Praia Do Norte, giant waves in Nazaré, Portugal

Praia do Norte is a beach located just north of the town of Nazaré, on Portugal’s Atlantic coast. It is world-famous for producing some of the largest surfable waves ever recorded. These giant waves are caused by the Nazaré Canyon, an underwater geological formation that amplifies Atlantic swells and sends enormous waves toward the shore. Praia do Norte is now one of the key global destinations for big-wave surfing and attracts surfers, photographers, and spectators from around the world.

When is the best time to visit
The giant wave season usually runs from October to March, when powerful Atlantic storms generate large swells. The most reliable months are November, December, and January. The Nazaré Big Wave Challenge, the main tow-surfing contest, has a waiting period from November to March and is held on a single day when conditions are right. During summer, the sea is usually calm and the giant waves do not appear, although the area is still scenic.

Wave height
On big swell days, waves at Praia do Norte often reach 10–20 meters. In October 2020, German surfer Sebastian Steudtner rode a 26.21-meter wave here, the Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed, and Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira holds the women’s record of 22.4 meters, also set at Nazaré in 2020. The exact size depends on storm strength, swell direction, wind, and tides.

Where to watch the giant waves
The best and safest place to watch the waves is the Nazaré Lighthouse (Farol da Nazaré), which stands on the 16th-century Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo at Sítio da Nazaré, directly overlooking Praia do Norte. The cliffs and viewpoints around the fort are free and give a clear elevated view of the waves breaking below and the surfers riding them. Entry to the fort, which houses an exhibition about the Nazaré Canyon and the Surfer Wall with boards of famous big-wave surfers, costs a small fee of about €1–2, and children under 10 enter free. On major swell days, this is the main gathering point for spectators.

How to get there
Nazaré can be reached by express bus from Lisbon in under two hours, and from Leiria and other towns in the region; the nearest train station, Valado dos Frades on the Oeste line, is about 6 km away. From the town beach, the historic funicular climbs to Sítio in a few minutes, and from there it is about a 15-minute walk down to the fort and lighthouse. On big-wave days, the access road and viewing areas get very crowded, so arriving early is recommended.