Travel to Portugal
Best beach village in Portugal
Nazaré • Portugal

✍️ Nazaré (or Nazare - the origin of the name comes from the Portuguese translation of the biblical city name of Nazareth in Holy Land) is a portuguese municipality in the historical Estremadura province of Portugal and one of its most popular seaside resorts in the Silver Coast (Costa da Prata).

Nazare's town consists of three neighbourhoods:
Praia (on the beach), Sítio (old village on top of a cliff) and Pederneira (another old village, on a hilltop).

◉ Located on the Atlantic coast, Nazaré has long sandy beaches (considered by some to be among the best beaches in Portugal), picturesque orange-roofed buildings packed along a long golden beach, friendly people as well as lots of tourists in the springtime, summer and fall too.

Nazaré Portugal village, beach and coast

Nazaré Portugal village, beach and coast

Nazaré • Village, beach+coast

Lily's tips:

Which are the top things to do in Nazaré, Portugal?

In the summer months, Nazaré is a famous holiday destination, which attracts a lot of tourists who claim to be beachlovers, in a diversity of nationalities and range of ages.

The winter draws a wholly different type of tourist, daredevil surfers, who come to surf the colossal waves that break off the Praia do Norte beach as well as more mature tourists and visitors touring Portugal.

If you are planning a summer holiday to Nazaré, always book your accommodation as far-in-advance as possible, as the town will sell-out.

Sitio Nazaré • Portugal

A woman from Nazaré wearing the traditional seven coloured flannel skirts

Sitio Nazaré • Portugal

Visit village Sitio:

• Visit Sitio village, watch the amazing beach view and learn all about surfing on the giant waves of the Atlantic ocean.

Sítio da Nazaré is located at the top of Monte Sítio and it has a pretty historic centre along with breathtaking views of the village, Praia da Nazare - the coastline and the Atlantic ocean.

Lots of vendors and small shops to buy souvenirs, a few restaurants and coffee shops and on the main square you'll find a public WC (sometimes unavailable).
Parking area is limited so if you don't want to walk up the hill to the Sitio village you may take the funicular from the beach to the top.

At the centre of Sítio is the grand baroque Igreja Nossa Senhora da Nazaré church, which houses an ancient - unique - statue of the Virgin Mary as it is a black Madonna feeding baby Jesus.

At the western side of the Sítio headland is the lighthouse Farol da Nazaré and the Miguel Arcanjo Fort.
This area is all about extreme surfing and the Praia do Norte waves.
Inside the Arcanjo fort are surfboards and pictures of the extreme surfing along with informative exhibits about the surfing culture of the region.

Nazaré beach Portugal Praia de Nazaré

Praia da Nazaré • Portugal

Enjoy the golden beach:

• Enjoy the golden Praia da Nazaré spending a relaxed day on the sand and under the sun or stroll along the Avenida da Republica, the beach promenade of Nazaré.

The Praia da Nazaré, which extends for 1,5 km from the Sítio headland in the north to the fishing harbour in the south has soft golden sands and is of a very high standard, but the sea waters are shockingly cold, reaching only 18°C in the summer and care must always be taken as there can be powerful waves.

So instead of swimming to the cold and dangerous Atlantic ocean, you might prefer to take a light suntan color or walk along the Avenida da Republica.

There is a second huge beach on the northern side of the Sítio headland, the Praia do Norte which extends for many kilometres and has a beautiful, natural setting, with almost no tourist development, but it is the huge waves which makes the beach famous for surfing across the world in the wintertime.
On summertime the waves are minor in comparison but the windy nature of that beach does not lend itself to summertime relaxing.

Surfing in Nazaré • Portugal

Surfing:

• The biggest waves ever surfed?

The Big Waves season in Nazaré - Portugal, is between October and March (winter season in Portugal, but April works too in some years).
If you visit Nazaré during this season, it doesn't mean that you will certainly find the giant surfing waves you might looking for.
For example - in our trip to Nazaré - we found a really nice, sunny weather (on November).

The winter winds on the Praia do Norte, currents and the under-sea geology combine to form staggering 30m waves, which only the most brave and experienced would even consider surfing.

Carefully descend to the lighthouse (Farol da Nazaré and the Miguel Arcanjo Fort - looking at the Atlantic Ocean) to capture amazing images of the waves that break into the steep but beautiful carved rocks.
You can also go down to the sand on the beach for another perspective via a dirt road but be very careful by the sea as it is quite dangerous.

Seafood in Nazaré Portugal

Seafood • Nazaré Portugal

Eat Fresh Seafood:

• Nazaré was always a productive fishing village and is proud of its fishing heritage.

The best thing about staying in a fishing town like Nazaré is that you can eat fresh fish.

Portuguese cuisine was influenced a lot from the Atlantic waters and there is no doubt you can find delicious seafood to eat in good prices even if you choose to sit in a touristic restaurant by the beach.

