Ericeira : The Portuguese Beach Town You NEED to Visit
Imagine sitting on the coast, listening to the waves crash, surrounded by blue and white painted buildings watching the sun set. Greece? NOPE. You’re in Ericeira, Portugal.
Ericeira is a small beach resort town located about 35 minutes away from Lisbon. It’s also a SURF MECCA. We saw long boards hanging out of every car we passed and signs for “SURF LESSONS” hanging in shop windows. There was a serious “So-Cal” style vibe to the town. Ericeira is actually a World Surfing Reserve (the first in Europe), and they’ve been known to host surfing competitions.
When planning our trip to Portugal, we knew we wanted to stop in a beach town for a night. BUT HOW TO CHOOSE?! Upon our arrival in Lisbon, our local food tour guide suggested we visit Ericeira! She mentioned preferring the slower pace of Ericeira to the more touristy beaches closer to Lisbon. We were incredibly grateful for the recommendation and decided to add to beach town to our itinerary!
Reasons we LOVED Ericeira:
The Coast. The Portuguese coastline can really capture an audience with their jagged cliffs, clear blue water and sandy beaches. We couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous views! We hung out at Praia do Sul (South Beach), because it was right in the town center; however, I would highly recommend checking out Ribeira d'Ilhas. It’s a bit further away from the town center, but looks like something you’d find on a postcard (and think to yourself - “NO WAY that’s real”).
The Food. Ericeira is also a fishing community and sits right on the water, so their seafood is SUPER FRESH. We did encounter some higher prices here than in Lisbon, but we found a couple of spots we REALLY enjoyed. We ate dinner at Resturante Prim (they were kind about seating us without a reservation) and the food was FANTASTIC. I probably had one of the best tuna fillets of my life here. And our waitress was incredibly fun and engaging. We also had a tasty, light breakfast + cappuccino at the Magic Quiver Surf Shop (would recommend to a friend). And we grabbed sandwiches to go (and eat on the beach) at Pao de Vila. And maybe a couple of delicious baked goods.
The Vibe. Everyone seemed HAPPY in Ericeira. The people were friendly, everyone was enjoying a gelato or cappuccino and the surfers were doing their thing. We popped into Adega Bar a couple of times for some refreshing sangria, and they everyone in the bar seemed like a local! Plus, they had a neighborhood dog wandering around saying “hello” to all of the guests, so that was also a plus.
The AirBnb Options. We booked our place in Ericeira very last minute, and we were able to find a VERY reasonably priced apartment in the CENTER of town! We walked, max, 10 minutes in either direction to find what we needed. And, they had free street parking (which is rare).
The Surfers. Watching surfers catch waves is 100% a form of entertainment. We set up a spot on the South Beach and just watched the surfers for a couple of hours. WIpe out? 10/10.
ITEMS TO NOTE:
Since Ericeira sits up on a cliff, it can get incredibly windy. Be prepared for some extra wind chill and crazy hair.
Wear layers. You’re blocked by the wind in the center of town and by the beach walls while on the beach (and in the sun). We went from bikini to long sleeve shirts in just a matter of a few steps + an elevation change.
The church bells ring at noon, every day. When the bells first went off, our group passed around confused glances (Sharks spotted? Church on Saturday morning? Riptides?). Nope. Our AirBnb host informed us that it was tradition for the bells to ring midday. Time to wake up and head outside!
If you’re looking to get outside of the city and soak up some sun, Ericeira would be a great spot to visit. It one of the lesser known beach towns just north of Lisbon, so its not super crowded but they still cater to the tourists really well. AKA: There is plenty to eat, drink, do. Picking this beach town was the cherry on top to the end of a great road trip. Ericeira was absolutely charming!
Magic Quiver Surf Shop
Breakfast @ Magic Quiver
