(Thanks a lot to Miguel Santos for much of the below information. I've been windsurfing only
in Guincho, Lagoa de Albufeira, Lagoa de Obidos, Peniche and Carcavelos so far)
Beaches around Lisbon (from North to South):
Lagoa de Obidos: If waves in Peniche are too big, one can continue a bit to the North to this lagoon.
It's deeper than Lagoa de Albufeira. But water smells a bit stronger.
You have to approach it from the North. Follow signs to Foz de Arelho which is at the coast and then drive from there
along the lake back East until you find good conditions (there is some sail-club with house directly at the water).
Peniche
(cam):
Big bay around one hour North of Lisbon. Very good for winter storms when the wind is coming from the West and the big swell is coming from South West or vice verse.
There is also a beach facing SW. The spot is famous for (wave)surfing.
Praia Grande: only a bit North of Guincho. No further information yet.
Guincho (cam1,cam2,
cam3): for the standard North wind, which is here locally stronger than
elsewhere. Quite big waves. Wind is strong and frequent, but not very constant.
Rarely works in winter, because when the wind is too much from the West (on-shore), it is almost impossible to get through the waves.
Carcavelos (cam1,cam2):
works good with West winds, or even South-West. However, then the swell usually comes from SW and hits
directly the beach, creating huge waves.
Very good for surfing (without sail) when the wind still comes from NW (nortada winds) while the swell comes from SW.
Can happen sometimes in the evening. Very crowded then.
Costa Caparica
(cam):
South of Lisbon, just after crossing the bridge.
Praia de São João:
Easier than Guincho, but also a good wave spot. However, there can also be very big waves if the swell is coming from W or SW.
If it's getting too bad, one should better go to Peniche, which is more protected.
Lagoa de Albufeira: particular spot at the Costa Caparica,
as there is a lagoon without waves separated by the sand-beach from the ocean.
Possible to switch from waves to no waves. One part only surfable at high tide. Nice scenery, but crowded.
Sines
Note: The prevailing wind in summer is the North wind. It get's some local reinforcement at Guincho due to the Sintra mountains.
This wind is becoming stronger in the late afternoon / evening.
Instead in winter the wind turns more to the west. Normally SW winds are storms where the wind is stronger in the morning and
getting weaker in the evening while turning from SW over W to NW and sometimes even N, but then it's already very weak.
More in the South:
Tonel (next to Sagres, close to Vila do Bispo)
Sagres (at the most south-west corner of Portugal, near Vila do Bispo)
Martinhal (Slalom, next to Sagres)
Alvor: close to Lagos. There is a lagoon. Safer for the common offshore winds.
Lagos (meia praia, Slalom, even more offshore than Martinhal, but bigger beach)
Guincho: one can buy used stuff at the windsurfing school at the north end of the beach (I was told by Miguel that one should ask for
a guy called Saraiva).
Guincho Wind Factory: windsurfing shop in the Rua da Torre, Cascais
Has also used stuff! (might be the same as above?) Can browse it online: www.guinchowindfactory.com
Desporwind (formerly Parque SuperWind in Oeiras and before Centro de Windsurf Carcavelos)
Close to Oeiras train station:
Rua de Santo António 29
2780-164 Oeiras
Tel: 218221985 or 914921118
Email: zepedro@superwind.pt
Also some used things. A bit more slalom than wave. At least
one of the venders is very nice and honest.
(Before it was at a small artificial lake where they offered also courses for beginners, but that seems to be over. www.superwind.pt
Decathlon
(In Amadora, Cascais and Sintra): I have been only to Amadora.
Related to windsurfing they had only a few smaller items in the store.
Anything else bigger like boards and sails one has to order in advance.
Follow this link to see what they have in principle.
Some more shops about which I haven't reliable information
(information taken from
portugalvirtual.pt. Note that at that site there is mentioned a shop in Carcavelos which is now in Oeiras. See above):
Windsurf Portugal (Fanatic Alfa Fanatic and
other boards. O’Neill Wetsuits. New and second hand boards.
Boards repaired. Contact Matias.)
Junho - Setemb. : aberto aos Dom. / Agosto : 10.00 - 19.00h.
R. Margaridas, 9 Shopping Birre, Lj. 18, CASCAIS, 21 487 16 46
The current conditions (graphs from www.windfinder.com):
(by clicking on one of the graphs, the focus will move some centimeters below and you will be shown there
the windfinder-graph in full size and in addition in three extra frames
some complete web pages containing a webcam (from surftotal.com)
and the corresponding forecasts (by www.windguru.net
and again windfinder) for the chosen spot.
Press OK to view the windfinder superforecast map in the below window (complete www.windfinder.com-page). There you can click on the locations to get forecasts for the different spots.
![[Here you should see the windfinder windmap for Iberia]](http://www.windfinder.com/grafiken/forecasts/wind_iberia12.png)
![[Here you should see the windfinder superforecast windmap for Portugal]](http://www.windfinder.com/grafiken/forecasts/superforecast_portugal_center12.png)
