Espinho Surf Guide – All You Need to Know
Espinho offers a reliable wave in the region of Porto. It’s among the best spots in northern Portugal, especially for its right-hand harbor breaks.
Despite being in the less-popular north of Portugal, Espinho is still one of the major hotspots on the Portuguese surf map.
Along with Matosinhos and Esmoriz, it’s one of the most visited and most popular Porto surf spots.
The best days are with those big winter swells that can wall up off the big jetty and give tube rides from the breakwater for like 100m. With size, it can be hollow and fast, a competition wave, even.
But smaller days and higher tides will fatten it out. You also get beach breaks to the north and south that help make Espinho a decent place for all levels and even learners in the summer.
Sadly there are some concerns with the water quality, especially with all the light industry that’s clustered around Gaia in south Porto. I’ve not found it to be terrible but I would still check pollution monitors to make up my mind before getting in the water.
The other issue is the localism. It’s a bit bad when there’s a crowd on the harbor walls.
Thankfully, the Espinho has spots either side of the main breakwater. Those are where you’ll find more accessible beginner waves and A-frames that are fair game for just about anyone.
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This is just one part of our main guide to surfing in Portugal
Espinho surf at a glance
The good:
The bad:
What’s in this guide to Espinho surf?
Where is Espinho?
Espinho is about 16km from the centre of Porto. It marks the northern start of the so-called Silver Coast, a region that goes all the way down to Peniche nearer to Lisbon.
It’s easy to access on urban trains from Porto itself. That means a surf trip here could easily combine with a trip to the city of Porto. In fact, many of the surf schools who advertise day lessons in Porto come to Espinho.
A car hire isn’t needed. Just get on the train at Sao Bento and you can be here in 20 minutes. There are like 30 trains a day.
Surf spots in Espinho
Thanks to its big, tubey lefts and rights, Espinho is known as one of the more reliable and challenging spots in the north of Portugal.
But those sorts of conditions only come now and then. More likely, you’ll get wally, rippable waves off the jetties and some nice beach breaks on the sands to the north and south of the breakwaters – good for intermediates, and even beginners on occasion.
Azul Beach
The northern beach Espinho is known as Praia da Frente Azul. It links the southern sides of Porto to the surf town with one long sweep of sand and reef.
There are actually a few peaks to ride along it, but the most famous and reliable has to be the jetty break at the southernmost end. It’s works on the opposite swell direction to its compadre just over the harbour at Baia, but is actually a similar ride.
Direction is left. Walls get big in winter and potentially hollow. It’s a real favourite for bodyboarders. Localism and pollution are to be expected.
Baia Beach
Baia Beach is the surf spot that puts Espinho on the map. It’s also sometimes called the Casino Right, because it starts at the huge shore break jetty in front of te town’s main casino.
When it’s firing, this one’s a fast and hallow right-hander that holds up really well. It can take quite strong NW swells to get going, but even when it’s not a tube it’s a decent wave that can host intermediates.
Main hazards are poor water quality and swimmers – they can come dangerously close to the surfers, especially towards the end of the ride and when it’s busy in the summer.
Esmoriz
Esmoriz is another famous surf town just a little more to the south of Porto. It’s not within walking distance of Espinho, but is linked by road and rail so should be an easy detour.
The breakwaters and jetties drop away here to leave the shoreline a little more exposed to the Atlantic, meaning it’s a more classically north Portugal break. Peaks wedge up to big overheads on winter days and can A-frame across the bay.
A popular spot that’s really nice for beginners in the warmer months. We surfed it in 2019 but sadly found the local rentals to be prohibitively expensive (50 quid for an hour – you what!?).
>>Read our full guide to Esmoriz right now
Where to stay in Espinho?
Espinho as plenty of hotels. That’s mainly because it’s a major beach resort for Porto locals during the summer months.
However, there are also more and more out and out surf-related stays in the area these days. Many will offer surf lessons and board rental and stuff like that…
- Green Coast Surf House – A charming, locally owned B&B that welcomes you to a property only a short walk from Espinho beach. You can pick from standard doubles with shared bathrooms or private doubles with ensuite.
- Espinho Beach 4 Stays – I really like this self-catering option. It puts you smack bang on the seafront of the town, within eyeshot and earshot of the waves. The house can hold up to six surfers at once.
- Hotel Praiagolfe – This is a more classic sort of hotel stay but still right on top of Azul Beach for the surfers. You’ll get daily housekeeping and modern rooms with flat-screen TVs. There’s also an onsite sunning terrace with Atlantic views (check the surf from there each morning) and an indoor pool for after a day in the water. It’s the lux option.
The other thing I can reccomend is staying in Porto city. As I’ve mentioned, Espinho isn’t far from the town center and it’s only a 20-minute train from Sao Bento (the historic train station in the middle of Porto) to get here. So, you could do a city break and travel down here when you want a surf.
Surf camps in Espinho
If you’re more on the beginner end of the spectrum and are serious about surfing every day on your trip to north Portugal, then I’d highly reccomend doing a surf camp.
