Porto – Matosinhos
Matosinhos, Porto District, Portugal
Sports: Surfing
Best time to go: April–October
Matosinhos beach is a long, wide sandy beach just north of Porto, on the south side of the town of Matosinhos. The breakwater of the Port of Leixões protects its northern end, so Atlantic swells arrive smaller and softer than on the open coast. This makes it one of the most popular places in northern Portugal to learn to surf, and it can still have rideable waves when the rest of the coast is too big.
Westerly and north-westerly swells break as gentle peaks over the sand, and easterly winds are offshore, most often in the mornings. On the biggest winter swells the waves can become larger and messier, with currents along the beach. In summer the north wind often blows in the afternoon. The beach suits beginners and intermediates, and the line-up is busy with lessons for much of the year; keep clear of groups and swimmers. The water is cold for its latitude because of upwelling, about 13 to 14 °C in winter and 16 to 18 °C in summer, so a 4/3 wetsuit is usual most of the year.
Spots near Porto – Matosinhos
- Figueira da Foz – Cabedelo (116 km)
- Nazaré – Praia do Norte (178 km)
- Lagoa de Óbidos (200 km)
- Peniche – Baleal (208 km)
- Peniche – Supertubos (211 km)
- Ericeira – Ribeira d'Ilhas (251 km)
- Guincho (280 km)
- Carcavelos (283 km)