Nazaré, Surf destination in Leiria district, Portugal
Nazaré is a municipality in the Leiria district on the western coast of Portugal, known for its towering winter surf and traditional fishing heritage. The town divides into two areas: the lower quarter by the water and the upper district on the clifftop, connected by a funicular railway.
The settlement received its first town charter in 1514, growing from a small fishing village. Centuries later, in the early 2000s, the discovery of the deep underwater canyon transformed it into a global destination for extreme surfing.
Local fishermen still sell their catch in markets near the waterfront, while older women wear traditional skirts with seven layers of brightly colored cloth. The costume dates back to a time when these hues helped families spot their men returning from dangerous trips at sea.
The best time to visit is between October and March, when the waves reach their tallest and professionals gather at the shoreline. Those wanting to see Praia do Norte should walk up to the lighthouse at Fort São Miguel Arcanjo, from where the whole stretch of coast comes into view.
The underwater canyon stretching beyond the shore extends for more than 200 kilometers into the ocean and ranks among the deepest ravines in Europe. Its abrupt rise from the seabed to the beach creates a compression of Atlantic swell found nowhere else on the continent.
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Alcobaça Monastery
9.4 km
Praia da Nazaré
776 m
Praia do Norte
1.7 km
Tomb of Inês de Castro
9.5 km
Castle of Alcobaça
9.1 km
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré
1.1 km
Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo
1.7 km
Nazaré Funicular
687 m
Memory Hermitage of Nazaré
954 m
Igreja de São Gião
4.6 km
Abadia de Alcobaça
9.1 km
Nazaré Lighthouse
1.7 km
Nazaré Bullring
937 m
Termas da Piedade
6.5 km
Alcobaça
9.6 km
Capilla de Ntra. Sra. del Destierro
9.5 km
Igreja Paroquial de Famalicão
7.2 km
Monumento a Humberto Delgado
5.5 km
Casa da Família Serrano
9.3 km
Casino da Nazaré
392 m
Igreja Paroquial da Pederneira
356 m
Chalet Fonte Nova
9.2 km
Igreja Paroquial de Valado dos Frades
4.2 km
Igreja Paroquial de Évora-de-Alcobaça
12.4 km
Cine-Teatro da Nazaré
501 m
Igreja Paroquial do Bárrio
5.9 km
Câmara Municipal de Alcobaça
9.4 km
Forno de Orca Cave
1.6 km
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