Best waves for kitesurfing in Portugal

Hello dear reader,

we at Kite Control figured we should compile a list of spots with the best waves for kitesurfing Portugal, in order to serve as a guide to any potential travellers.
We will present to you a brief description of a handful of spots going from northern to southern Portugal.

Praia de Moledo

The first spot in our list is praia de Moledo. A mesmerizing long sandy beach able to attract all type of tourists, close to the local river « Rio Minho » estuary. It’s an amazing break featuring the northern Portuguese wind; called “Nortada”, reinforced by local effects. It’s usually a foolproof place to go to if you want bigger waves. It maintains them even if the other spots in the north fail to. The best is to launch from the right, however, during the winter you might notice that it lends its big waves with southern/south-western winds.

Viana do Castelo

Next comes Viana. Viana not only is a beautiful city in itself but it also has what is most likely the best and most famous kitesurf spot in northern Portugal, which is “Praia do Cabedelo”. At that beach, the wind can regularly pick up to 25 knots, making its waters a very active place when it comes to riders. It’s an exposed river break that is fairly consistent working all year round. It usually gets a mix of groundswells and windswells with the best swell direction being from the west. The break from the river offers equally left and right hand waves.

Esposende/Ofir

Esposende and Ofir are coupled here due to their similar qualities and close locations. For its waves and natural conditions, Ofir is considered a beach of excellence for learning and surfing. The waves are medium sized in both locations and strong currents are present close to the estuary. The wind is not as strong as in Viana so it’s a good option when it’s nuking up north. Beware of the marked kite zone in the summer.

Baleal/Peniche/Supertubos

The area of Peniche/Baleal is quite wide and offers different spots according to the wind direction. The big bay between Baleal and Peniche is the main and safest spot. It works best with north and south wind, however the waves tend to be cleaner with southerlies. When it’s Northwest, we recommend you to kite closer to Baleal/Ferrel for a better wind orientation. There is a lot of space available, even when there are a lot of surfers around, you can still manage to get a spot. Keep in mind that they don’t always like to share their waves so please show some respect. Supertubos and Consolação (further south from the bay) have built a legendary reputation and deliver radical waves! They work best with northwest winds which are side to side-off shore so it’s definitely for experienced riders only (and not alone)!
All in all, it’s the area where there are the most possibilities to ride waves. That’s also why we chose to set up a kite shop and a kitesurf school near these spots, all being 20/30 minutes away from our location, the Óbidos Lagoon.

Guincho

Next comes Guincho. It is About 1 hour 20 minutes away from our school and 40min from Lisbon city center, allowing us to organize day trips for kitesurfing. The wind usually picks up to 35 knots in the afternoon, featuring a good and powerful shore break. If you are an experienced rider this is definitely a spot we recommend you to take a look at. It does get crowded, particularly on the weekend but the vibe is friendly despite the numbers. Two launches sit either side of rocks that divide the beach. Most riders stay north for cleaner waves. It’s also a good call if you’re worried to be dragged onto the cliffs by the current. Big swell means extremely challenging conditions but Guincho is definitely one of the Europe’s most famous wave spots.

Costa da Caparica

Fonte da Telha is a large beach on the south bank of the Tagus River, shared between the municipalities of Almada, Sesimbra and of course, Costa da Caparica. Fonte da Telha and Costa da Caparica in general are very good locations with all kinds of waves, adequate for all levels of riders, but keep in mind that winds are usually lighter than in Guincho. It can offer a good experience and it is also close to Lisbon. It’s a good option when the swell is big.

Tonel

Praia do Tonel or « Little Guincho » is a popular beach among kitesurfers and surfers in Sagres area. It has earned its reputation for radical action and big waves. The Nortada is often strong enough for small kites but sometimes a little bit gusty. Beware of the rocks above and below the water, they are easily missed. The current can also be pretty strong as the beach is surrounded by cliffs. But Tonel is definitely the best wave spot in the area!

Algarve

There are an increasing number of talks about the Algarve as a kitesurf spot. There are many different spots in Algarve mainly for flat water riding, while wave riding follows a little bit short in comparison with the other spots on this list. It’s a great place for beginners but still, if you prefer wave riding, the west coast is where it’s at.