When to surf · Algarve
Lagos in December
Winter sets in. Big, cold and serious on the west coast, with the Nazaré big-wave window open and called on the right forecast. Short days, low crowds. Beginners should stick to sheltered spots and small days or head south.
Lagos
Lagos's south coast is least reliable in summer and can go flat for days; autumn to spring wraps more swell in. Water is the warmest in the country and wind is light all year, so it works as a mixed surf-and-beach trip in any month, with west-coast day trips as the backup when the south goes quiet.
Winter
