Spending most of 2010 in Portugal, I finally started to learn how to surf. I cannot say I’m a pro just yet, but my new hobby has brought me to some beautiful beaches and I’ve gotten to know some great people! The best and by far most beautiful surf spot I’ve been to is Baleal by Peniche, which white beaches and peninsula form makes it one of the best spot in Europe for practicing surf and body board. Did I mention Baleal/Peniche also being the location of the ASP World Tour Championship?
Baleal is located about 90 km away from Lisbon, and if you don’t have a car, you can always take the bus to Peniche – this is a 5 min drive from Baleal, but many of the surf schools offer to pick you up . There is no large urban area, but still Peniche/Baleal can be called the surfing capital of Portugal. The mild weather makes it possible to surf all year long. When not surfing yourself, you can spend some time looking and learning from the pro’s, work on your tan (or in my case that slight yellow color) or just look at all the handsome surfer boys. The area itself is also worth a look, you should definitely take a walk around and just enjoy the beautiful seaside!
Whether you’re already a pro or a beginner, Baleal/Peniche is the spot for you! Several surf schools offer accommodation and surf classes for all levels. Here are some of them:
- Surf Castle is located 10 meters from the beach and looks like a charming little castle (the white building with black roof on the last picture). This was the first place I noticed, and where I got my surfboard from.
- Baleal Surfcamp has an extremely informative web page, thumbs up!
- Peniche Surf Camp is also located at the Baleal peninsula, within walking distance to all the beaches.
So let’s go surfin’!
Kathrine Opshaug Bakke, editor at Travelettes from 2009 to 2013, wrote this post. Originating from Norway, she has been living in Berlin, Lisbon, and Stockholm the past 6 years.
She loves cities with imperfect facades, photography, traveling by bike, vintage hunting, and everything that comes with cheese. Follow her visual diary at anchoredpaperplane.com.
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