A week on the Costa Vicentina

The Costa Vicentina is the stretch of coast inside the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, from Porto Covo down to Sagres. It is the least developed surf coast in mainland Portugal: cliffs, empty beaches, a few small towns, and swell that arrives with nothing to slow it down. You need a car, and you should come for the waves and the quiet rather than nightlife or big surf schools.

When to come

Spring and autumn. Summer is busy with Portuguese holidaymakers and the nortada blows hard most afternoons; winter is powerful and often too big. May, June, September and October are the sweet spot.

Where to base

Two options. Vila Nova de Milfontes, a proper small town at the mouth of the Mira, with restaurants and a sheltered estuary beach for the flat days, plus the open breaks at Malhao and Furnas nearby. Or Arrifana, further south near Aljezur, a clifftop hamlet above a horseshoe bay that is the most reliable wave on the coast and holds shape when everywhere else is a mess.

A week, roughly

Three or four nights in Milfontes: surf Malhao and Furnas, use the estuary on the big days, day-trip to Almograve and Zambujeira do Mar. Then move south to Arrifana or Aljezur for the rest: Arrifana bay, Monte Clerigo, Amoreira, and Odeceixe's river-mouth beach on the way down. Finish at Sagres if you want a night out and easier waves.

What the surf is like

Exposed, powerful beach breaks over sand, with strong currents and cold, clean water. Arrifana is the exception, a partly sheltered bay that works for intermediates. Most of the rest wants some experience, a proper look at the conditions, and respect for the rips. There is little crowd pressure, but there is often nobody around if something goes wrong.

Practical notes

Fuel up in the towns and carry water and food to the beaches. Check the park rules on where you can park and sleep. Vans are common but wild camping is restricted and enforced. Phone signal drops out on the cliff roads.