Arrifana is one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal
Arrifana beach is a stunning beach with beautiful tall cliffs. Due to its bay shape, Arrifana beach is well protected from the rough ocean and huge swells making it a perfect beach to learn how to surf.
Our surf school is located in Arrifana, Aljezur’s main beach, once a remote destination yet this is still very much of a gem. Arrifana is the perfect place to start exploring one of the most remote surf destinations in Europe, yet well known for its beautiful beaches, lazy sunny days, perfect offshore winds and waves for everyone, amazing landscape and food. Close to Sagres and other surf towns in Algarve, Arrifana will be ideal for surf holidays in Portugal.
The western coast of Algarve is an ecologically protected area, and one of the few remaining wild coasts in Europe with no real estate resorts on sight due to its protected Natural Park. Costa Vicentina remains virgin, offering incredible surf spots, most of them not crowded during the offseason from October until June.
Arrifana is ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers
Arrifana has a lengthy sandy beach, one of the best surf spots in Portugal for beginners to learn how to surf. Arrifana is where we hold most of our surf lessons, but if the swell is small then usually we head up to some of the nearby beaches that are less protected than Arrifana, such as Carrapateira, Amado, Monte Clérigo and Vale Figueiras. There is a great choice of waves and variety of beach breaks, reefs and point breaks around.
Arrifana beach is the first choice for many surf schools to practice their surf lessons because of its consistency and protection from possible onshore winds. On big surfing days and when the swell direction hits straight the coastline, Arrifana can still be one of the best surf spots around due to its bay shape offering higher protection. When the swell is really high, it creates a famous point break called Kangaroo due to the way the wave grows! Kangas, works better with 2 and 2.5 meters swell and medium tides.
When to surf in Arrifana
Surf in Arrifana is always busier during the summer months and holiday periods. Most of the best surf breaks in Algarve are located close to Arrifana. For experienced surfers, we can organize on request guided tours to some of these surf spots. This package is recommended to skilled surfers who know what they want and search for local knowledge of the swell, tides, winds and beach breaks whiling to lead them directly to their perfect wave.
However, if you're already more experienced, then it is during the winter time that you will take the most out of Arrifana for many reasons. First because the crowds are much less than what you'll find in the middle of the summer. Also, this time of the year is when the swell is bigger hence making Arrifana much more challenging, yet still very much a safe beach with low currents and rips.
