Seeing the giant waves in Nazaré has been on our bucket list for years! Now that we live in Lisbon, driving to Nazaré to see the biggest waves on the planet became a lot more doable. The best part? Checking the wave forecast and planning our visit accordingly to make sure we would see giant waves while there.
For weeks, we kept planning a visit to Nazaré to see the waves, but for one reason or another, we kept postponing it. Luckily, the wave forecast kept getting bigger, and by the time we planned a trip to Nazaré, the forecast was for giant waves!
The forecast was so good, that a couple of days later, on February 18th, the Tudor Nazaré Big Wave Challenge took place.
Getting There
Nazaré is and easy hour and a half drive from Lisbon. We drove straight to the Miradouro das Ondas da Nazaré, and looked for parking there. We were lucky to find a not-so-obvious spot just by the Miraduoro. From the lot you still have a bit of a walk to the area where you actually see the waves.
The drive to Nazaré from Lisbon takes you right past the medieval walled town of Obidos. If you have time, you could add a stop there to walk on the castle walls and grab a snack before continuing to Nazaré. Obidos is about 45 minutes away from Lisbon, so it’s a good midway point in the drive.
When To Go
You can check the wave forecast here. In general, the waves are bigger in the winter, so if you want to see the giant waves, you should plan to visit in January/February.
Where To Eat
We went to Nazaré to see the giant waves, and in the process of planning the trip we learned about all the delicious seafood you can eat there. Joe did some research and he chose two delicious restaurants for our two meals in Nazaré.
Rosa Dos Ventos
This restaurant was perfect for lunch! They have outdoor seating and super friendly staff. We shared three dishes between our family and it was the perfect amount of food. At the end, our children were gifted 2 handmade tiny ceramic cups with the name of the restaurant on it. It was super nice!
Pangeia
There are actually two Pangeia restaurants in Nazaré. One is in Sitio de Nazaré, and the other is by the sea. We went to the one by the sea. Despite being a nicer restaurant, our kids were received with open arms, and everyone was super nice too. We loved the fish and the shrimp dishes. Of course, we also got dessert (sobremesa)! The walk back to our Airbnb on the beach boulevard was lovely!
What To Do
Nazaré is a beautiful place! We explored a bit of the town, but other than seeing the giant waves, we didn’t do much else. One afternoon we went for a walk to Praia do Salgado (close the lighthouse side) and found tons of sea glass.
We also visited the lighthouse at the Miraduoro das Ondas de Nazaré and found it very interesting. The fort where the lighthouse is located has been repurposed as a surfing museum. There you’ll see surfboard from world champion and Guinness World Record surfers, as well as explanations for what creates the giant waves in Nazaré. The view from the top of the fort is pretty good, but you can get a similar perspective (if not better) from the bluffs nearby. Entrance to the lighthouse/fort was 2 Euros per person.
Final Thoughts
We had a great time in Nazaré even though it rained most of the time we were there. We hope to go back every year to see the giant waves (we are now subscribed to the updates!). The town was super cute, with narrow streets and lots of good eateries. I would like to explore more of the Sitio de Nazaré and visit some of the historic sites there, like the church of our Lady of Nazaré.
