by Joseph Richard Francis
written by Joseph Richard Francis
Santa Cruz, Portugal, surf is great summer stuff, with consistency and access to the country’s most surf-rich stretch of shore (home to Ericeria and Peniche alike).
An introduction to Santa Cruz surf
Trace your finger up the coast from Ericeira or south from Peniche and boom, there it is: Santa Cruz. That’s Santa Cruz, Portugal, surf town of Europe, not North America – just in case you were confused there for a moment. Locals here will tell you it’s the OG, though we have to say the waves aren’t quite what they are in the Cali namesake.
Long north-running, west-facing beaches peel away from the heart of Santa Cruz town. When it’s winter, spring or fall and there’s action in the Atlantic, they turn into pounding shorebreaks. At best, then, it can be entertaining to watch the surf schools trying to get past the whitewash. At worst, it can be a dangerous, rip fest.
But smaller swells will bless Santa Cruz, Portugal, surf wise. They bring chest-high lips and A-frames up and down long Praia da Física and smaller, trickier performance nuggets into the reef-ringed main beach. We’ll say it’s a great place to come for beach days and the odd session in the midsummer, especially since you have the acclaimed Noah Surf House up on the hill.
Santa Cruz also happens to be a really lovely little town. Down-to-earth beach bars pepper the main sands, it’s close to Lisbon, and there are a few cobbled streets packed with cafes and bars that keep it happening but more chill than nearby hubs like Peniche.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Portugal
Surfing in Santa Cruz at a glance
The good…
Relatively quiet waves compared to nearby surf towns
It’s a charming town in its own right
Great additing to a surf road trip
The bad…
Maxes out pretty easy
Vulerable to onshore W winds
What’s in this guide to Santa Cruz, Portugal, surf?
Where is Santa Cruz, Portugal?
Santa Cruz is located on the western coast of Portugal, within the district of Lisbon. To reach Santa Cruz from Lisbon, one would typically head northwest. The journey involves taking the A8 motorway from Lisbon, followed by transitioning onto the A21, which leads directly to the vicinity of Santa Cruz. This route covers a distance of approximately 70 kilometers and takes about an hour to drive under normal traffic conditions.
The coastal setting of Santa Cruz makes it relatively straightforward to access from the capital, offering a scenic route that traverses through the varied landscapes of the Lisbon District, before arriving at the coastal area where Santa Cruz is situated.
You can also drive it – as we did in the fall of 2023 – via non-toll country roads. Takes 30 minutes longer but is generally a prettier drive that takes you through lush river valleys and olive farms a little more inland.
Our advice? Hire a car – it makes it WAY easier to get to Santa Cruz, especially if you’ve got a board in tow, shouldn’t cost too much, and means you’ll be able to explore this whole stretch of coast (which, as you’ll soon see, has quite a few places worth surfing).
Santa Cruz surf spots
Peniche
Everyone who’s anyone has heard of Peniche. A short 45-minute drive north of Santa Cruz, it’s definitely doable if you’re based in SC itself. The main reason you’d head this way is for the abundance of surf schools and surf camps – it’s probably the best array in the whole of Portugal. The other reason is for bays that get protection from S or N winds, depending on which are blowing. Basically, Peniche has a spot that will work no matter the swell or wind direction so it’s worth having in the back pocket.
We have a complete guide to the surf in Peniche right here
Praia da Consolação
Praia da Consolação is now seen as a decent alternative to Peniche, offering access to the beach breaks that are basically the south end of iconic Supertubos beach. But it’s a different kettle of fish, what with a beefy right hander coming in on strong W, SW and the biggest NW swells to the south of the fort, and more cruisy lefts knocking the rocks to the north. Really, they are point breaks, but as ever in Portugal rely on good sandbanks below to be at their best. The right is largely for more experienced surfers, while the left can be a lovely log wave on its day (usually in the summer).
Areia Branca
Areia Branca is a cracking option if you want something less touristy on this – let’s face it – rather touristed coast. The main beach gets great sandbank waves after the winter storms desist and can be good for all levels when it’s under five foot. There’s some localism but it’s quite pretty. You’re looking at a 25-min drive north of Santa Cruz.
We have a full guide to the surf in Areia Branca
Praia da Física
Praia da Física is very much the focal point of the surfing in Santa Cruz these days. It’s where the Noah Surf House have set up their on-sand surf school and where most people will paddle out for long sessions.
The reason for its popularity is largely down to the consistency – the whole bay has exceptionally good exposure to NW swells. That’s a gift in summer but can bring nothing but bombing closeouts in winter, turning the whole thing into a nightmare paddle out – we were last here in Nov 2023 and the entire of Fisica was unsurfable.
