Praia de Angeiras – Our Surf & Travel Guide

Where is Praia de Angeiras?

Praia de Angeiras is just a touch north of the big city of Porto, the main gateway to northern Portugal as a whole. Getting to the town should be a total cinch, because Porto’s main airport is literally 10 minutes’ drive down the road.

I recommend the place as a good first pitstop on a driving trip through the Costa Verde region and northern Spain (up to Galicia). Come here straight of your flight, chill, surf maybe, then start hopping the beaches and reefs that run north.

Surfing at Praia de Angeiras

Praia de Angeiras has a few town beaches, some of which can work well, others not so well. Before even getting into them: A warning.

There can be big rips and big patches of reef underwater here, so don’t just paddle out willy nilly. It’s worth checking where the locals go, and be absolutely sure you’re confident and know what you’re doing before going out. It’s just that Praia de Angeiras isn’t really that popular. It’s not like Peniche or Espinho and there’s a good chance you’ll be surfing here totally alone.

There are two beaches (maybe three) that probably offer the best surf conditions of the bunch:

• Praia das Pedras Brancas – The big bay that runs south of town. Open to almost all swell, so can get ridiculous in peak winter. Summer days can be blown out because of the nortada winds, but there are some nice spells to be had in shoulder seasons on smaller days, when you can sometimes find one of those nice mushy Portuguese sandbar waves to yourself.
• Praia Angeiras Sul – Your best chance of finding a good wave is this run that goes south from the breakwater. Better protection from NW swells than anywhere in town, often means there are some fairly accessible waves here on larger days. There’s also N wind protection and that’s key. Beware of rips and rocks.
• Praia de Angeiras Norte – The beach on the north side of town has some big reef sections on its southern end, but opens into a larger bay towards the middle where some say there can be okay waves. I’ve only ever seen it maxed out.

I would add that one of the reasons this is a great spot is because it’s a good gateway to the coastline that runs north, which has some more gems. For example, a 20-minute drive gets you to Azurara, which has a nice inside break beyond the seawall – arguably one of the best intermediate spots in the whole area.

When to surf in Praia de Angeiras?

The spring and autumn are the key seasons here because they see a drop in the summer nortada winds that can blow out a lot of northern Portugal. In addition, it’s less busy around town then because the main summer crowds have gone home (or not arrived in earnest).

Winters bring big, ceaseless, unforgiving NW swells to bear on the whole Costa Verde. It can be brutal finding any clean wave for weeks on end at that time. My advice? Pack up and head south to the Algarve!

Other things to do in Praia de Angeiras apart from surfing

Praia de Angeiras is a nice little break from the hubbub that is Porto, a city that lies less than an hour to the south and that’s become something of a hub for stag dos to the point where it’s kinda annoying these days.

If you came to northern Portugal hoping for laid-back beachside life and some top seafood, you could do a whole load worse than just hanging out here for a week.

The town is lined by a lovely promenade that’s packed with fishing taverns and dotted – on the beach side – with salty fishing boats. Get there for sunset, have a cold one and watch the golden hour, then eat and eat some more.

>>Read more about this region in our guide to the top beaches in Porto

Where to stay in Praia de Angeiras?

Choose a nice seafront stay in Praia de Angeiras. That’s what it’s all about here – chilling on the seafront, waking to the sounds of the waves and fishing boats shifting on the sand. Hotels aren’t common. It’s mainly self-catering apartments in these parts.

• Blue Beach Apartment – A modern apartment just steps away from the beach and the fish markets. Modern interiors and sleeps up to three guests.
• Ar d’Sal – Praia de Angeiras – A very highly rated beachside stay (9.7/10 on Booking at the time of writing!) with a garden space and the real feel of a north Portuguese beach hut. Love the style here!