These are tailored packages that include surf courses and more – usually accomodation, some food, and gear rental. It’s basically a super easy way to surf for a few days without having to sort stuff yourself.
Northern Portugal and the Porto region doesn’t have as many as the Algarve but it’s got a few good ones, including this camp that’s near to Espinho…
- Maceda Surf Camp – Now these guys aren’t quite in Espinho. They’re in Maceda, a little beach town that’s super-chill just to the south. It’s just as good – if not better – for beginners because they mainly surf pretty quiet beach breaks around there. The package is eight days and includes a 20-hour surf course. The camp itself is really eco minded and social. It’s one of our top picks for surf camps in and around Porto.
For more tips on great surf camps, you can check our guide to the best ones in Porto, or the best ones in Portugal, which we update every year.
When to surf in Espinho
Espinho surf works most seasons, but there are definitely some times of the year when it’s better for the pros, and others when it’s better for the beginners. Check out the guide below to see what the wave calendar has in store for you.
Winter (November-March)
Hardcore westerly swells and north-westerly swells start rolling across the Atlantic.
In the north, Espinho gets a nice hit too. It’s regularly double overhead in these parts and the main jetty breaks are always most likely to throw up tubes in the winter.
Be warned that winter near Porto ain’t what it is in the Algarve. The water is colder and the wind is stronger. You’ll need a good wetty of at least 4/3 with boots and gloves in the deep winter.
Spring (April & May)
The spring has some bite left in it from the wintertime. There are many surfable days with strong groundswells coming in a W direction straight off the Atlantic.
You should be able to paddle out and find something to ride that’s fast and challenging, and the lefts and rights of the main Azul and Baia beaches will be doing their thing to boot. It quietens down towards the summer.
Crowds will also get bigger as you approach June.
Summer (June-August)
The warmer months and the high season in north Portugal brings the crowds with it. The Atlantic swells cool a lot, so you’re going to be more reliant on wind swells.
That said, half of the days are surfable during the period from June to August. It’s also chilled and usually around chest-high.
The result? Barrels are rare on Azul, but it’s high time to join one of those Espinho surf school for your first sesh. It’s beginner season.
Autumn (September & October)
Autumn is fantastic for surfing in Espinho. The season is all about transitioning from the tame summer swells to the heavy Atlantic storm season.
Further down the coast, spots like Nazare will be pulling in the gun riders by October time. It will likely be a mix of big days and medium ones in Espinho, with some nice offshores to glass up the right barrels.
On top of that, the crowds are smaller and the prices in the local hotels are less. It’s just win win.
One thing we wouldn’t skip on is sunscreen.
I use Suntribe’s blocks because they’ve made a real effort to strip out any unneccessary chemicals.
Plus, they offer Surf Atlas readers 10% off orders with code Surfatlas10.
Surf shops in Espinho
Espinho has no shortage of its own surf shops. This is one of the main spots in the Porto area, after all. Some of the ones we’ve enjoyed dropping into in the past include…
- Backdoor Shop – A surf shop with a difference. You won’t find shaped boards or hardware for your sessions here. You’ll find branded surf fashion and fancy threads to keep you looking dappa for the Espinho bars after a day on the waves. There’s also a little cafe at the site for your retail coffee on the go.
- SURFACTORY – This one has long been a go-to for boarders who’ve clipped their beloved ride. Fast repairs are just part of the biz, however. You can also find some BEAUTIFUL custom-made shapes. We drool at the logs.
Things to do when you’re not surfing in Espinho
Surfing isn’t the only thing on the menu in this corner of northern Portugal. Nope, there are city breaks and stacks of culture to get through.
To be honest, I often reccomend that people coming here base themselves in either Porto (the amazing second city of Portugal) or Aviero (a cool place with canals and old school churches). You can get to Espinho and surrounding beaches from both and they each have great culture…
Visit Porto
Espinho is about as close as it’s possible to go on the Portugal surf map without actually entering the city limits of Porto.
So, a trip to that UNESCO-tagged city is a must. We’d even recommend basing yourself there, because there’s way more nightlife and culture, while trips to the breaks are a cinch on the train. Be sure to look for a hotel in the magical Ribeira district!
Visit Aveiro
It’s about 40 mins or an hour on the train from Espinho to Aveiro. The town is hailed as the Venice of Portugal for its drifting canals and little gondola boats. There’s also a fascinating old nunnery and lovely tiled architecture. If you have your own car, we’d also say be sure to pack in the boards and pay a visit to Costa Nova Beach – it’s got decent waves and is usually totally deserted!
How to get to Espinho?
- Fly – Aim to fly into Porto Airport. It’s the main gateway to the north of the country, and is well-linked to Porto city centre by train.
- Drive– Look for the A29 roadway. It goes straight past Espinho on its way into Vila Nova de Gaia, which is on the south side of the city of Porto.
- Train – Trains connect Porto’s Sao Bento station (an amazing, historic terminal) with Espinho all throughout the day. They run until after midnight, don’t take too long, and cost just €1.40 per ride. State-owned railway company Comboios de Portugal says they currently welcome surfers with boards on their services, but we’d still check ahead to make sure.
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!