When it’s on here, it can be great. The rights are generally longer but good lefts come off the rocks on the southern end of the bay especially, where there is a cluster of reefs, so be wary of those.
Santa Cruz Beach
Santa Cruz Beach is the name that’s used for the relatively small bay in the very heart of Santa Cruz. It’s famous for its tall yellow castle tower, which we reckon is actually a little ugly.
Not many folks surf here but it’s possible, though you’ll need to have a good idea where the rocks are and be warned of very strong rips that usually pull north to south along the front of the bay towards the large rocky island. We’d recommend this one as a great place to hang in the evening. Beers in the café there are still like 1 EUR a pop and the sunset angle is perfect until November.
Praia das Amoeiras
The secret of Santa Cruz, Praia das Amoeiras is a fantastic place to escape any summer crowds. Can struggle a little because it doesn’t get the same NW action but collects everything and anything in the W-SW swell channels. The waves here hold better than on Praia da Física but still become bombs over 8 foot and the paddle is only for the Arnold Schwarzenegger out there then. Access is via a zigzag staircase that comes down from the lookout point on the south side of Santa Cruz town.
Ericeira
Everyone who’s anyone has heard of Peniche. A short 45-minute drive north of Santa Cruz, it’s definitely doable if you’re based in SC itself. The main reason you’d head this way is for the abundance of surf schools and surf camps – it’s probably the best array in the whole of Portugal. The other reason is for bays that get protection from S or N winds, depending on which are blowing. Basically, Peniche has a spot that will work no matter the swell or wind direction so it’s worth having in the back pocket.
Read our full guide to surfing in Ericeira
Surf camps in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is wedged between Ericeira and Peniche, which together have unquestionably the highest number of surf camps in the whole of Portugal. Lots of them are pretty excellent in terms of quality of tuition and what’s included, but they will be on relatively busy beaches.
The surf camps in Santa Cruz can help you dodge the crowds, and we’d say they are darn good value for money too. Here are the two we love for 2024/25…
- Atlantic Surf School 6-day camp – Let local experts Pedro and Luis guide you through the Santa Cruz surf. This package includes accomodation at their place near Praia Azul and 10×1.5-hour surf lessons. Come in low season for cheaper rates and extras like trips to Obidos and Nazare.
- Surfcamp 360 8-day surf and yoga camp – Set in the lush countryside just north of Santa Cruz town, Surfcamp 360 is one of those intimate small-group options that you almost never regret booking. They include five 2-hour surf lessons and morning yoga at 7.30am plus a guided hike.
Need more inspo? We’ve got a complete guide to all the top surf camps in Portugal, plus a guide to the top surf camps in nearby towns like Peniche and Ericeira.
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Want more Santa Cruz Portugal surf camp options? Search the whole shebang below right now and book in a few clicks.
Where to stay when surfing in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz is home to a hotel that’s made it onto our list of the finest surf hotels in the whole of Portugal. And there are one or two other spots that we really, really like. Here’s a gander…
- Noah’s Surf House – The surf hotel of Santa Cruz, Noah’s is a popular choice with prime location on the main beach here. They run their own in-house surf classes, do shuttles to nearby surf spots, and even have a surf shop on site. Lodgings are cool bungalows with coast views. Pool is divine.
- Villa Galega – This was where we stayed on our last trip to Santa Cruz and it was so, so nice. A charming old Portuguese house has been converted into a stylish B&B with just a handful of rooms. There’s a shared kitchen and a heated pool in the garden, all a 1-minute walk from the beach.
Get more inspo right here, in our guide to the top surf hotels in Portugal for 2024…
Step-by-step guide to planning your Santa Cruz Portugal surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Santa Cruz Portugal surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Santa Cruz?
There are waves all year round in Santa Cruz – the town occupies a prime location on the exposed central coast of Portugal. We’d say that autumn months and early summer are prime, offering good offshore winds and smaller swells that work better on the beaches.
The issue in Santa Cruz isn’t not having waves. It’s often having too bigger waves, and onshore winds that blow the whole thing out. To avoid that, we actually think summer is a fine time to come here. Yes, getting skunked is a possibility but that’s a price worth paying to have days of mid-sized sets that work for maybe 60% of the holiday. Winter will have action but it might be too much – a whole week here in 2023 saw nothing but mega closeouts and rips. We ended up having to drive to Peniche to find something worth surfing.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
Joseph Richard Francis
Joe “Rich” Francis has been surfing for the best part of 15 years. He’s nowhere near as good as he should be at the end of all that, but hey ho. Born and bred in Swansea, South Wales (the current base of The Surf Atlas), Joe is a seasoned adventure travel writer with completed publications in the surf-travel and adventure-travel sphere for major publications like Lonely Planet and The Culture Trip.
