Travel
Surfing Portugal without a car
A few towns work well on buses and trains, boards and all. Where to base, how to get there, and how to move once you arrive.
Most of the Portuguese coast really does need a car. But three towns are set up so that you can arrive, surf all week and eat out without ever renting one.
Peniche and Baleal
Rede Expressos and Flixbus coaches run from Lisbon (Sete Rios) to the Peniche terminal in about an hour and a half, several times a day, for around 10 to 15 euros. Once there, the town, Baleal and the main beaches are walkable or a short local bus. The peninsula's shape means the surf comes to you.
Ericeira
Buses leave Lisbon's Campo Grande terminal for Ericeira through the day, roughly every hour, taking 55 to 80 minutes. The regional buses take boards in the luggage hold. In summer the local Beachbus runs the length of the reserve from Foz do Lizandro to Ribeira d'Ilhas for about a euro, with a trailer for boards, so you can reach every spot.
Santa Cruz
Buses from Lisbon via Torres Vedras, less frequent than the other two, but the town is compact and the beach is right there. A good quiet option if you do not mind planning around the timetable.
What does not work well
There is no direct bus between Peniche and Ericeira; you connect through Lisbon or Torres Vedras, which eats a day. So pick one base for the trip rather than trying to move between them without a car.
Boards on board
Carris Metropolitana and the regional coaches carry surfboards in the luggage compartment. Travel outside rush hour with a board bag and you will be fine.
Spots in this guide
Peniche & Baleal
The whole peninsula in one guide: why Peniche works almost year-round, where Supertubos and Baleal fit, and how locals pick a spot by the day's wind and tide.
All levelsAutumn to spring for the biggest, most consistent swell; summer smaller and better for learning
Ribeira d'Ilhas
The long, forgiving right-hand reef at the centre of the Ericeira World Surfing Reserve. Peels down a cobblestone point and takes almost any level on the right day. Host of regular WSL junior and qualifying events.
All levelsYear-round, best autumn to spring
Santa Cruz
A long, open beach between Peniche and Ericeira, with tall rock stacks offshore and a spread of peaks. Exposed and consistent, quieter than its famous neighbours, and it works for every level depending on size.
All levelsYear-round; autumn and spring the pick for size without the winter crowds elsewhereGuides
See more
A 7-day surf trip down the Silver Coast
The straightforward one-week route through the heart of Portuguese surf: Peniche and Baleal, then south to Ericeira, with Santa Cruz as the quiet card in the middle.
A long weekend surfing Ericeira
Three or four days in the World Surfing Reserve, no car needed, with a plan that scales from first lessons to the reefs.
A week surfing the Algarve
Base in Lagos or Sagres, chase the wind between two coastlines, and use the west-coast beaches when the south goes flat.