Lisbon - Nazaré
Circuit
We suggest to go up to Nazaré and at return visit Obidos and Sintra city.
Distance
around 550km’s
Stopping points
- Carcavelos
- Cascais
- Boca do Inferno
- Guincho
- Cabo da Roca
- Adraga
- Ericeira
- Santa Cruz
- Peniche
- Foz Arelho
- São Martinho do Porto
- Nazaré
- Óbidos
- Sintra
Carcavelos
It has a large expanse of sand and is much sought after by Surfers, Windsurfers and Bodyboarders, where several competitions take place as a result of the strong waves.
There is a pedestrian area surrounding the beach, where you can find many restaurants, bars and outdoor coffee shops.
For surfer lovers, it is a great beach to learn on as it is home to many great Carcavelos Surf Schools and Surf Camps which are located on the beach right in front of the action or with a couple of kilometres. Here you can book lessons!
Cascais
Cascais is now a chic coastal resort famed for its glorious beaches, sophisticated nightlife, water sports and adventure pursuits.
Always popular with artisans, writers and artists, due to its exquisite scenery, it boasts a remarkable selection of art.
Another of the town’s attractions is the smart new marina filled with yachts which shimmer and glisten in the bright sunshine.
Don’t miss:
- Walk on marina
- Walk on old centre of Cascais
- Santa Marta Lighthouse and Museum
- House of Stories Paula Rego
- Marechal Carmona Park
- Condes de Castro Guimarães Museum
Guincho
Guincho is a consistent beach break with beautiful surroundings, and though it does get windy, waves are always pumping here.
Guincho beach is one of the finest beaches of the Lisbon region that combines intense surfing with dramatic scenery. It is wonderful for surfers and water sports adrenaline seekers but not so great for families or sun worshippers. The sea waters are powerful with hidden currents!
Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca is located inside the Sintra-Cascais Natural Reserve. A lighthouse overlooking the ocean and 100 meter-high cliffs where the waves crash. Surrounded by wild nature, secluded from big cities – although it is easy to reach it – and luckily still far from mass tourism, Cabo da Roca is the place for whomever wants to feel at the edge of the world.
Adraga
Adraga Beach is a firm summer favourite, with the well-preserved and natural environment to which the rocks, grottoes and tunnels add a picturesque dimension. It has been recommended in British newspapers.It is a “Blue Flag beach”and has an excellent restaurant
Ericeira
Ericeira is a charming Portuguese fishing town that is situated along a coastline of outstanding surfing beaches.
This powerful and reliable surf has transformed peaceful Ericeira into a surfing mecca; boasting both a chilled daytime scene and a lively nightlife.
Don’t miss
- Pescadores beach – safest in the whole region where the water is quieter and the dives calmer
- Pedra Branca beach, Coxos beach and Ribeira d’Ilhas beach – these beaches are known internationally for the perfect conditions of their waves
- Foz do Lizandro
- In centre of Ericeira is located a very good restaurant “as Furnas”– ask for fish – not cheap, but you will love it
Santa Cruz
The purity of both the waters and sands here comes in addition to the surrounding picturesque landscapes and ensure that Santa Cruz is a highly popular tourist resort.
Santa Cruz covers an extended stretch of sand that is divided up into various beaches named after the respective cafes with the Beaches of Navio, Mirante, Pisão, Física, Centro, Santa Helena, Formosa and Azul.
Peniche
Peniche and the sea are inseparable. It is one of the largest traditional fishing ports in Portugal and a major Atlantic hub for maritime-tourist activities.
Don’t miss
- Nature Reserve on the Island of Berlengasis a boat ride away
- Go on an invigorating stroll along the beach and cross the sand spit to Baleal
- Baleal beach
- Supertubosbeach
- Beside beaches, walk through the historic centre – Besides the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Sanctuary, the São Pedro and Misericórdia Churches, the Peniche Fort is a must-see.
- Taste the seafood, grilled fish and almond cakes, whether an “Amigo de Peniche” or the biscuits called “Esses”.
- Have a surfing lesson
- Watch an event in the World Surf Championship
Foz do Arelho
Lovely beach backed by a rivermouth estuary ideal for windsurfing.
On the one side the Lagoon, a place of great natural beauty with its banks covered in thick vegetation and its gentle waters ideal for children and windsurfing, benefiting from the breeze that normally blows here.
On the other side, the open ocean, rough but without any significant undercurrents creating excellent surfing conditions with an EU Blue Flag testifying to the quality of the waters off this beach.
São Martinho do Porto
It is a lovely village situated in a beautiful and calm bay.
Shaped like a closed shell, has been frequented for years by the same families who long ago chose it as their favourite place for holidays and weekends.
The promenade is vibrant, and connects with a wooden walkway through the dunes to Salir do Porto. Ideal for a stroll!
Nazaré
(new land of Mcnamara)
Nazaré beach, with its mild climate and natural beauty, has one of the most ancient traditions connected to fishing in Portugal.
This is the beach in Portugal that retains the more colourful fishing traditions.
Facing the sea on the right, you will see an impressive headland. This is Sítio, which provides one of the most famous views of the Portuguese coast. It is a 318 metre rock face with a sheer drop to the sea, and is reached on foot by the bravest, or by going up the funicular.
At the top sits the Ermida da Memória chapel, famous for the legend of the miracle that Our Lady made to prevent the horse of the nobleman, D. Fuas Roupinho, leaping over the precipice. True or not, the Suberco Belvedere shows the imprint left in the rock by one of the horse’s hooves that foggy morning in 1182. Sítio also houses the Shrine to Our Lady of Nazaré and not far away, the Dr. Joaquim Manso Museum for more details about the traditions of Nazaré.
Don’t miss
- Go up to Sítio
- Taste the fish dishes
- Enjoy the exploits of the most fearless surfers and bodyboarders
- Watch the sunset on the beach
Óbidos
Speaking of castles, how about visiting a city located within castle walls?
Charming, picturesque, and romantic, Óbidos is a great place to bring a camera or smartphone and make your Instagram account more colorful. Expect clusters of white houses framed in bright flowers and souvenir shops ready for tourists.
Don’t miss
- Climb up to the walls
- Drink ginginha from a chocolate cup
Sintra
Sintra, the Moon Hill, is a place full of magic and mystery, where Nature and Man have combined in such a perfect symbiosis that UNESCO has granted it Word Heritage Site status.
Exceptional village with richly coloured buildings and breathtaking architecture.
Palaces, turrets, a romantic Moorish castle and a misty dense forest are all part of this sweet little village. The vegetation is lush and exotic due to the microclimate. There are a host of historic buildings to take a look at, as well as clusters of leafy mansions with immaculate lawns and stunningly decorative features.
The Sintra hills among forests before dropping down to dramatic cliffs with several coves, including Praia da Adraga.
Don’t miss
- Visit and enjoy the view from the Pena Palace
- Visit Quinta da Regaleira
- Castelo dos Mouros
- Botanical sanctuary of the Pena Park
- Taste a queijada and a travesseiro
- Walk around the town
- Go up the mountain in a horse-drawn carriage
