by Joseph Richard Francis
written by Joseph Richard Francis
Carcavelos surf has been catering to Lisbon locals for decades. It’s a strange spot. Some love it. Some hate it. There’s certainly a dash of die hard localism but it’s consistent and can be real fun on certain days.
An introduction to Carcavelos surf
Every surfer in Lisbon knows Carcavelos. Some will utter its name like it’s a curse; a wry smile across their face remembering that pointless day chasing pounding shore breaks with angry locals. Others talk fondly of days of dropping into steep faces and even pits on what’s probably the closest of all the surf beaches to the Portuguese capital.
We’re somewhere in between. It can get bad here. Like, real bad. But it can also be very fun when the forecast is pumping out mid-sized groundswells from the south and a decent offshore northerly. And when we say “fun,” we mean frothing A-frame barrel sorta’ fun, all just 30 minutes’ train ride out of downtown Lisbon.
Carcavelos Beach is a 2km stretch of sand that’s now riddled from head to toe with bars and surf shacks. It’s become a go-to stomping ground for surf lessons and surf trips out of the big city in the summer months, so expect plenty of flying foamies in the whitewash.
Come winter, it can really pick up as the W channels filter through down the Estoril Coast. When that happens, there are slabby, hollow waves that are better suited to more advanced riders, who come with proper energy in both their on-wave performance and localism. They typically colonize the eastern part of the beach and score amazing pits morning until night.
Look – if you’re in Lisbon and want to surf then Carcavelos is a fine choice. We still prefer the beaches that stretch south down the Costa da Caprica, or Ericeira further north, simply because of crowd factor. But it will hit the spot and could even be epic if you get it on the right day.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Portugal
Carcavelos surf at a glance
The good…
- Close to Lisbon
- Big barreling waves some of the time
- Loads of surf camps and rental options
What’s in this guide to Carcavelos surf?
Where is Carcavelos?
It’s the location of Carcavelos that really puts it on the Portuguese surf map. The break here is probably the closest of all to the center of Lisbon. It’s just eight miles to the east of the core of the city, linked by direct train lines and motorways (more on those below).
More generally, Carcavelos is on the Estoril Coast, which runs westwards from Lisbon to meet the Atlantic Ocean at Cabo Raso. It’s got good surf, especially when there’s W or SW in the swell direction.
How to get to Carcavelos?
Carcavelos and the rest of the Estoril Coast can be accessed from the Cais do Sodre train station, which sits within walking distance of the Baixa area and Bairro Alto of the capital (the main downtown core). Trains leave every 20 minutes or so and cost about €2 per person. Tickets can be bought at the automatic kiosks on the platforms.
Most people do that since most people coming here are city breakers looking to sample the surfing in Lisbon between sightseeing. Some folks who come by are just starting a surf roadtrip through Portugal. It’s an understandable first pitstop because it’s en route to Cascais, Ericeira, and even Peniche.
The most scenic way to go is the A6 coast road. Slightly faster, the A5 is more direct but is a toll road, so make sure you have the right payment thingy on your rental car. Talking of rental cars, the drive is about 30 minutes from Lisbon Airport, where there are oodles of hire places. We use RentalCars.com for all our needs in Europe, mainly because of their super-late cancellation policy. Search below…
Carcavelos surf spots
Forte de São Julião da Barra/The Zone
The spot right beneath the cliffs that host the Forte de São Julião da Barra on the eastern end of Carcavelos Beach is known as The Zone. The locals have it in their head that it’s like the most hallowed spot in Portugal. Honestly, it’s not. Plus, no one else we’ve ever met seems to care that much.
There’s no denying that on good winter groundswell pulses that bend around the Estoril “The Zone” can go off. Slab barrels with long lefts and zippy rights give it a hint of the Hossegor, especially when the tide is low and the whole bay is shallowed out. But it’s also always busy, hotly contested, and often dumpy.
Carcavelos Beach
The beach in Carcavelos spreads west from the aforementioned Zone towards a patch of rock reef on its extreme western end. This is the main surf area for all the toms, dicks, and harries that come Carcavelos’s way from spring to fall. They flood the secondary swell with foam boards and we actually love that they do – the vibe instantly changes to something much nicer than what you might expect.
It’s these peaks between the fort and the reef that make Carcavelos a decent learner spot in the summer months. Waves dip considerably in size after May as the groundswells cut their power and stop refracting past the cape out to the west. That helps things look more doable for beginners and the camps out of Lisbon will come.
Quebrada
The rocks at the westernmost part of Caraca beach are known as Quebrada. There’s a little makeshift sign here that points to various European capitals, plus a neat stone cross. It’s a top spot for sunset watching and seeing the waves crash in against the Estoril Coast. As far as the surf goes, it’s heavy stuff that pulls off shallow rocks at low tide to offer barreling rights and deathly lefts.
