Cascais & Estoril · Portugal

Surfing Praia das Maçãs

A beach break in Cascais & Estoril, Portugal, for beginner and intermediate surfers.

Beach Break · Best Year-round · Beginner / Intermediate · 2-8 ft

Praia das Maçãs · Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL, CC BY-SA 2.0

Praia das Maçãs is a beach break on the Sintra coast north of Lisbon, in a small village at the end of the old tram line from Sintra. It faces the open Atlantic, so it picks up a lot of swell and works at any time of year.

It's best on a north-west swell with an east wind, usually at lower tides, and it suits intermediate surfers; surf schools also teach here on smaller days. When it's too busy or not working, Praia Grande is five minutes away by car. Sintra's misty, forested hills back the coast here, which gives it a different feel from the city beaches near Lisbon.

TypeBeach Break

LevelBeginner / Intermediate

Size2-8 ft

Best monthsYear-round

Crowd2/5

ConditionsExposed; NW swell, E wind, lower tides

When to surf
Praia das Maçãs

Praia das Maçãs is at its best from year-round. Conditions it likes: Exposed; NW swell, E wind, lower tides.

October to March: Prime

Consistent NW-W swell, mild city winter

April to May: Good

Reliable swell, warming water, fewer crowds

June to August: Quiet

Smaller waves, packed beaches, strong summer thermal wind at Guincho

The year across Lisbon Coast

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PrimeGoodQuiet

Where to stay near Praia das Maçãs

Moby Dick students carrying boards on a beach near Sintra

Moby Dick surfers waiting for waves under the cliffs

The Moby Dick surf lodge in Malveira da Serra, Cascais

The Moby Dick surf house in Colares, Sintra

Room with a balcony and hill views at the Cascais lodge

Moby Dick Surf Camp

Malveira da Serra (Cascais) and Colares (Sintra) · two surf lodges in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park

from €325per person, 5 nights with 4 surf lessons, low season, in a room for 3–4

Two surf lodges, in Cascais and in Sintra
Guincho and Praia Grande about 5 minutes away
Transport, board, wetsuit and insurance included
Surf and yoga packs
Private and shared rooms

Moby Dick has two surf houses in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park: a lodge in Malveira da Serra, five minutes above Guincho, and a renovated house in Colares, near Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs. Lessons last two hours and suit all levels, and the instructors pick whichever beach has the best conditions that day. Packs include transport to the beach, board, wetsuit and insurance.

Surf packs (low season)	For	Per person
Surf Break 5 nights, 4 lessons of 2 hours, a tour	All levels	€325
Surf and Yoga Break 5 nights, 4 surf lessons, 4 yoga classes, a tour	All levels	€400
Best Surf Week of Your Life 7 nights, 5 lessons of 2 hours, a tour	All levels	€415
Intensive Surf Week 7 nights, 10 lessons, a tour	Improvers who want more time in the water	€540

Prices per person in euros, as listed on the camp's website, for low season (December to April) in a room shared by 3–4. Private rooms cost more, and prices go up in mid and high season (July to September is high). Both houses have a guest kitchen; breakfast is served from May to October and there are group barbecues.

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