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).
geocalia
Day itinerary · 39.60° N · 9.07° W
Surfing in Nazaré, an hour and a half from Lisbon.
A surf lesson on Nazaré's sheltered beach, seafood rice facing the sand, the funicular to the Sítio and the fort from which you see the giant waves.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Lisboa fromSevilla 1 hMadrid 1 h 15Málaga 1 h 15Asturias 1 h 30Alicante 1 h 45Bilbao 1 h 45Valencia 1 h 45Barcelona 2 hGran Canaria 2 h 30Tenerife Sur 2 h 30
Part of Nazaré
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car1 h 30 each way
By carAbout 120 km along the A8
Surf lesson€35 · 90 min
LunchRice dishes €22 to €28 per person
DifficultyEasy
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Lisbon 1 h 30 by car
along the A8, about 120 km
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1
Surf lesson on Nazaré beach with Nazare Surf School
Nazare Surf School · €35 · 90 min with board, wetsuit and insurance · book by email or phone
+351 916 386 907
- 2 min on foot
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2
Mar Bravo Restaurant
seafood rice or cataplana for two · kitchen open from 12:00 to 22:30
Praça Sousa Oliveira, 71, 2450-159 Nazaré · +351 262 569 160
Restaurant €€€Book - 5 min on foot
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3
Going up to the Sítio on the 1889 funicular or up the hillside
three-minute climb to the Sítio
- 13 min on foot
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4
Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo and the Surfer Wall
lighthouse, Surfer Wall and Praia do Norte
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Back home
you reach Lisbon around 19:15
Approximate cost
About €70–95 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Surf lesson on Nazaré beach with Nazare Surf School
Nazaré is famous for the giant waves of Praia do Norte, but the village beach, on the other side of the headland, is a sheltered bay where you can learn to surf. This Sunday begins in the water with a 90-minute lesson, continues with a seafood rice facing the sand and ends at the fort beneath the lighthouse, looking out at the beach of the record-breaking waves.
The day, hour by hour
7:45 · Departure. Along the A8 from Lisbon, about 120 km, a good hour and a half. Park at the Praia early: in summer it fills up.
10:00 · Surf lesson. Nazare Surf School has its premises on Avenida da República, facing the beach. The group lesson lasts 90 minutes and costs €35 with board, wetsuit and insurance; it starts on the sand with a warm-up and then everyone goes into the water with an instructor suited to their level. There are changing rooms, hot showers and lockers. They also teach in Spanish. Book beforehand by email or phone.
12:30 · Lunch at Mar Bravo. In the beach square, a few steps from the school. It is the seafood restaurant of the hotel of the same name: seafood rice or fish and shellfish cataplana for €50 for two, seafood açorda for €39 for two, or fish by weight. The kitchen does not close mid-afternoon, so there is no rush after the lesson.
15:00 · Funicular to the Sítio. The 1889 funicular climbs to the top of the cliff in three minutes, from the Praia. At the top, the viewpoint over the whole bay and the sanctuary square.
15:30 · Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo. A kilometre on foot from the Sítio. The fort beneath the lighthouse has the Surfer Wall with the boards of the great surfers and the view of Praia do Norte. From October to March, if there is a storm, you will see the big waves.
17:30 · Heading back. You go down on the funicular and reach Lisbon around 19:15.
Time1 h 30
Change the route
If you are with small children who do not want a lesson: a sand afternoon:
Praia da Nazaré, the town beach
A day of storm, from October to March:
The giant waves of Praia do Norte from the fort
In the rain, the monastery 13 km away:
Alcobaça Monastery, 13 km away
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
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 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.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Nazaré
From May to September, with warmer water and a calm bay. The school is open all year; in winter, in a full wetsuit, and the fort shows you the big waves if there is a storm.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the lesson with your level
Write to the school saying whether you have surfed before and how many of you there are.
- 2Bring warm clothes
It blows hard up at the fort, even in summer, and after the water you will be glad of them.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to know how to surf?
No. The lesson suits anyone who has never held a board and anyone who wants to improve.
Do you surf at Praia do Norte?
No. The lesson is on the village beach; Praia do Norte is watched from the fort.
Where can you eat on a Sunday?
Restaurante Mar Bravo is open every day from 12:00 to 22:30.
How much does the day cost?
The lesson, €35, and lunch, from €22 to €28 per person for rice dishes or cataplanas, plus petrol and tolls.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare/itineraries/surf-lesson-and-seafood-rice
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.