Cascais
Best known for its nightlife, casinos, and loyal following of beautiful people, the resort of Cascais sits about five miles down the train tracks from Carcavelos. It’s actually accessed on the exact same services that leave Lisbon, so you can just stay onboard if you prefer the look of this one. The town itself is more protected from oncoming W and NW swells than its compadre, so does much better with rare S in the swell compass. What’s really great about it is that it’s the home of some of the best surf schools in the Lisbon region and has a lovely vibe, especially if you like to party post surf.
You can check our complete guide to Cascais surfing right here
Surf camps in Carcavelos
Most of the surf camps that hit Carcavelos for their sessions are either based in Lisbon or, more likely, Cascais. That’s actually good news because Carca itself isn’t the best town. It’s got plenty of nightlife but Cascais is better and so is Lisbon, plus they have more in the way of culture and food.
In addition, the surf camps here are actually some of the highest rated in the whole country. We especially like…
- 8-Day Roots Surf Camp Beginner to Advanced Surf Package – Roots are a surf camp with plenty of style, based out of Cascais, where they have a charming pink-tinged villa and pool. The camps are both relaxed but packed with action, well suited to remote workers and with potential surf sessions in Cascais and west-facing beaches near Lisbon. Solid choice with great reviews.
- 4-Day Yoga and Surf Camp at The Salty Pelican – When it comes to short and sweet surf packages in the Lisbon region, there’s almost certainly nothing that can beat this offering from The Salty Pelican. We rate these guys as one of the best camps in Portugal for plenty of regions. They surf both the Estoril Coast (that’s Carcavelos) and the Sintra Coast from this base in Cascais.
Want more inspiration for surf camps in Lisbon – check out our complete guide to those. We also have the lowdown on the best surf camps in Portugal for this year, if you were willing to head further afield.
Where to stay when surfing in Carcavelos?
If a full-on surf camp isn’t quite your thing, then you could always just bed down in Carcavelos and surf there every day. The other option, of course, is to stay in Lisbon itself. The great thing about Carcavelos is that it’s literally 25 minutes in the train away.
Here are hotel options that cover both those bases…
- Cozy Apartment with Patio near Carcavelos Beach – A perfect choice for families or groups of pals who want to bed down in Carcavelos town itself, this self-contained flat has a double and two single beds, is well designed, spills onto a sunny terrace, and is within walking distance of the beach (1.5km).
- Casa do Barao – Elegantly crafted Casa do Barao is a bout of Lisbon history with good access to Cais do Sodre station (where you access Carcavelos from). It’s a stunning pad, complete with period interiors and a gorgeous outdoor pool. For those with some cash to splash.
- Studios with Mezzanine Rua da Moeda – Fun, spacious places to stay just steps from the train station to get you to Carcavelos. You’ll be in the thick of the Lisbon action, with your own self-catering kitchen and big mezzanine bed. Great value and good spot.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Carcavelos surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Carcavelos surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
Surf lessons in Carcavelos
We always recommend pre-booking surf lessons in Carcavelos if you’re visiting any time between May and August. It gets busy here and there can be waits of several days to get onto one of the summer classes if there’s a rush. Some great options that can be reserved online are:
- Guided Surfing Tour & Lessons with Carcavelos Surf School – Book in with one of the longest-running and best-rated surf schools on Carcavelos Beach. The package is two hours of surfing and includes a pick up in Lisbon. What’s more, they’ll drive down to the Costa da Caprica if the swell is better there, so it’s fantastically versatile.
- Surf Lesson on Praia de Carcavelos – A limit of 15 people at once makes this a mid-sized surf group that does everything you want from a surf lessons without breaking the bank. It costs $44 per person, includes all your gear, and lasts two hours in total
When to surf in Carcavelos?
Winter and summer offer extremely different sorts of surfing in Carcavelos. The months between November and March see consistent and powerful groundswells swinging around from the Atlantic to hit the Estoril Coast. This is when Carca is best suited to expert riders and when the beach gets its rep for heavy barreling rights and lefts.
Spring and autumn will showcase a mixture. On the winter side of those seasons, there are days when it can be board-breakingly heavy in Carcavelos, with hollow rights and lefts that just do not suit the crowd of surf schools you’re bound to see. But there are also 2-5 foot days with light offshores that are just about perfect for learning.
Talking about learning, the summer is the time for that. You’ll have the odd day when it’s flat, which is why we’d recommend surf camping it if you do decide to come. That way, you’ll be driven out to Ericeira or Praia do Guincho to seek out the more regular windswells that happen from May to August. Most of the time, though, Carcavelos will be abuzz with small-swell riders and hotdoggers, all within easy striking distance of the incredible Portuguese capital.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
Joseph Richard Francis
Joe “Rich” Francis has been surfing for the best part of 15 years. He’s nowhere near as good as he should be at the end of all that, but hey ho. Born and bred in Swansea, South Wales (the current base of The Surf Atlas), Joe is a seasoned adventure travel writer with completed publications in the surf-travel and adventure-travel sphere for major publications like Lonely Planet and The Culture Trip.
