SurfPlanet

Porto, Portugal

Espinho

Also known as Praia de Espinho, Praia da Baía Espinho

Intermediate Beach break Sand bottom Peels both 0.5–3 m Mid tide

A long, swell-exposed stretch of northern beach south of Porto, divided by rock groynes that hold decent sandbars. Espinho gets noticeably more size and power than sheltered Matosinhos up the coast, and the groyne peaks can produce short, punchy, hollow waves on the right tide. It has a long competitive surfing history and regularly hosts national and European events. Cold, often windy, rarely crowded outside town.

Hazards

RipRocksCold WaterStrong Current

Conditions

Best swell
W, NW, SW
Best wind
N, NE, E
Season
Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
Wave size
0.5–3 m
Wave quality
●●●○○
Consistency
●●●●●
Crowd
●●●○○
Coordinates
41.0072, -8.6472

Facilities

ParkingToiletsShowersSurf SchoolBoard RentalCafeLifeguard

Getting there

Twenty minutes south of Porto on the A29 or the Aveiro urban train. Parking along the seafront; walk the promenade and pick the groyne with the best-looking bank.

Sources