Beach break · Sagres, Algarve · 37°00′N 8°57′W
Mareta
The south-facing town beach at Sagres, tucked out of the west wind and swell. Gentle and forgiving, the main learner wave in Sagres and the go-to when the west coast is too big or too windy.
Mareta sits right below Sagres town, facing south into the bay. The headland and the fort shelter it from the prevailing west wind and knock down west swell, so while Tonel is maxing and blown out, Mareta is often a clean, small, friendly wave.
Who it is for
Beginners and improvers. Almost every surf school in Sagres uses Mareta for lessons because it is safe, close and consistent enough. On a solid south swell it can offer a longer, more shaped wave for intermediates.
When
A south or south-west swell, or a big west swell that wraps into the bay, with a northerly wind. Mid tide. It is the reliable option year-round when other Sagres spots are unsurfable.
Schools & rentals near here
Algarve Surf School
A surf school and camp based in Sagres since 1996, teaching at Praia da Mareta and Praia do Amado depending on wind and swell, with ASI-certified instructors and a free transfer from Lagos.
Surf
FreeRide Surfing
A surf school and camp in Sagres since 2002, with a year-round surf centre at the Memmo Baleeira hotel and a beach hut at Praia da Cordoama from June to November.
Surf
Good Feeling Surf School
A surf school and camp near Sagres, working since 1997 and certified by the Portuguese Surf Federation, teaching year-round on the beaches of the far southwest.
Surf
Sagres Natura Surf Camp
A long-running surf camp, school and shop in Sagres, with dorm accommodation, certified instructors for beginners through advanced, board rental, and a retail shop offering camp guests a discount.
SurfNearby
Tonel
The west-facing beach at Sagres, a short walk from town. Far more exposed than the south-coast beaches, so it holds swell when everywhere sheltered is flat, but it is powerful and shifty.
IntermediatesAutumn to spring; the west coast is biggest and cleanest then
Beliche
A cliff-ringed beach between Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente, reached by a long stairway. More exposed and more powerful than Tonel, with a fast, hollow wave for confident surfers.
Advanced surfersAutumn to spring
Martinhal
A sheltered bay just east of Sagres where the summer north wind blows offshore across flat water: one of the few windsurfing spots in the western Algarve. Hardly ever any surf, and that is the point.
All levelsSummer afternoons, when the nortada blowsCommon questions
- What kind of wave is Mareta?
- Mareta is a beach break. It wants S to SW swell, or a large W/NW that wraps into the bay swell and works best with offshore or cross-off from the n / nw wind.
- Is Mareta good for beginners?
- Yes — it's rated beginners and works for people who are learning.
- When's the best time for Mareta?
- Autumn to spring for swell; sheltered enough to surf on windy west-coast days.
- What should I watch out for at Mareta?
- Rocks at the edges of the bay and a stronger current when a big west swell wraps in.