Every winter, people in Lisbon start asking the same question: are the waves big in Nazaré this week? The small fishing town on Portugal's Silver Coast is home to the biggest waves ever surfed, and seeing them from the cliffs is one of the most memorable days you can have in Portugal. Timing still matters, though. Here is what you need to know before you go.
The secret is underwater. Just off the coast lies the Nazaré Canyon, the largest submarine canyon in Europe. It is about 230 km long and reaches depths of around 5,000 metres. The canyon points straight at Praia do Norte (North Beach), just north of the town.
When a big Atlantic swell arrives, the part of the wave travelling over the deep canyon moves differently from the part travelling over the shallower seabed on either side. As they meet again near the shore, they combine, and the waves at Praia do Norte become much larger than anywhere else on the Portuguese coast. It's simple physics, but watching it from the cliff is still hard to believe.
For centuries Nazaré was known for its fishermen, not its surfers. That changed in November 2011, when the Hawaii-based surfer Garrett McNamara rode a wave of about 23.8 metres (78 ft) at Praia do Norte. It was recognised as the largest wave ever surfed, and the world started paying attention.
The records kept coming, all at the same beach:
Big-wave surfing is now part of the town's identity. Every winter the best tow-surfers in the world compete at Praia do Norte in the Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge, part of the World Surf League's big-wave calendar, and many of them spend the whole season in town waiting for the right swell.
The giant waves are a winter event. The season generally runs from October to March, when deep North Atlantic storms send long, powerful swells towards the coast.
A few honest tips:
If you're travelling with flexible dates, it's worth asking your tour operator how the forecast looks before you book. A good local guide follows the swell as closely as the surfers do.
The best viewpoint is on the cliffs above Praia do Norte, at the Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo. The fort dates from the 16th century, and the red lighthouse on top was added in the early 1900s. From the terraces around the fort you look straight down at the break. On a big day, the crowds line the cliffs, the jet-skis tow surfers into the waves, and spray from the biggest sets can reach the top.
The fort is in Sítio, the old upper part of Nazaré, on the clifftop above the beach. Sítio also has the Miradouro do Suberco, a viewpoint over the town's long beach and the rooftops below, and the Nossa Senhora da Nazaré sanctuary, which has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. A funicular links Sítio with the lower town by the beach. It's a quick, cheap ride and saves a steep walk.
Safety first: the cliffs and the paths down to Praia do Norte can be slippery and exposed, and on big days waves can surge much further up the beach than you'd expect. Stay behind barriers, follow the instructions of the police and lifeguards, and never walk on the sand or rocks near the water on a big-swell day.
The Atlantic coast in winter is fresh, windy and changeable, even when Lisbon is sunny.
Don't spend the whole day on the cliff. The lower town is still very much a fishing town. You may see fish drying on racks by the beach, a tradition that continues today, and the seafront restaurants serve grilled fish and seafood straight from local boats. Some of the older women in town still wear the traditional layered skirts that Nazaré is known for.
On the way back towards Lisbon, many visitors combine Nazaré with Óbidos, a medieval walled town where you can walk on the walls and wander through whitewashed lanes. It's a good contrast to the energy of the ocean.
Nazaré is roughly 120 km north of Lisbon, about an hour and a half by car, so it's easy to do in a day. You have three main options:
Our Nazaré Giant Waves Tour leaves from central Lisbon at 9:30 am and returns around 5:30 pm. Groups are small (4 to 8 people in a 9-seat van), and we go straight to the lighthouse viewpoint at Sítio, then explore the town. It runs in all weather, so bring a jacket.
Can I see the giant waves in summer? Usually not. The big waves come with winter swells, roughly October to March.
Is it guaranteed that the waves will be huge? No. Nobody can promise a record wave. But during the season the waves at Praia do Norte are often far bigger than anything you'll see elsewhere, and the setting is dramatic even on a moderate day.
Is it safe to watch? Yes, from the viewpoints at the fort and along the cliff paths, as long as you stay behind the barriers and away from the water's edge.
Sources: Nazaré Canyon and Praia do Norte entries on Wikipedia; Guinness World Records, "Largest wave surfed (unlimited) – male" (26.21 m, Sebastian Steudtner, 29 October 2020, certified 2022). Wave heights are those reported for each record.