Praia do Norte

Praia do Norte is the long, wild beach that stretches north from the headland of Nazaré, and since the early 2010s it has become one of the most famous places in the world for big-wave surfing. On the right winter days, waves of extraordinary height rise here, and surfers towed into them by jet skis have set several world records.

The reason lies under the sea. Just offshore, the Nazaré Canyon, one of the largest submarine canyons in Europe, cuts deep into the continental shelf and runs almost to the coast. When a big Atlantic swell arrives, the canyon concentrates and speeds its energy, while the shallower water on either side bends the waves towards the beach, so that they meet and pile up into enormous peaks just off the point. The big-wave season usually runs from October to March, but truly giant days depend on large swells and are never guaranteed.

The story that made the beach famous began in 2011, when the Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara rode a wave here that was recognised as the largest ever surfed. Later rides at Praia do Norte, by the Brazilian Rodrigo Koxa and the German Sebastian Steudtner, set new records, and the beach now hosts big-wave competitions and draws surfers, photographers and spectators from around the world.

The best place to watch is from the clifftop around the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo and its red lighthouse, on the headland below Sítio, which looks straight down on the breaking waves. On big days the area fills with crowds, so arrive early, and keep well back from the edge, as spray and unexpected surges can reach the rocks. On calm summer days the beach is a long, quiet stretch of sand backed by dunes, much less crowded than the town beach, but its strong currents and powerful shore break make it dangerous for swimming, so admire the sea rather than enter it.