
Perhaps the most famous seaside resort of the Silver Coast, Nazaré. The main beach of Nazaré is sheltered behind a high cliff, on which the Sítio district is located. In the lee of this rock you lie out of the wind and there is a guarded beach in summer, so that you can swim in the ocean in good conditions. But beware: the sea is very rough, so pay close attention to the flag flying on the beach. Don't underestimate the power of the ocean. This cannot be compared to the North Sea! Nazaré beach is long and wide, an ideal place for a day at the beach.
The beach huts, like those in São Martinho, are available for rent in high season to store your belongings or sit in the shade. Nazaré is also very popular with the Portuguese themselves, who spend their weekends and/or summer holidays there. The beach is a nice wide beach and there is enough space for everyone. Various activities are organized, also for the youth. There is another beach on the north side of Sítio. Here you can enjoy the beautiful weather when the wind comes from the south. Also pay close attention to the power of the ocean and don't go into the water if no one else is going in the water! South of Nazaré you will also encounter other beaches, but there is no supervision here and it is certainly not recommended to go into the sea for a swim.
World record wave surfing
I have to admit that I think it's a powerful sight. The huge waves that can be seen beautifully from Praia do Norte or from Forte de São Miquel Arcanjo. The latter can be reached via Sítio. There are huge waves at certain times of the year, usually October to April, I also get a message on my phone so I can warn guests. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out. It's really overwhelming. However, there are those who see these waves as a challenge. They wave surf here. The American Garrett McNamara set a world record in January 2013 at Praia do Norte: he rode a wave of 23.77 meters high! Now the German Sebastian Steudner is the world record holder. He rode a wave of 26.21 meters in Nazaré in 2020!!. (yes, I stole this information from the Terradosanjos.pt website). The women's record holder is Brazilian Maya Gabeira, who rode a wave of 22.4 meters in 2020. You can find more information on the website www.nazarewaves.com.
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