39.60° N · 9.07° W · Nazaré
Nazaré has two villages: the Praia, beside the sand, and the Sítio, on top of the cliff, with the sanctuary and the viewpoint. A 318-metre funicular with a 42% gradient, running since 1889, links them. If you would rather walk, a hillside with steps climbs up in about twenty minutes.
Part of Nazaré
Step by step
The lower station is a few streets from the beach, uphill from the seafront.
The car climbs in a straight line up the slope, with the beach opening out below, and enters a short tunnel before the upper station.
As you come out, on the left, the viewpoint looks out over the bay, the beach and the town.
The Sítio square, with the sanctuary and the dried-fruit stalls. The path to the lighthouse starts from here.
A kilometre on foot to the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, above Praia do Norte.
It is run by the municipal services and is the locals' transport, not an attraction. At the top, the Sítio square awaits, with the sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré and a viewpoint over the whole bay.
The Nazaré lift, as they call it there, is a funicular of two cars that go up and down at the same time, balancing each other, joined by a cable that runs beneath the track. It climbs a very steep slope, with a gradient of 42%, over a run of 318 metres, and before reaching the top it enters a short tunnel beneath the Sítio. From the window you see the beach and the town's rooftops opening out below you.
It has a history. It opened on 28 July 1889 and at first it was driven by a steam engine with a wood-fired boiler installed at the top, with machinery from the German firm Maschinenfabrik Esslingen; among the promoters was the engineer Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard. The council bought it in 1931. After an accident in 1963 it was out of action until 1968, and between 2001 and 2002 it was completely renovated.
Everyone. It is the easy way up to the Sítio with children, with older people or with anyone who does not want a hard climb. If you have a pushchair, ask at the station how to board. If you like walking, go up on foot by the hillside and come down on the funicular, or the other way round.
The lower station is in the Praia, a few streets from the seafront, uphill from the beach. The upper one, in the Sítio, is beside the Suberco viewpoint and a few steps from the square and the sanctuary. From the Sítio, the lighthouse and the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo are a kilometre away, about 13 minutes on foot.
It runs all year as public transport. The best time to go up is the last of the afternoon, to watch the sunset over the bay from the viewpoint. In summer and on winter giant-wave days it is much busier. Before you go, check that it is in service: in 2026 it went through inspections and trials.
There is a visitor ticket, bought at the station. From 1 January 2027 residents of Nazaré travel free, and the council has announced that fares for everyone else will rise to compensate. Check the current price at the station.
The funicular is covered and the ride lasts a few minutes, so it is a good plan in bad weather. At the top, the sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré can be visited under cover; the viewpoint, in rain and wind, is better in a calm spell.
Who it's for
You want to go up to the Sítio without tiring yourself, you are with children or older people, or you like transport with a history.
You prefer walking: the climb on foot up the hillside is about twenty minutes and has views.
What to bring
Map
What you have around the starting point.
More to do
Itineraries
Tips
The way down the hillside has views and is not tiring.
It was stopped for inspection and tested again in 2026. The council changes fares in 2027: check the price at the station.
From the Suberco viewpoint you watch the sun set over the bay.
From the Sítio it is 13 minutes on foot to the fort, the balcony over Praia do Norte.
Questions
A few minutes for a 318-metre run.
There is a visitor ticket; from 1 January 2027 residents travel free and the other fares rise. Check the price at the station.
Yes, by the hillside with steps that starts from the north end of the beach, in about twenty minutes.
The sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, the viewpoint over the bay and the path to the lighthouse and the fort.
Since 28 July 1889. At first it ran on steam; it was completely renovated between 2001 and 2002.
42%, over a 318-metre run.
A kilometre from the Sítio station, about 13 minutes on foot.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare/things-to-do/nazare-funicular
