adélia, fish on Rua das Traineiras; closed on Thursday
Services
- Funicular from the Praia to the Sítio
Flying to Lisbon, then car or bus to Nazaré
Nazaré is about 120 km north of Lisbon, which is the nearest airport, with direct flights from many Spanish cities. By hire car it is a little over an hour and a half along the A8; without a car, the scheduled bus from Lisbon takes a little over an hour and a half to the town, and there everything is done on foot and by funicular.
- Getting thereLisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), about…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport…
- Where to stayHotel Mar Bravo, on the…
- ServicesNazare Surf School, on the…
Getting there
- Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), about 120 km away
- Scheduled bus from Lisbon to Nazaré, a little over 1 h 30
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport, along the A8
- On foot around the Praia and by funicular to the Sítio
- Car for Alcobaça and Praia do Norte on wave days
Where to stay
- Hotel Mar Bravo, on the beach square, to arrive by bus and not move the car
- Miramar Hotel Spa & Apartments, with a spa for the first night
Services
- Nazare Surf School, on the promenade, open all year
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Nazaré for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Nazaré with the family: funicular and beach
Nazaré is easy with children: a wide beach, sheltered in summer, a funicular up to the cliff and, in winter, the spectacle of the waves from a fort with a lighthouse.
- What works bestThe funicular to the Sítio…
- Where to stayIn the Praia, beside the…
- Where to eatGrilled fish in the Praia
- Worth knowingAt the viewpoints in a…
What works best
- The funicular to the Sítio, and walking down the hillside
- The town beach, sheltered by the headland
- The giant waves seen from the fort on a stormy day
- The fort's Surfer Wall, with the surfers' boards
Where to stay
- In the Praia, beside the promenade and the funicular
Where to eat
- Grilled fish in the Praia
- Dried fruit and nuts from the Sítio stalls for the walk to the lighthouse
Worth knowing
- At the viewpoints in a big sea, hold hands and stay behind the barriers
- In summer the beach fills up: arrive early
- Bring a jacket for the lighthouse, even in July
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Mar Bravo
Why we like it: 16-room hotel on Praça Sousa Oliveira, facing Nazaré beach, with sea balconies, breakfast included and a fish and seafood restaurant.
Miramar Hotel Spa & Apartments
Why we like it: Four-star hotel in the upper part of Pederneira, with ocean views, a spa with a heated pool, an outdoor pool and seven apartments, 700 m from the beach.
Ohai Nazaré Outdoor Resort
Why we like it: Campsite and resort among pines 4 km from Nazaré beach, with bungalows, apartments, glamping and pitches, a water park, a heated pool and dogs welcome.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Nazaré
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Taberna d'Adélia
What to order: ask them to show you the fish of the day before cooking; if there is oven-baked redfish with açorda, it is the recipe the house keeps repeating.
Mar Bravo Restaurant
What to order: the seafood rice or the fish and seafood cataplana, for two (€50); if you are on your own, the seafood açorda in an individual portion (€22).
Mar Aberto Wine Bar Restaurant
What to order: ask for a table by the glass windows and ask about the fish and seafood of the day; if you only want to nibble, the wine bar serves light tapas.
Nearby
Near Nazaré
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
39.36° N · 9.16° W
Óbidos
By carLuxuryCar-free
39.63° N · 8.67° W
Fátima and Batalha
By carBy plane
39.36° N · 9.38° W
Peniche and the Berlengas
By car
39.60° N · 8.42° W
Tomar
By carCar-freeBy plane
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the forecast before going in winter
The Nazaré Big Waves website announces the big days. Without a storm, Praia do Norte is just an ordinary sea.
- 2Always bring a coat
On the lighthouse headland the wind blows hard even in summer.
- 3Combine with Alcobaça
The monastery is 13 km away: a morning of monument and an afternoon by the sea.
Going down to the sand at Praia do Norte in a big sea
The waves reach much higher than they appear to and drag you in. Watch the waves from the cliff, behind the barriers.
How do you get there from Spain?
By car, on the A8 from Lisbon (about 120 km) or from the north via Leiria. From Madrid it is about six and a half hours, crossing via Badajoz or Vilar Formoso. Without a car, fly to Lisbon and take a scheduled bus to Nazaré, a little over an hour and a half.
How do you get around Nazaré?
On foot around the Praia and by funicular or up the hillside to reach the Sítio. From the Sítio to the lighthouse and the fort there is a path of about fifteen minutes. You only need a car for Alcobaça and the surroundings; on wave days, leave the car below, because the Sítio car parks fill up early.
Where to sleep and eat?
To sleep, the Hotel Mar Bravo is on the beach square; the Miramar Hotel Spa & Apartments, high up in Pederneira, has a spa and views over the whole bay; and Ohai Nazaré is the campsite with bungalows and a water park, 4 km away, which admits dogs. To eat, the Taberna d'Adélia is the fish restaurant of the fishermen's quarter; the Restaurante Mar Bravo, the seafood restaurant opposite the sand with a kitchen open all day; and the Mar Aberto, the dining room with a view at the Miramar.
Can you learn to surf?
Yes, and not at Praia do Norte: the surf lesson with Nazare Surf School takes place on the town beach, which is sheltered, all year round, for €35 with board and wetsuit.
What should you book in advance?
Accommodation in August, when the beach fills up, and on big-wave days, when photographers and curious onlookers arrive from all over the country. For the waves you don't book anything: you follow the forecast and travel as soon as big seas are announced.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When can you see the giant waves?
From October to March, only a few days per season, with the Atlantic storms. The tow-surfing championship is called between 1 November and 31 March if the sea allows it.
Where are they best seen from?
From the headland of the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, next to the lighthouse, and the cliffs above Praia do Norte.
How do you get up to the Sítio?
On the funicular of 1889, which leaves from the Praia, or on foot up the hillside stairs in about twenty minutes.
Is it a good destination with children?
Yes. In summer the town beach is wide and sheltered, and they love the funicular. In winter, with waves, keep an eye on them at the viewpoints.
Is it worth going in summer?
Yes, as a beach town. But the giant waves are a winter thing.