Make a reservation for an hour before nightfall and enjoy your late lunch or early dinner in the view of the Atlantic ocean and in a majestic sunset.

Here are some restaurants you might want to try its menu (and I suggest that you do):

1. Rosa dos Ventos:
Portuguese cuisine
A small but good restaurant to try Portuguese seafood and fresh fish from the menu, fresh Dorada with boiled potatoes and salad, homemade cheese and a glass of good wine (or maybe more glasses) in good prices.

• See more photos from this fish restaurant in Nazaré |here|

2. A Tasquinha:
Portuguese cuisine
Very popular restaurant in Nazaré for a classic Mediterranean seafood experience and a highly recommend. Warm hospitality from its owners. Go there early beacause otherwise sometimes the wait is long but its food still worths it. Reasonable prices - excellent food experience.

• See more photos from this great restaurant in Nazaré |here|

3. TOSCA Gastrobar:
Portuguese cuisine
Try the Portuguese tapas as starters, the cooked to perfection - octopus, the Hake and the Diablo prawn with linguine, all of this for a reasonable price.
Also the desserts at this restaurant are a must!

• More photos from this fish restaurant in Nazaré |here|

Sunset in Nazaré beach Portugal

Watch the sunset over the ocean:

• “To leave out beautiful sunsets is the secret of good taste.” 
― Dejan Stojanovic

Oh! You are going to love the majestic sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.
I took some photos that you can see if you scroll down here but honestly photos can't do justice, you need to see in real life.

Click here to learn the exact sunrise and sunset's hours in Nazaré • Portugal.

Museums and cultural:

• Museums to visit for more info about the culture and the traditions of Nazaré

1. Nazaré Museum Dr. Joaquim Manso:
Ethnographic and Archaeological museum
All you need to know about Nazaré’s history, culture and traditions in this museum also well-known as Nazaré Museum.

2. Fisherman House-Museum:
Museum created in 1999 by a native
An old traditional fisherman's house from Nazaré (1930's) turned into a museum where you can learn all the traditional fishing customs.

3. Rector Luís Nési Museum:
Religious Art Museum
A religious museum about the importance of the Virgin of Nazaré.

4. Cultural Centre of Nazaré:
Culture of Portugal
Interesting temporary exhibitions.

Travel in Nazaré Portugal

View of the coast • Nazaré

Hotels+accommodation:

• Where to stay in Nazaré?

Hotels:

• Hotel Praia:
4 stars Hotel in Nazaré
This hotel is located just a few steps from the beach (Praia da Nazaré), offers great sea views, has a nice pool, good breakfast and parking seats for its guests.
↳ Check ❯|Hotel's rates here|

• Hotel Mar Bravo:
3 stars Hotel in Nazaré
The location is amazing (in front of the sea), the staff quite friendly and the breakfast is good and generous.
↳ Check ❯|Hotel's rates here|

• Hotel Mar Bravo:
2 stars Hotel in Nazaré
Good price value hotel, 5 minutes walk from the beach and about 15 minutes from Nazare's old town. Lovely rooftop pool and view and parking available for its guests.
Cozy breakfast and in a walking distance from a local bazaar, restaurants and market.
↳ Check ❯|Hotel's rates here|

Location:

• Where is it; How do you get there?

Distances:

From Lisbon:
• Nazaré is about 120 kilometres / 75 miles north of Lisbon on the Silver Coast.
You can drive your own car to Nazaré from Lisbon (takes about one hour and 30 minutes on the A8 and about €7 in toll fares), take the bus (the trip takes about one hour and 50 minutes and tickets start at €10 one way) or hire a tour to get you there and take care of the rest of your needs.

From Porto:
• The distance between Porto and Nazaré is 176 km and the road distance is 216,6 km. You can get from Porto to Nazaré by bus, train or car but the cheapest way to get there from Porto is to bus which costs 15€ - 19€ and takes 3h 30m

From Fátima:
• The distance between Nazaré and Fátima is 35 km. The road distance is 60,8 km.
You can get from Nazaré to Fátima by bus (costs 5€ - 6€ and takes 1h 22m), taxi (costs 40€ - 50€ and takes 39m) or car (also 39 minutes away).

Map: Nazaré • Portugal

• Summing up the Nazaré experience:

You’ll love Nazaré in Portugal!
It's a perfect base from which to explore the rest of the country and a picturesque coastal village where tradition and tourism coexist. Don't hesitate to visit in any chance you have while you are travelling and exploring the beauties Portugal.

More photos
from Nazaré
in Portugal:

Nazare's beach in Portugal
Nazaré Portugal

Nazaré • Portugal

Nazaré • Portugal

Nazaré • Portugal
⇱ Me - clearly posing for a photo - and on the background Nazaré's beach from the hill of Sitio village with the breathless view.

A Portuguese lady (Sitio village) in traditional seven coloured flannel dress selling traditional products from Nazaré ⇲
A woman from Nazaré wearing the traditional seven coloured flannel skirts