A wide, exposed beach break near Sintra with punchy A-frame peaks that can turn powerful and hollow in bigger northwest swells. It's long been a favorite training ground for Lisbon-area surf schools thanks to its reliable year-round surf, while also hosting bodyboard and junior surf contests. Best for intermediate surfers and up — schools work the whitewater on small days, but the peaks get powerful when it's overhead. Best conditions come with autumn through spring NW groundswells and light easterly winds.
🌡️ ~18.3°C now · a 2mm spring suit / shorty
Beginner: not suitable for this level
Intermediate: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Advanced: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Local surf community
Local shops, schools and places to stay near Praia Grande worth checking out.
Soul Spot Surf School runs small-group surf lessons for children, teenagers and adults. Level 1 is for beginners and Level 2 for intermediate surfers. We help students work on the critical points of their learning: paddling, the take-off and the drop at Level 1, and finding a good line on the wave at Level 2.
Surf At is a surf school with 13 years of experience, open all year, coaching and teaching surfers of all levels and ages, from complete beginners to competition surfers. We're based in Praia Grande and also licensed for Carcavelos and Torre, and we coach advanced surfers in Ericeira and Caparica, picking the best spot for each session's level depending on the forecast. We also run surf camp packs of 2 to 8 days with a great partner accommodation in Praia Grande, for solo surfers, couples and groups.
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New spots, best-month tips and the local crews at Praia Grande. Tag us in your clips and we'll share them.
Beginner: not suitable for this level
Intermediate: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Advanced: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
All-time average wind & swell
Dashed line marks Praia Grande's known offshore direction. Bright arrow is the all-time average swell direction, colored arrow is the all-time average wind direction at 19 km/h — hover or tap either arrow for exact values.
Monthly avg wave height (ft)
Monthly avg wind speed (km/h)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 16° | 15° | 15° | 16° | 16° | 18° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 18° | 18° | 16° |
Averages from 3 years of daily wave, wind and water temperature data — what a typical year looks like, not a forecast.
Waves average 9.0 ft (2.7 m), with offshore winds around 18 km/h from the NE. Water is ~16°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 8.2 ft (2.5 m), with cross-offshore winds around 16 km/h from the NE. Water is ~15°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 9.2 ft (2.8 m), with onshore winds around 18 km/h from the NW. Water is ~15°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 6.4 ft (1.9 m), with cross-onshore winds around 18 km/h from the N. Water is ~16°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for intermediates and advanced surfers.
Waves average 5.2 ft (1.6 m), with cross-onshore winds around 20 km/h from the NW. Water is ~16°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 4.7 ft (1.4 m), with cross-onshore winds around 20 km/h from the N. Water is ~18°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 4.7 ft (1.4 m), with cross-onshore winds around 22 km/h from the N. Water is ~17°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 5.1 ft (1.6 m), with cross-onshore winds around 23 km/h from the N. Water is ~17°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 5.7 ft (1.7 m), with cross-onshore winds around 18 km/h from the N. Water is ~17°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for intermediates.
Waves average 6.9 ft (2.1 m), with cross-onshore winds around 16 km/h from the NW. Water is ~18°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for intermediates and advanced surfers.
Waves average 7.6 ft (2.3 m), with cross-onshore winds around 17 km/h from the N. Water is ~18°C: a 2mm spring suit / shorty. A best month for advanced surfers.
Waves average 8.0 ft (2.4 m), with offshore winds around 16 km/h from the NE. Water is ~16°C: a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. A best month for advanced surfers.
For intermediates: Apr–Oct. For advanced surfers: Oct–Apr. The biggest waves come in March, averaging 9.2 ft (2.8 m), and the smallest in June, at 4.7 ft (1.4 m).
It ranges from ~15°C in March to ~18°C in October, averaged over 3 years of daily readings.
In March (~15°C): a 3/2mm full suit, boots optional. In October (~18°C): a 2mm spring suit / shorty.
Not really: Praia Grande is best suited to intermediate and advanced surfers.
The nearest airport is LIS, and the nearest town is Colares, Portugal.
