Vila Galé Ericeira
Why we like it: Four-star hotel on the beach, in the centre of Ericeira, with 202 rooms, 116 with sea views, pools, a spa and a kids' club.
Duration2 nights
From Lisbon50 min by car · bus 2751
Best timeApr – Oct
ClosedMafra Palace, on Tuesdays
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Lisbon on Friday afternoon. Book Saturday's surf lesson on the Surf Riders website and check the Tapada's opening hours, which change with the seasons.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival and a stroll through the centre
Praça da República, the Santo António chapel and the Largo das Ribas viewpoint over the fishermen's beach.
- 220:30Dinner at Esplanada Furnas
Grilled fish by the kilo on the Furnas rocks. Open every day.
Saturday
- 110:00Surf lesson with Surf Riders
Group lesson from €40; you meet at their shop on Rua do Carmo, 33A, and go to the beach of the day.
- 217:30Ribeira d'Ilhas at sunset
The sets of Ericeira's most famous wave seen from the cliff.
- 320:30Dinner at Onda D'Mar
Rice dishes, fish and shellfish on Avenida São Sebastião.
Sunday
- 109:30Mafra National Palace
Royal rooms, the friars' infirmary and the library. Opens at 9:30; closed on Tuesdays.
- 212:30Tapada Nacional de Mafra
Trails among cork oaks and pines with red and fallow deer, from the Portão do Codeçal.
- 317:00Back to Lisbon
You arrive around 18:00.
Ericeira is a white-and-blue fishing village on the clifftop, a World Surfing Reserve, an hour from Lisbon. Two nights give you time to learn to stand up on a board, watch the good surfers at Ribeira d'Ilhas, climb up to Mafra Palace and its library and walk among deer in the Tapada. It can be done without a car: bus 2751 leaves from Campo Grande.
How do you get there from Lisbon?
By car, about 50 km along the A8 and A21, with tolls. Without a car, Carris Metropolitana bus 2751 goes from Campo Grande to Ericeira via Mafra. From the airport, metro to Campo Grande.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Vila Galé Ericeira | Centre, above the beach | Families, with pools, spa and children's club |
| Ericeira Camping | North of the centre | Bungalows or pitch, near the surf beaches |
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Ericeira and Mafra, 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 Ericeira and Mafra
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Ericeira and Mafra by car
The car links the two halves of the destination well: the palace and the Tapada are inland, 10 km from the coast, and the surf beaches are spread north and south of Ericeira. In the centre of Ericeira, park and walk.
70–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayVila Galé Ericeira, in the…
- Getting aroundFrom Lisbon, the A8 and…
- Where to eatEsplanada Furnas, park up in…
- ServicesTicket office of the Tapada…
Where to stay
- Vila Galé Ericeira, in the centre
- Ericeira Camping, with a pitch for a caravan or motorhome
Getting around
- From Lisbon, the A8 and A21, with tolls
- Mafra to Ericeira, 10 km; to the Tapada, via the Portão do Codeçal
Where to eat
- Esplanada Furnas, park up in the centre
- Onda D'Mar, on Avenida São Sebastião
Services
- Ticket office of the Tapada de Mafra
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Ericeira Camping (Parque de Campismo de Mil Regos)
Why we like it: Municipal campsite north of Ericeira with bungalows, tipis and unbookable pitches, close to the surf beaches and the centre.
From €7
View details
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Ericeira | Centre, beaches and surf schools | |
| Mafra | Palace and basilica, 10 km away | |
| Tapada | Royal reserve with trails, 5 km from Mafra |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Ericeira and Mafra
Esplanada Furnas
What to order: choose the fish of the day from the display case at the entrance and order some clams à Bulhão Pato to start.
Onda D'Mar by Furnas
What to order: a seafood rice to share or the grilled fish.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the surfing for Saturday morning
The sea is usually calmer early.
- 2Bring comfortable shoes for the Tapada
The trails are dirt.