The sleepy Portuguese town that’s home to the world’s biggest waves
Nazaré is characterised by an intriguing duality. Around 90 minutes’ drive north of Lisbon, this historic fishing town, which blends Baroque and Gothic architecture, doubles up as the definitive destination for the world’s most daring surfers.
Earlier this year, Germany’s Sebastian Steudtner may have surfed the tallest-ever wave recorded in the sport – a liquid mountain measuring 28.57m (94ft). The imagination-defying ride, which is yet to be ratified by the World Surf League, could surpass the current world-record height of 26.21m (86ft) – which was set by Steudtner in the same spot in 2020.
Nazaré’s surfing season typically runs from October through to March, but can sometimes stretch into April, with temperature highs of 22°C and lows of 6°C during this period. One local surfer, Erica, told me however, that the Atlantic water remains “very cold and very fresh” all-year-round. “It will definitely wake you up,” she added with a grin.
Nazaré’s profile has doubtlessly risen since it was the subject of HBO’s Emmy award-winning 2021 documentary series 100 Foot Wave – which follows the career of American pro surfer Garrett McNamara, who held the world record (23.8 m, 78ft) for the largest wave surfed between 2011 and 2017, again in Nazaré.
McNamara now lives in the town for three months of the year and has become something of a local celebrity.
Nazaré comprises three neighbourhoods. There’s beachside Praia with its wave-patterned mosaic promenade, reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana, albeit scaled down.
The beach with its pillow-soft sand is peppered with juice stalls and volleyball courts. Along the main road, there are pastel-coloured cafés, restaurants and bars, as well as surfing shops that have become a mainstay of the town.
Sítio, a clifftop village, offers breathtaking views of the town below and the ocean, with the most impressive coming from the Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo. This former military stronghold now serves as a nautical museum and is where visitors flock to watch the enormous rollers that form just out to sea, rising in giant peaks and building in height for what seems to be longer than is natural.
“If you stand there,” said another local surfer Vitor, “you really get an idea of how big the waves are. Compare their size with the buildings in town,” he urged, “It’s crazy, they are like giant sea monsters.”
These gargantuan waves are formed due to a combination of North Atlantic winter storms and the Nazaré Canyon, an underwater valley that funnels Atlantic swells into the area, causing waves to “erupt”.
Throughout the surfing season, various competitions come to town, and at those times it’s not uncommon to see 20-30 wetsuit-clad daredevils bobbing like seals in the water, each waiting their turn to test their mettle. It’s thrilling and horrifying in equal measure to watch them carve a frothy path down those walls of slate-coloured water. Most surfers are towed out by jet-skis to reach “the back”, where the waves start to form.
On Google Maps, the cliff top overlooking the waves is called “Big Wave Point”.
There are several beautiful churches in the Sítio neighbourhood, including the double bell-towered Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazareth, which has stood since the 14th Century. You can walk from Praia to Sítio, but it is steep and takes nearly three hours, so pay €4 (£3) for a return journey on the cable car, which runs every 15 minutes.
Finally, there is the quiet Pederneira neighbourhood, a slightly more inland settlement among rolling hills. There is a great viewpoint here too, an observation deck called Miradouro da Pederneira. “It’s even more of a village than Sítio,” Vitor reflected. “There’s an old-world feeling and there are fewer crowds than at the Fort.”
Nazaré is busiest in its surfing season, Vitor confirmed. “In these months, everywhere is full, with the tables and chairs [from eateries] spilling out onto the street,” he said. “But, to be honest, Nazaré is always popular in the summer, both with Portuguese people and with tourists. May, June or September maybe… that’s when it’s most quiet.”
Queues and crowds don’t appear to faze restaurant or bar staff. Despite rising numbers of tourists in recent years – one study, published in the MDPI journal, found there was a nearly 300 per cent increase in the number of hotel bookings in the town between 2010 and 2019 – Erica explained locals have retained “a faith in the way they’ve always done things… You’ve just got to wait your turn.”
Increased tourism comes with the usual challenges. Another local, Agostinho, told me that the influx of visitors has caused property prices to soar, putting pressure on renters, but also creating wealth for those who already owned.
However, he insisted, unlike in other parts of Europe, there is “not a lot of friction” between the locals and visitors. “It’s tricky, for sure, because we see prices go up,” he said. “But I think people in Nazaré are very proud and like to share their culture. We want people to enjoy Nazaré as we do… It’s good for business.”
Vitor agreed, suggesting that the town has “made the most” of the developments. The surfing boom, he explained, “is fairly recent… Before the 2000s, Nazaré was really focused on fishing and the waves were sort of just there, to be worked around. But when the surfing community got an idea of what was here, we started seeing more visitors. Before, it was mainly locals who did bodyboarding and a bit of surfing, but now people come from all over to give it a go.”
Vitor, who grew up in Praia, does not feel like the surfing has distracted from the town’s authenticity, noting that there has been a pointed move to refurbish buildings rather than replace them. “There’s a Rip Curl store now, sure, but it’s in a plaza surrounded by shops and restaurants that have been there for hundreds of years,” he said.
Certainly, in embracing its surfing-led economy, Nazaré can’t be accused of forgetting its past. Many of the locals still wear traditional clothing, the style of which stretches back centuries. Women can be spotted in sete saias (seven skirts), layered pieces made up of seven petticoats, which represent the seven seas. It’s also heartening to see a town with so few chain restaurants. Rather, every venue feels unique and has its own story to tell.
Highly rated Restaurante Gil Vicente and Rosa dos Ventos, conveniently located on the same street my girlfriend and I stayed on in Praia, proved excellent choices for seafood, with generous portions at very reasonable prices. At the former, for an evening meal shortly after arriving, we shared a rich and flavoursome shellfish platter, including lobster, and a bottle of the crisp and citrusy vinho verde (green wine), before splitting a bittersweet egg pudding for dessert. The bill came to €91(£76). At Rosa dos Ventos, for lunch on our second day, we had deliciously salted sardines, swordfish steak, a salad and two soft drinks for €45 (£38).
As a habitual city-breaker, visiting Nazaré in the September prelude just ahead of the surfing season, I found it a refreshing change of pace. The town seems to put an emphasis on conversation, and while it would be inaccurate to describe a place serviced by Bolt and Uber as low-tech, I was struck by how few people I saw bent over their smartphones.
Surfing is Nazaré’s box-office natural attraction, but it is not the only reason to visit. The old-world charm, delicious seafood, stunning clifftop views and affordable prices all contributed to a welcome departure from the rat race.
How to do it
EasyJet flies from London Gatwick to Lisbon from £136 return. Nazaré is accessible via coach (c.£5 each way) or taxi (c.£80 each way).
Home Sweet Praia (booking.com), located less than five minutes from the beach, has one-bedroom apartments available from £60 per night, not including breakfast.
