Nazaré

History and Legend

Nazaré began as a fishing community at the foot of the cliffs, while the older settlement of Pederneira stood on its hill to the south, overlooking what was once a lagoon and shipyard. The clifftop of Sítio developed around a much-venerated image of the Virgin, and with it the town's founding legend. In 1182, so the story goes, the knight Dom Fuas Roupinho was chasing a deer through the fog when it leapt off the cliff edge. He called on Our Lady of Nazaré, and his horse stopped at the very brink. In thanks he built a small chapel on the spot, the Ermida da Memória, which still stands at the edge of the miradouro, and a hollow in the rock is pointed out as the hoof print of his horse.

Pilgrims have come to Sítio ever since, and the great church on its square, the Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, became one of Portugal's important Marian shrines. The lower town grew as a fishing settlement, and Nazaré's way of life, with boats launched straight from the beach and catches sold and dried on the sand, made it a favourite subject for photographers and painters in the twentieth century.

Sítio and the Ascensor

The Ascensor da Nazaré, opened in 1889 and later converted to electric power, climbs the steep slope between Praia and Sítio in a few minutes and is the easiest way up. At the top, the Miradouro do Suberco looks straight down over the rooftops and the long curve of the beach, one of the classic views of the Portuguese coast. Around the large square stand the sanctuary, the little Ermida da Memória and stalls selling dried fruit, nuts and souvenirs. A road leads from Sítio down to the headland, the Promontório, and the fort.

Praia do Norte and the Giant Waves

North of the headland, Praia do Norte is a wild, exposed beach where the Nazaré Canyon, a deep submarine canyon that runs almost to the shore, concentrates the energy of Atlantic swells. When a big swell arrives, usually between October and March, waves of extraordinary height can form here. The modern big-wave story began in 2011, when Garrett McNamara rode a giant wave here that was recognised as a world record, and several later rides at Praia do Norte have also set records. The best place to watch is from the cliffs around the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo, a fort built to defend the coast and topped by a red lighthouse; inside, an exhibition tells the story of the waves and the surfers who ride them.

On calm days Praia do Norte is simply a long, beautiful beach, but its currents make it dangerous for swimming, and the cliff edges should be treated with care when the sea is rough.

The Town Beach

Praia da Nazaré, the main beach in front of the lower town, is wide, sandy and sheltered by the headland. In summer it fills with striped tents and families, and the waterfront avenue is lined with seafood restaurants. Look for the fish drying racks on the sand, a tradition still kept by some local women, and try grilled sardines or a caldeirada, the local fish stew.

Getting There and Practical Tips

Nazaré is roughly an hour and a half by car from Lisbon and about two hours from Porto, and there are regular express buses from both cities. It combines well with nearby Alcobaça and its great monastery, Óbidos and Batalha. Parking near the beach is scarce in summer, so use the car parks at the edge of town. If you come in winter to see the waves, check the surf forecast before you travel, as giant days depend on large swells and are never guaranteed, and arrive early, as the area around the fort gets crowded.