Surfing in the Algarve.
Two coasts, two very different surfs: the wild Atlantic power of the west, and the gentle, learner-friendly south. Here are the beaches that actually break, with live wave height, from people who paddle out here.
West coast or south
Where you go depends on the day, and your level. Here is the difference.
The west coast
Sagres up through Aljezur: raw Atlantic swell, consistent and powerful, on the protected Costa Vicentina. The Algarve’s real surf coast, with breaks for every level and a wilder feel. Windier, cooler water, big rewards.
The south coast
From Lagos eastward: gentler, more sheltered, warmer water and smaller, friendlier waves. The best place to learn, and a fallback when the west is blown out. Schools cluster around Lagos and Carrapateira.
When and where to surf the Algarve
The west coast picks up far more swell than the south and works much of the year, with the biggest, cleanest waves through autumn and winter. It is exposed, though, so wind matters: an offshore easterly grooms it, an onshore westerly flattens it. The south coast is the opposite, small and sheltered, which makes it the place to learn and the place to go when the west is too big or too windy.
Summer is gentle and warm, ideal for beginners and a wetsuit-optional dip; the rest of the year you will want a 3/2 or thicker. Whatever the forecast, Algarve Circle shows the live wave height on every beach, so you can read the day before you load the boards, and find the surf schools, rentals and cafés around each break from the people who live there.