Sagres & Lagos · Portugal
Surfing Mareta
A beach break in Sagres & Lagos, Portugal, for beginner surfers.
Mareta is the small bay right in Sagres town, sheltered from the north wind. It faces south, so it only breaks when a big west or north-west swell wraps around the point, and then it has soft, easy peaks over sand.
That makes it the fallback when Tonel, on the other side of town, is too big or blown out by the north wind. Mid tide is usually best, and smaller days are the easiest. The cafés and surf shops of Sagres are a short walk away.
When to surf
Mareta
Mareta is at its best from year-round. Conditions it likes: Big W-NW swell wrapping in; sheltered from N wind, mid tide.
October to April: Prime
Consistent NW-W swell, mild Algarve winter, fewer crowds
May, Sep: Good
Warmer water, still decent swell, shoulder-season crowds
June to August: Quiet
Smaller swell, packed beaches and high season prices
The year across The Algarve
Waves near Mareta
Tonel
under 1 kmSagres & Lagos · Beach Break · Beginner / Intermediate
Beliche
3 kmSagres & Lagos · Beach Break · Intermediate / Advanced
Ingrina
7 kmSagres & Lagos · Reef Break · Intermediate / Advanced
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Sagres is small, quiet and built entirely around surfing and windsurfing; Lagos is livelier with more nightlife and the gentlest beginner beaches.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the Sagres & Lagos guide.
Sagres & Lagos surf guideSurf it often and something here is wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.