Surf Sagres Portugal's secret West coast paradise

The Vicentina Coast is part of Portugal's "Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina Nature Reserve" that stretches for 200kms from Sagres in the south to Sines along the West coast.

It is a true outdoor paradise , full of paths waiting to be traveled by foot, by bike, along cliffs & beaches, between agricultural fields, hillsides, meadows, small towns and large expanses of countryside, surrounded by flowers & trees that flourish beside the sea and the bright blue skies.

Know as 'Portugal's Garden' it is home to over 750 species of flowers as well as the Iberian Lynx although don't expect to see them as they are nocturnal! Do look out for eagles, hawks and falcons soaring in the skies above!

Activities
While surfing in Sagres is the most obvious activity thanks the areas vast selection of surf beaches and great Sagres surf camp options there are many other activities to occupy your time. MTB (mountain biking) is very popular and there are many trails with difficulty ranges from 1-5. Bike hire and guides are readily available.

Treking & Hiking is also very popular and guides are also available. Kite surfing, Fishing, Yoga, Horse riding and Sailing are all possible in the area.

Further West to Lagos are golf courses, waterparks and skydiving.

Surrounding Areas

The three main towns/villages along the Costa Vicentina are Sagres, Vila do Bispo and Aljezur.

At the south west tip of Portugal is Sagres, famous for its connections with Portugal's area of Discovery and home of Henry the Navigator who discovered much of the African coast back in the 15th century. It is the larger of the three towns and boosts many restaurants, cafés and bars. Vila do Bispo is a traditional residential town that links the Natural Parkland to Lagos and the rest of the Algarve. Furthest north is Aljezur, a small coastal village of typical rural Portuguese houses, with colourful blue borders painted around windows and whitewashed walls.

Pedralva Village is an essential day/afternoon trip - a beautifully restored old Portuguese village, in ruins until 2006 when a couple with family linked to the old town undertook to rebuild the area as a tourist village. It is now full of life and a delightful place to visit.

20kms east is Lagos, the largest city in the area and a great day trip. It is a beautiful charming old town that has avoided the massive development of many of the coastal towns in the Algarve. An ancient maritime walled city with narrow cobblestone streets and old squares full of life and charm.

Restaurant and Bars
Pedralva Village (Aldeia da Pedralva) has one of the most popular Pizzaria's in the area Pizza Pazza, well worth a visit for its spectacular location. The towns of Sagres and Lagos have the best selection of restaurants, bars and nightclubs and are all a short distance away. Most beaches have cafés on them but may not sell more than a sandwich and drink.

Sagres & the Vicentina coast is 1 hour 20 minutes from Faro airport and 3 hours from Lisbon airport. A car is recommended to make it easier to get around.

Flights

Please note to check airports as new routes & airlines may begin operating at any time. Below are just some that fly to Portugal. www.wegolo.com is a website that lets you know who flies where from different cities.

www.aerlingus.com
www.flytap.com
www.ryanair.com
www.britishairways.com
www.flymonarch.com
www.easyjet.com

How to get to Sagres from Faro Airport:

Car Hire - We have a discount car hire section on our website where you can rent a car.

Train ? Take a short bus/taxi from Faro airport to Faro train station (?5-?6) and get the train to Lagos. Really nice journey - takes almost 2 hours. ?7 each way. Check timetables here, but you cannot book online. www.cp.pt. If you are staying in Pedralva Village we will pick you up from Lagos (30 minutes) for ?45

Taxi - Approximate time 1 hour 20 minutes. Approximate cost ?120+

Transfers - Share a taxi or mini bus with our shuttle bus partner here

How to get to Sagres from Lisbon Airport:
Car Hire - We have a discount deal with Hertz, rent your car from Lisbon airport and drive down (3 hours)

Train - From the airport take a bus or taxi to either Lisbon Entrecampos or Lisbon Oriente train station.
Then take the train to Tunes (2hr30m ?21) - there are a minimum of 4 trains a day. From Tunes take the train to Lagos (30 minutes ?4). The train timetable is on www.cp.pt. From Lagos you can get a taxi to the surrounding towns.

Bus - Get a bus or taxi from the airport to Eva bus station in Lisbon centre in Praça Marechal Humberto Delgado. There are 6 buses to Lagos each day for approx ?20 ? it will take 4 hours www.eva-bus.com. From Lagos you can get a taxi to the surrounding towns.

The tourist information desk in the airport will have an up to date timetable and can advise you.

This area of Portugal is a year round surf destination and has the warmest sea water in the country. In the summer months you can surf in just shorts or a shortie and it doesn't get dark until 10pm so you can surf all day long! The coastline is part of the protected natural park with 50 kilometres of protected beaches with no large towns or high rise tourist accommodations. Instead you will discover beautiful pristine beaches and small traditional towns a far cry from the main overrun Algarve tourist spots.

Amado beach is the areas best beginner/intermediate surf beach and a great starting point. Amado is surrounded by many other great surf breaks with options for all standards. Praia da Cordoama is one of the most picturesque beaches in Portugal, a long stretch of sand protected by cliffs, a great intermediate spot. Praia do Castelejo beside it is even more consistent.

There's a dozen beaches further north all worth exploring including Arrifana & Amoreira, two very consistent beginner/intermediate beach breaks.

Furthest south is the laid back surf town of Sagres. The beaches East of Sagres such as Zavial & Martinhal are usually calm and require a big swell to work, they are a great alternative if the surf on the beaches on the West coast are too big. There are many hidden spots around Sagres some of which will require an SUV to get too but are well worth it especially for the more experienced.

Come Surf Sagres with us?